BUILDING A MIGHTY EXHIBITION.
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The Transport of Material for the Construction of the Sesquicentennial Exhibition, which Opens at Philadelphia Next June, Falls Mainly to the Motor Lorry.
DURING 1925 the municipality of L./Philadelphia determined to undertake the construction of public works involving the expenditure of the huge sum of £210,000,000. A considerable portion of this ambunt has been allocated to the construction of the Sesquicentennial International Exhibition. This exhibition will, it is claimed, exceed in magnitude any other that has hitherto been held. It will be open for six months from June 1st neit, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Declaration of American Independence.
Apart from the laying out of the exhibition grounds, many other projects are receiving attention. To facilitate the accommodation and transport of the huge crowds that are expected to visit Philadelphia during the period of the exhibition, these schemes include the building of subways, the removal of railway stations, the building of a bridge and approaches thereto over the Delaware River, the construction of a stadium to seat 100,000 people and to accommodate 100,000 more, the removal of level-crossings and the improvement of 1211 miles of streets.
Consequently, it might be said that at the present time the streets of Philadelphia present a spectacular drama of road motor transportation. Great fleets of lorries, mostly tippers,, pass through the streets in endless procession, and many of these vehicles are in use both day and night. Many millions of cubic yards of earth are being hauled by these fleets of vehicles. The excavated material from the subway cuttings and other places where digging operations are proceeding is being used for levelling the streets as well as the site of the exhibition, which is being built over a tract of open country more than one square mile in extent.
The Most gigantic "fill" is being made on both sides of the thoroughfare which will bisect the site of the exhi
bition, and most of the earth used will be hauled over a three-mile route through the heaviest city traffic. As early as August 10th last about 1,500,000 cubic yards of earth had been dumped in the exhibition area and on adjoining territory. The majority of the vehicles being used for this work are White lorries and they are working in ceaseless shifts. They are doing the most gruelling kind of work, made all the more difficult because most of it wiU have to be done during the winter months. It is estimated that about 4,000 loads of earth are dumped every 24 hours.
Many of the States of the Union are building their own pavilions. Penn
sylvania has appropriated $750,000 for this purpose. Other large alloments have been made by Delaware, $175,000; Illinois, $150,000; Ohio and New Jersey, $125,000 ; and Iowa, $95,000.
A. number of cities on the Pacific Coast, has arranged between them to spend $1,500,000 on a building to exhibit local products. Twenty-one foreign governments will also he housed in special buildings.
As might be expected, elaborate arrangements are being made to accommodate the myriads of motorists who will visit the exhibition from all parts of the United States. It is anticipated that 100,000 cars per month will have to be accommodated, and for this purpose a park, 60 acres in extent, is being laid out, drained and provided with water and electricity supplies.
Without the motor lorry these schemes would be almost impracticable of accomplishment. It is ce rtain that without their aid the work could not be performed in the few months that are .allowed for its completion, ThE
arrangements are under the control of Colonel D. C. Collier, director-general of the exhibition. "Modern engineering." he says, `! will complete the gigantic task on the, appointed day, finding this achievement an important ally in the 'modern facilities provided by mechanical transport. The latter," he declares. " is a tremendous factor in getting the work done in a single year upon ground which only a few months ago was undeveloped."
In addition to actual constructional work, a much wider field of activity yet remains for the motor vehicle to fill with regard to the exhibition.
Millions of tons of merchandise will have to be carried to and from the exhibition. As well as this, hundreds of motorbuses will run to the exhibition grounds alone from the centre of Philadelphia. Others will operate from centres of population everywhere within a thousand miles of Philadelphia.