Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 104, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 August 1904 — SIGHTS AT THE FAIR. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

SIGHTS AT THE F AIR.

LEADING FEATURES OF THE BIG ST. LOUIS SHOW. Louisiana Purchase Exposition Is a Soul - Awakening Spectacle and a Monument to Human Progress Whole World Marvels at Its Greatness 6t. I.ouis correspondence: What the world has been looking forward to for half a dozen years and what all civilization will be talking about for generations- to come is the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, now seen in all its glory, at St. Louis. It is a soul-awaken-ing spectacle, a monument to human progress, an epoch in industrial history and an achievement, par excellence, of art. Over seven million persons visited the World's Fair in the first half of its existence. and not one visitor went away blit who proclaimed the wonders of the sights beheld. Those who come later and again will have more to see for the grandeur of the enterprise grows as its age matures. Late summer, autumn and full are the seasons that will bring many millions more of visitors and when the gates of the exposition close on Dec. 1 the world will have gotten its full share of the benefits accruing from the expenditure of tiie enormous sum of $50,000,000 and the employment of the best artists and arti-. Rails in tiie entire world. Covering 1,240 acres, nearly a third of which is woodland, tiie Louisiana Purchase Exposition extends from tiie west-, ern limits of St. Louis city into St. Louis county, occupying a site which is one-

half level plain nnd tiie other hill and valley. Could one look into this World’s Fair city from a great height tiie effect would lie that of many glistening white stones set within n border of emeralds. Chicago boasted of tiie lake that formed the background of tho Columbian picture, St. I.ouis points to tlie soft verdure tint that rests tiie eye when turned front the decorative works. in these are over 300 buildings. Among them are thirteen main exhibit palaces and several lesser ones, fifty buildings erected by States, a score constructed by -foreign governments. • ten large stone structures leased from Washington University, perhaps a hundred unique structures in which concessionaires give entertainment, several villages, inhabited by Filipinos and other representatives from beyond tho seas; fire engine houses, hospitals, booths almost without number, camping grounds and a large athletic field on which the famous Olympic games are held. Visitors to tiie site are carried from one point to another by several different methods. Chief of these is the intramural railroad, with electricity ns tiie

motive power, which winds in nnd out, •tattoos being placed near all points of Interest. Another form is the gondolas and electric launches which patrol the lagoon*. Jinrikshas and roller chairs comprise the third form and a nliuiaturc •railroad is a fourth. In constructing this World’s Fair especial attention has been given to the health of visitors. All water is tiltered

nnd conics from the taps ns clear as crystal. The hospital service has been arranged so that emergency cases can be treated within a very few minutes after a call is sent in. As a precaution that persons may not be overcome by fatigue, hundreds of retreats and resting places have been provided, so that no matter where a visitor may be lie can find a place to sit down and recuperate at any hour. All food supplied to restaurants is rigorously inspected and supervision is also maintained over the liquid refreshments. Transportation t 6 the grounds is furnished by two street railroad systems, two steam railroad systems aud several automobile lines. Tiie traffic arrangements are such that no matter how large the crowd there is no difficulty in handling them. The enterprise of St. I/oulsinns solved the hotel problem by erecting a number of commodious and attractive liostelries an<Pthe World’s Fair management supplanted these by constructing the Inside Inn, which, as its name implies, is within the site. Here (5,000 persons can be accommodated without crowding, and the rates, which are supervised by the Exposition, are within tiie reach of all. Many visitors to tiie grounds declare the Palace of Education tiie most artistic of all tiie exhibit buildings.. It covers over nine ncres, and tiie entire field of education has been covered. Congress appropriated SIOO,OOO especially for this exhibit.

The central art palace? which is n permanent fireproof structure built of gray stone, is supplemented by two side pavilions and a hall of sculpture built of brick and staff. The three larger buildings cover more than five acres. Almost every civilized country in tho world lias space in tiie art buildings. Tiie Liberal Arts palace contains tiie treasures of art, science and industry as applied to tiie every-day needs of mankind. Tiie building is the same size as the Palace of Education and presents an imposSlng architectural appearance. From many countries are exhibits sent to rival those produced in tho United States. Two buildings are occupied by tiie department of manufactures, the Palace of Varied Industrie- . the Palace of Manufactures; each ot these buildings is 1,200 feet long by 525 feet wide. The word “Manufactures” represents a regiment of the industrial arts and crafts. This department is especially noticeable for its representative foreign exhibits ami in this respect greatly surpasses the great exhibit at Paris in 1900. Force and power have n home in the Palace of Machinery, which covers ten acres, aud is one thousand feet long by 525 feet wide. Here are shown the methods of developing and transmitting power. nnd the methods of constructing every variety of machinery. Forty thousand horses pulling together represent tiie l>ower used on tiie World's Fair grounds. Such lines of engines nnd dynamos have never been seen. Included in tiie group is a modern steam turbine of 8,000 horse power uml a gas motor of 3,000 horse power. In a palace of Corinthian Architecture, a part of the main picture, Electricity has its homo. The structure is tiie same size as tiie home of Education nnd costs $415,000. Ail classes of machinery foiltiie generation nnd utilization of electrical

energy are here exhibited, the majority of them in motion. . Fifteen and six-tenths acres are covered by the Palace of Transportation which is 1,300 feet long by 509 feet wide. In this great structure the modern methods of transportation that ltave revolutionized the commercial world are shown, and in marked contrast with the wonderful machine used for locomotion to-day,

is the primitive appliances of a hundred years ago. A oehtral exhibit is an iim inense locomotive upon a turntable, which slowly revolves. Tiie wheels of this giant turn at a rate which, were the locomotive on a level track would give it a speed of eighty miles an hour. Marine and aerial navigation are features. The largest of all the exhibit palaces is the home of agriculture, which covers over twenty-three acres. This building is in the western portion of the grounds and forms the center of a second picture, being surrounded by immense beds of flowers, one of which, devoted to roses alone, occupies six acres. Special features are tiie crops of the United States, which have never before been demonstrated nt any exposition. In the Palace of Horticulture the rivalry among States is so keen that the horticultural display lias been made the finest ever witnessed in the world’s history. An extensive outdoor display supplements that within the walls. Tiie Mines and Metallurgy Palare covers about nine acres and is the largest structure provided for mines'and mining by any exposition. Like other buildings it teems with life. Methods of delving beneath the surface are exhibited as well as tiie ores and metals that are found. A supplemental exhibit, out of doors shows the manner in which oil derricks are operated, how machines are used for crushing ore and an underground mine in operation. The United States government building occupies an elevated site just south of

the main picture of the Exposition. The great central dome of the government building is visible from the very center of the Fair, looking across the picturesque sunken garden that lies between the Palaces of Mines and Metallurgy and Liberal Arts. This government building is the largest structure ever provided at an exposition by the Federal government. In this building are installed the exhibits ot' all the executive departments of the government, and space is also devoted to the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Institute Bureau of American Republics. The building is a vast storehouse of art endless variety of treasures dear to the heart of every true American. Passing out at an end of the govern-* ment building one sees the Government Fisheries edifice, which is devoted exclusively to the display and exploitation of the United States Fish Commission’s enterprises and the exhibition of food fishes and shellfish. Specimens of fishes from river and sea, lake and brook, from far and near, are displayed here, swimming in huge tanks which are supplies with fresh or salt water to suit the habits of the species which they contain. Hatching apparatus of various kinds is ou exhibition. JOH.N C. SMALL.

GROUP OF PUEBLO INDIANS.

GRAND BASIN DURING THE GREAT WATER PARADE.

WATER PAGEANT ON TRANSPORTATION DAY.

SOUTH AFRICAN PYGMIES.