On the western end two huge niches or half domes command attention by
their noble beauty and fine setting amidst great clumps of eucalyptus.
On the north, no special effort has been made. There is, however, a
decorative emphasis of the doorways along the entire front. On the east,
facing the Palace of Machinery, some very fine doorways, very much like
some of the minor ones on the south, furnish the decoration. It was no
small task to bridge the many diversified architectural motives which
penetrate into the outer wall from within, in the shape of many avenues
and courts, and one can appreciate the difficulties of the designer who
met so well these conflicting requirements.

Of the detached palaces outside of the eight forming the rectangular
block nucleus, the Palace of Machinery attracts by its enormous size. I
am not interested in how many kegs of nails and iron bolts and washers
went into its anatomy. They add nothing to the artistic enjoyment of
this very massive building. One point, however, in connection with the
liberal use of the raw material is of artistic significance, and that is
that the internal structural aspects of this great palace, as well as of
the others, are not without charm and interest. It is only in recent
years, and particularly in America, that the engineer has dared to
invade the realm of the artist by attempting to make the constructive,
anatomical material, like uprights, bracings, trusses, and beams, assume
artistic responsibilities. It has been for many years the custom to
expect the engineer to do his share in obscurity with the idea that it
ultimately will be covered up by the work of the architect. The
extraordinary development of engineering in this country, to meet new
and original problems, sometimes of colossal proportions, particularly
in the field of concrete design, has resulted in some conditions
heretofore entirely unknown. I feel with much satisfaction that the