What never seems to show up in these pictures is the old distributing reservoir for the Croton water system, which was immediately adjacent (at the current site of the public library) and was larger than the Crystal Palace. Here's one corner of it:
In any case, the great technological advance of the construction of exhibition buildings out of wrought iron and glass was that those materials don't burn, so the newfangled buildings were safer.
Of course, in 1858:
17 comments:
What was the point of safer meth labs?
Yeah, I've always found the disconnect between "fireproof" building materials, and the furnishings in those supposedly fireproof buildings, to be funny, in a black, apocalyptic way.
Is it any wonder that humanity is destined to destroy its own planet?
Is it any wonder that humanity is destined to destroy its own planet?
It's all about feeding time for you, isn't it?
Of course, since correcting engineers is part of my job, the great technological advance in wrought iron and glass buildings wasn't so much the non-flammability; that was considered a side benefit. But rather it was the ability to pre-fabricate and speed the construction of the buildings. Much reduction in man-hours and the amount of building material necessary made it easier and faster to put up GRAND buildings.
Of course, the contents all burned just fine.
It's all about feeding time for you, isn't it?
Not so.
Very often, it's about DRINKING time.
You wound, sir.
In fact, I am despondent. Perhaps I need a drink.
I also am amused by the production of a postcard commemorating the conflagration.
There is even a (Not very good) soccer team called Crystal Palace
But rather it was the ability to pre-fabricate and speed the construction of the buildings.
That was critical in London, where the building committee waited until they didn't have time to build a traditional structure. In New York, there was plenty of time and the stated purpose was to imitate the London building's high tech.
Ooh! Come visit me and look at old LA buildings!
Including a story about shopping arcades inspired by the Crystal Palace.
(g is my Sadly No alias)
I heard there was a blog thing going on?
Will cocktails and hors d'œuvre be served (asking for a fiend)?
~
Ha ha too late, Mr Thunder. There were drinks and the little sausages with the red sauce. Now they are gone
*Hrmpph huff* what's all this then? A blog, is it? And straight away, molotov cocktails and burning buildings. I must suspect you, sir, of harboring liberal tendencies!
There were drinks and the little sausages with the red sauce. Now they are gone
Oooh, synchronicity. Tonight's roast is inedible - salty and overcooked - so it's hot-dog time!
Come visit me and look at old LA buildings!
Auntie S! Auntie S! Great stuff on the City Club/Roseland. I'm still working out how I can tell stories about some of my projects without screwing up my clients' confidentiality.
Midtown's Croton Reservoir-WOOT!
That's where the climactic "Boss" battle takes place.
It features in Caleb Carr's "The Alienist" if memory serves.
It features in Caleb Carr's "The Alienist" if memory serves.
And Doctorow's "The Waterworks" which is, IMO, the better novel.
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