WORLD'S FAIR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22399, 21 April 1936, Page 6

WORLD'S FAIR

PREPAEATION OF SITE

RECLAMATION FROM SEA - JkVORK IN SAN FRANCISCO BAY [from our own .correspondent) SAN FRANCISCO, March 10 The steady progress of the two great bridges, the longer joining San Francisco and Oakland, and the other Btretehing over the famed entrance to San Francisco Bay, the Golden Gate, caused citizens to determine that the completion of the bridges should be adequately celebrated. At first the majority opinion seemed to favour a World's Fair on the mainland, which meant San Francisco, but a group of wealthy men, representing large commercial organisations, agreed to raise the millions of dollars necessary if the fair was located on the Yerba Buena Shoals, in the centre of San Francisco Bay. Finally the question was submitted to a vote of San Francisco's citizens and approval was secured for the shoals 6:ite. The water is very shallow over a considerable area on the eastern side of Yerba Buena Island, thus removing the engineering problems that would have attended filling in deep water. A substantial reason that contributed materially to the final decision is that the United States Government is going to expend many millions of dollars on the project, partly as a means of giving employment to thousands of men, and also because tlie reclaimed laud will become a permanent air base, after the fair is over. , Opening in Three Years On the sentimental side there was presented the argument that the Yerba Buena shoals site, while near the San Francisco-Oakland bridge, will enable visitors also to see the Golden Gate bridge, and this would not be possible on either the eastern or western shores of San Francisco Bay, On February 11, a group of world's fair officials boarded a small launch in the teeth of a gale and visited the 6hoals, to mark the opening of the pro- / ject. On February 18, 1939, the doors of the fair will be thrown open to receive people from every land. The three years of time for dredging, filling in and building will give opportunity for every preparation, and, in as much as the important financial side is amply provided for, there does not appear to be a single obstacle that can be placed on the pathway to success. Area ol 385 Acres Visitors to the Panama-Pacific International Exposition held in San Francisco in 1915 will remember the splendid electric lighting effects. Soft colours flooded the scene from indirect sources. The 1939 World's Fair will have the additional advantage of 24 years of electrical progress to draw from. The 385 acres will give space for a magic city. The landscape and floral experts are already planning their contributions to the whole. The architects will join with the builders in constructing palaces for instruction and entertainment. The United States Congress has asked President Roosevelt to invite all the nations of the earth to participate in this history-making World's Fair. There is already an enthusiasm that is essentially American, which will continue to develop as muddy water is turned into firm land and architectural splendours rise slowly to completion for a glorious lifetime of 288 days. Science, art and construction will strive to enthrone peace, culture and international understanding as California's two engineering marvels bridge land to land.