The Ohio Democrat

Paris Water Palace.

To Be Built of Iron and Clothed with Landmark Water.

The superb project of Professor Jan Zawiejski, architect of the Grand Theater at Cracow, by which it is proposed to enhance the splendors of the intended Paris Universal Exhibition of 1900, surpasses most other designs of decorative architecture contrived for the mere spectacle of a magnificent festivity.

It is to be constructed of iron, and to be clothed with rushing water. Indeed, the water is to form its inner walls, descending in vast sheets of unbroken liquid surface, which are completely to inclose the halls and chambers of the interior, and to form a majestic dome crowning the whole edifice. The total height will be 325 feet. This is divided horizontally into three stories, the solid framework of which exhibits different architectural orders—the Tuscan, the Renaissance and the Ionic styles, one above another. Visitors will have entrances quite free from danger of a wetting, and may ramble securely about the place, take their seats in the theater as spectators of the "Varieties," or avail themselves of the restaurant, or ride on bicycles, or join the dance at the ball. By the aid of lifts and staircases they can go anywhere, protected in some places by glass screens and roofs, where needful, from even a drop of water blown aside by disturbance of the air. The surrounding waters, however, illuminated with electric light in various changing colors, will probably be the chief attraction of this wonderful palace. This palace will be more wonderful than the submarine house at Stockholm.