Jasper County Democrat, Volume 6, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 March 1904 — COMPLETION PUSHED DESPITE THE WEATHER. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

COMPLETION PUSHED DESPITE THE WEATHER.

Increased Activity at the World's Fair Assures That Everything Will Be In Readiness by Date of Opening.

February’s frosts had no perceptible effect on the growth of the World’s Fair at St. Louis. With the opening day not two months distant, the determination of every builder to have his task completed on April 30, the day set for the opening of the Exposition, is apparent on every hand. A greater number of workmen are employed on the grounds novr than at any time since the construction began, and the results attained are more noticeable.

All of the great exhibit palaces are finished. On most of them the full quota of sculpture has been Installed. Workmen at dizzy heights are busy placing groups of colossal statuary on the Liberal Arts and Electricity Palaces. Soon the final coat of paint will be given, and then the work of the contractors will have been ended. This will not be done until April, so that when the Exposition opens each building will be resplendent in its new coat of old ivory. Beautiful Festival Hall, the central figure of the Cascade territory and the last of the great Exposition buildings on which work was started, is nearing completion. The framework was finished several days ago, and the ornamental staff is now being applied to the exterior. The dome which surmounts this structure is the largest in the world—2oo feet in diameter at the base and reaching skyward 250 feet. The dome is greater than that of St. Peter’s, at Borne, or St. Paul’s, in London.

Remarkable activity is being displayed in the foreign section. Great Britain is putting the finishing touches on her replica of the beautiful Orangery. French workmen are performing similar tasks on the Grand Trianon, France’s beautiful structure. Mexico long since finished her work and is waiting for the Exposition throngs. Germany’s reproduction of the kaiser’s castle at Charlottenburg can be finished in a few weeks.

Japan did not begin on her replica of the wonderful Castle of Nagoya until midwinter. The ground was full of frost when she started excavations, and Japanese workmen demonstrated their proverbial spirit of progress by loosening the frozen ground with dynamite and installing their foundations. Now scores of busy hands are rapidly completing the superstructure. Brazil displayed great energy in erecting one of the largest and handsomest structures in the foreign section In a‘ remarkably short time. The cold climate had no effect on the Orientals who are adding the finishing touches to China’s beautiful structure, the first ever built at any exposition with the Peking government’s authority. The decorations on this structure Will prove a revelation. Sweden’s building was shipped in sections, and a week only will be required to raise it when it arrives. Italy, Austria and the remainder of the foreign countries are working with equal energy.

Kentucky dedicated her state building on Feb. 13. lowa, Missouri, Oklahoma, West Virginia and a score of other states have finished their state buildings. New Hampshire and Vermont have submitted plans, and contractors have assured these tardy states that their buildings will be ready to receive guests on the opening day. All the main buildings in the forty acre Philippine reservation have been finished, and the Filipino builders are now constructing the villages of bamboo and nlpa that will shelter more than a thousand natives during the Exposition. The Philippine buildings were erected at a cost of more than $1,000,000.

The main structure of the United States Government’s Indian exhibit is finished and when the sun shines warm only a few days will be required for the Indians to put up their wigwams and tepees and settle themselves what will be their homes for seven months. '

Probably greater activity is being displayed on the Pike, the Concessions street, than in any other quarter. An army of workmen are building structures of amusement and entertainment that will cost more than $5,000,000. Many buildings are already finished. The Intramural railway was formally opened JaU. 27. Its electric cars will carry visitors to any section of the grounds at a small cost

slight effort upon the part of their teachers in visiting the Government building and examining the precious documents to be shown there. Here also the science of civil government may be taught to much better advantage than from text books, for each department of the National Government will have Its separate exhibit, showing: the workings of the departments. lt»methods and aims.

To afford the pupils a general iden of the nations of the world it will be necessary merely to make a tour of theforeign government buildings, the teachers taking the pains to describe the habits, industries and arts of the respective peoples represented. Suggestions as to how to study tb« Exposition to best advantage wiO beprepared by competent persons and furnished to those iu charge of school children.

The view shows the north and east sides of one of the first o t tba- statte pavilions to be finished. The main entrance is on the north.

IOWA STATE BUILDING, WORLD’S FAIR.