People's Pilot, Volume 3, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 September 1893 — INTERESTING EXHIBITS. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

INTERESTING EXHIBITS.

The Pueblos of the Aztecs in Min- ’ iature at the World’s Fair. Cariosities and Relics in the Anthropological Section The Colombian Chimes—The Probable Disposition of the Fair Buildings. (Special Chicago Correspondence 1

UDGING from the interest manifested by those who view the exhibits in the building devoted to anthropology and ethnology at the fair it appears that the people are far from indifferent to the history of the abori gin al occupants of North America. A 1 -

though somewhat removed from the central portion of the grounds this building is at all times thronged with visitors who seem loth to leave the decayed remnants of former members of early tribes of this country and the moldy skulls of hujnan beings who once lived and moved and had their being in all quarters of the globe. There seems to be a sort of fascination in these repulsive relics. The average person will stand and gaze into the sightless sockets of a grinning skull with as much interest as he will view a beautiful picture or a wonderful mechanism. Of course there are exceptions. Some people—and they are not only the timid, nervous women, either —steer clear of these exhibits and glance askance at them if they unintentionally happen upon them. One day recently a party of men were •trolling about among the mummies when one of them, a big, rough-look-ing fellow, turned away from the sight with an expression of mingled awe and 'sgust, and expectorating with some force, exclaimed: ‘‘Say, fellers, this is too dang much for me! Them things give me the fontags. Seems like I can taste ’em.” With a laugh the others followed the squeamish fellow from the building without going any further and thus missing many very interesting sights, among them being the pueblos of the Aztec& Ranged along in the central portion of the building are these primitive structures of the most ancient race of redmen in North America. They are

in miniature, of course, but they are so carefully modeled after the originals that they afford an accurate study of the building methods of a historic race. Five models of as many famous pueblos of Arizona and New Mexico occupy space in the main corridor of the building. The stone and adobe dwellings of the sedentary tribes which of all the Indians reached the highest mark of civilization are shown as they stand to-day. These sedentary tribes, so called in distinction from the nomadic tribes, lived in that part of the continent which is now included by the territories of New Mexico and Arizona. The very fact of the situation of the pueblos signifies a great deal to a student of ethnology. The advancement of the savage to a state where a tribe lived together all the time within the walls of a city and could be found at home at any time by a band of hostile Indians is in a measure accounted for by the proximity to the domains of the great Aztecs. The range of the civilization of the ancient inhabitants of Mexico was as far reaching as it was potent. One of the most remarkable of the pueblos is that of Bonito in the canyon of Chaco in New’ Mexico. This home of the Indian was built in the shape of a half circle and faced out on a yawning chasm. The high walls of the houses facing to the rear served the double purpose of a fortification against enemies and a protection against the elements. The buildings were all of stone and the masonry of the tribe, judged by the ruins of the towns that are left, was really marvelous. Their tools were much better than those of the other tribes of the time and the people more peaceful and industrious. The pueblo of Mnshongnivi was built by the Moqui. It is much larger than either the towns of Taos or Acoma and built entirely of stone. Altogether there are over two hundred dwellings, all connected with one spot, though running off in strings in five directions. It is uninhabited to-day and still remains as it stood untold centuries ago. A novel feature of the daily programme at the fair is the playing of the chime bells in the lower of Machinery hall. Visitors from the country who have never seen the operation of a chime of bells ore at a loss to under■stand ■ how. it is done. Some very

naturally suppose that it is don* by simply pounding upon the bells with a hammer, but then again that seems a little improbable when they hear some of their favorite tunes played and with such correctness as they are executed. A visit to the east gallery of the hall will enlighten the uninitiated on chime ringing. There the operator is at work. At first sight it would seem that he was engaged in running a double-geared combination pumping apparatus or in a spirited contest of human endurance against machinery, but a few momenta* observation will reveal the fact that he is engaged in playing the tune which at the moment is rolling through the corridors of the grand Court of Honor. Prof. C. E. Bred berg is the operator of the chimes at the fair and he manipulates the handles of the keyboard in a masterly manner. Through his skill the ears of the tired sightseer who sits upon the base of some statue, or any other base that will afford him a moment’s rest, are delighted with some old-time melody aa it goes ringing across the domes of the beautiful city of white. At stated intervals during the day Prof. Bred berg opens his music book to

a familiar tune and places it before him on his chiming stand. Then he commences a series of gymnastics that give him muscles like a blacksmith’s. It is not nearly so easy as it looks to the knot of visitors that always gathers around the railing when the professor begins. He dances up and down the line of handles, at times using one

hand and at others both. When he grasps a handle he gives it a vigorous push downward, and without an instant’s hesitation goes on to the next. It is the big bells that have hardened Prof. Bredberg’s biceps. It is no trick at all to ring the little ones, but the deep-toned monsters with heavy clappers are harder. To ring them an amount of strength such as the ordinary man does not possess must be put into the stroke. There must be a certain amount of delicacy in each stroke, too, for any discord, however slight it might be in an ordinary instrument, produces a grating jar when it appears in a chime. Prof. Bred berg is too old at the business to make any mistakes now, and when he pushes a handle he is certain that it is the right one. His practiced ear catches the sound from the tower high above him even when the machinery hums its loudest If anybody wants to know whether or not the professor earns his salary let him try to pump ten church organs at once and he will have some idea of it The chime now on exhibition is composed of ten bells in the major scale of D, and includes the flat seventh note. They grade in weight from D, the heaviest weighing 3,190 pounds, to E, the smallest one in the collection, 330 pounds. The aggregate weight is 11,820 pounds, exclusive of the attachments, of with all the attachments about 16,000 pounds. The bells rest on a heavy oak frame with the big bell on top and the smaller ones beneath it They were taken up to the tower separately and hung in place without having been tested in any manner before leaving the factory. The tongues of the bells are connected by means of wires, straps and pulleys to the levers of the chiming stand one hundred feet below.

The subject of salvage on the fair buildings is already under discussion. In a few weeks more steps will be taken to dispose of the material of which the great buildings are composed. Much of it will of necessity be wasted, but there will be a great deal of it that can be utilized for building purposes. A great deal of the timber will be just as good as new and will doubtless go at half price or less, and it is quite likely that a great demand will arise for it to be used in th* construction of dwellings near th* grounds.

KEYBOARD OF THE CHIMES.

MODELS OF PUEBLOS.