PROPOSED ARTIFICIAL SUN FOR PARIS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7383, 18 July 1885, Page 2 (Supplement)

PROPOSED ARTIFICIAL SUN FOR PARIS.

A WONDERFUL STRUCTURE. Mr. J. Bourdais has just presented to the Society of Civil Engineers a project that ho has been studying, and that concerns tho erection of a masonry tower 300 metres (984 tool) in height. After an examination of the different geometric profiles realisable, Mr. Bourdaie has adopted the column as being more apt than any other form to satisfy the rules of aesthetics, and also as being the most stable. In fact, the highest chimney in the world, that of St. Bollux, Glasgow, 433 feet in height, has been submitted to numerous storms without suffering therefrom, and, as other chimneys exposed to great wind pressure have never given rise to any accident, it results that a cylindrical form is the one that should be adopted. In short, Mr. Bourdais' structure would consist of a base 216 feet in height, in which would be established a permanent museum of electricity. Above this would rise a six-storey column surmounted by a roof forming a promenade, and capable of accommodating 2000 persons. The central granite core, 60 feet in diameter, would be surrounded with an ornamental framework of iron faoed with copper. This would be divided into six storeys, each containing 16 rooms, 16 feet in height ani 50 feet square, designed for asrotherapic treatment. Patients could come here to find a purity of air that is usually met with only on mountains. The central core would be hollow, so as to permit of all kinds of scientific experiments being tried. Finally, at the summit would be placed an enormous electric lamp, studied by Messrs. Bourdais and Sebillot, that would cast a flood of light over the entire city. This lamp would have an intensity equal to that of two million Carcel burners. The* lamp would be surmounted by a statue representing the genius of science. This would make the entire structure 1180 feet high.