People's Pilot, Volume 2, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 April 1893 — FROM THE WORLD’S FAIR [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

FROM THE WORLD’S FAIR

Latest Particulars Concerning the Opening Exercises The Life-Sarins Exhibit end the Convent of Ie Rabtda A Huge ColdStonge Plant for the Summer Season. [Special Chicago Correspondence]

LANS for the I opening exercises of the Columbian exposition have at last been definitely arranged and the public at large can rest assured that there will be no privacy nor preferme n t in the proceedings.

A recent report contained the intelligence that the exercises were to be held in Festival hall, wherein President Cleveland would make the opening address to some two or three thousand invited guests, and frofh whence he would set in motion the machinery of the great fair, but we are pleased to learn that such an arrangement has been abandoned and the exercises are to be held out doors where the world may behold the impressive ceremonies. The east front of the Administration building has been selected as the most roomy and convenient spot for the erection of the platform for the use of President Cleveland and the other officials who are to take part in the opening exercises. This platform will be connected with Machinery hall so that from the speaker's table the president

will have no difficulty in starting the huge wheels in their revolutions. The new plan affords many opportunities for picturesque effects, as the position commands the water front and many of the finer pieces of statuary, and will enable thousands of spectators to get a fine view of the exercises. As far as can be learned at this time this arrangement has been definitely settled upon and there is no reason to fear that any changes will he made. A life-saving station is one of the attractive features of the lake shore section near the Fisheries building. There is a pretty two-story cottage fitted up with all the appliances of the life-sav-ing service, and a steel framed lighthouse one hundred feet high. The station is to be permanent and is in every way a model one. A regular patrol system of the entire beach will be kept up night and day to illustrate to the visitors at the fair the careful watch that is constantly kept upon our seaeoasts for wrecked mariners and vessels in distress. This exhibit will undoubtedly prove of great interest to people who come from inland points. Further to the south along the lake shore and just beyond the grand entrance to the lagoon is a building

■which already attracts as much attention as any at the fair. It is a quaintlooking structure, built upon the plan of the old Spanish missions, and is situuated on an island, the outer line of which is px-otected by a rough stone embankment to shield it from the breakers. This queer building is an exact reproduction of the convent of La Rabida at Palos, which at one time was a refuge of Columbus and his son Diego when they were in great need (of even the bare necessaries of life. Its history is intensely interesting, and many visitors will be drawn to it by the rare and valuable rdlics and curiosities which it will contain. The old-fashioned convent itself will form a striking contrast to the magnificent modern architecture on the fair grounds. Its quaint walls and roof and general ensemble of the middle ages will give the visitor a correct Idea of

the religions architecture of old Spain in Columbus time* Inside the convent will be the most valuable relics on the fair grounds, with the possible exception of the American Declaration of Independence and one or two other priceless possessions of the government. Illustrations of the life history of Columbus and relics of the court of Ferdinand and Isabella and of the early history of this continent in Columbus’ time will be shown in profusion. The Columbian

relics have been gathered from every quarter of the globe for a special exhibit, at the world’s fair. The story connected with the convent is that early in 1492 Columbus, while traveling on foot and in a destitute condition through Spain, applied for food of the Franciscan fathers in charge of La Rabida. He was kindly and hospitably reeeived. The prior, Father de Marchena, was a man of education and culture and had a large influence in the court of Ferdinand and Isabella. Columbus explained his plans

to the prior, who became interested and finally secured for the unfortunate navigator an audience with the queen of Spain, who with the king was then in camp with the besieging army before Granada. Had it not been for the good abbot Columbus would probably never have had an opportunity to discover the new world. Prominent among the big buildings at the fair is the huge refrigerator or cold storage pavilion, which is located on the extreme western confines of the grounds and just back of the Transportation building. In this building will be kept all the perishable goods, such as meats, vegetables, etc., for use in the restaurants at the fair. It will be a very complete building in every respect for the purpose, and in addition to its other features it will contain, upon the top floor, a skating rink eighty-five by one hundred and eighty feet in extent, where, during the hot summer months, visitors may indulge in the novel and refreshing pastime of skating on the ice while the thermometer is doing its best to melt and boil the mercury on the outside. To the average citizen the process of ice-making is a profound mystery, and through lack of opportunity he has been

unable to enlighten himself on this most interesting industry. Here he will be afforded an excellent chance to study the thing in detail, and the student of refrigeration will find in operation every process for the preservation of foods that has been approved by experts. The capacity of the ice machines will be one hundred and twenty tons a day, and the storage rooms will accommodate over five hundred car loads of perishable food. From this it will be seen that there will be no necessity of drinking warm water or eating melted butter in the fair grounds. One of the greatest conveniences at Jackson park is the elevated railroad, which is rapidly approaching completion. This road winds in and out among the great buildings and reaches every part of the grounds. For aged persons and those who are too frail or feeble - to travel about afoot this line

will be a great convenience. At a trifling eo6t they can be quickly transported from one point to another, or ride about the entire grounds and obtain better views of the buildings than can be obtained from the ground. Another novel and enjoyable mode of transit will be by boat in the lagoon. There will be steam launches, electric launches, gondolas and all sorts of water craft. And just outside the grand entrance from the lake there will be sailboats and rowboats without number, so that the lover of aquatic sports will have ample opportunity to engage in his favorite pastime. Outside the fair grounds in Midway Plaisance there is at present a perfect tumult of excitement. People from every country under the sun are jostling one another in their efforts to get ready for the grand opening. Thousands of people go out daily from the city to see the strange sights from far off lands, and we are already afforded a foretaste of what the coming exposition is going to be among the foreign nations.

COURT IN THE CONVENT.

THE CONVENT LA RABIDA.

THE GREAT REFRIGERATOR.