The Crystal Palace

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The soi-disaait Crystal Palace, by some called the " Putty Palace." to use a poetical quotation, " wends its slow way along." We have paid a second visit of exploration to this . scene of future glories, but saw none of those l signs of forwardness that might naturally fry have been expected after the Circular that has been issued by the Directors of the Company to intending exhibitors. In their Circular they state that exhibitors are to send in an account of the quantity of space they may require by the first of this month, and they may have had applications more than enough to fill the building, as we understand them to have stated to intending exhibitors; but we should have thought that it would have been time enough to put out this order when there were some signs of a building. In its present condition it can scarcely be expected that their call will be very promptly responded to : before an individual makes up his mind to entrust his property to another person's safe keeping it is natural that he should enquire where it is to be placed, whether it will be protected from the effects of the weather, and other unforeseen contingencies, all of which requirements must necessarily be first guaranteed. Reeervoir Square, in its present state, can give no such protection, and unless a great deal more energy is evinced than we see at present exhibited, it is not likely to be in a proper state for the reception of articles, much less ready for public inspection by the 1st of May. Instead of employing only a few dozen workmen, as at present, we would advise the Company to put on some hundreds il they wish the building to be completed at the specified time. Otherwise, without pretending to any extraordinary wisdom, we will venture to affirm that the building will not be open even by the 1st of July. There is a dead-alive sort of look about the whole concern that we do not likenone of that bustle and animation that might naturally be expected, and we will wager anything that Genin's Bazaar, two months before opening, showed more tokens of a great enterprise than our World's Bazaar up town. What the motives of the parties interested may be we cannot take upon us to determine, but it is evident that they are not actually in a very great hurry, whatever pretensions they may put out to the contrary notwithstanding. A five years' lease, and perhaps another in perpetuo, will allow of a longer time for completing the building than by the first of May, and provided those that pull the wires can make the public dance to their tune, what do they care for the opinion of the world ? A five years' lease for an object that must, if properly carried out, be only temporary, was almost as corrupt a job as the Broadway Railroad.

Scientific American Magazine Vol 8 Issue 23This article was published with the title “The Crystal Palace” in Scientific American Magazine Vol. 8 No. 23 (), p. 182
doi:10.1038/scientificamerican02191853-182

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