Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-08-04
WASHINGTON BOY IN EUROPE.
The Vienna Exposition-A Bird s-eye View

The great point of interest to all foreigners
| now In Europe is Of course the Worlds Exposi-
ton, or Weltaustellung, in this city. II was
said in America that the rush from our country
| would exceed anything hitherto witnessed. /
| have been here, however, several days without
meeting dozen Americans, although the city
| is full of strangers. The Yiennese attribute the
| want Of rush to the bad weather and the high
| prices which prevailed during the first few
| weeks of the exposition. At present the hotel
! charges are about equal to those in New York
| city.
| The city of Vienna is probably unsurpassed
in the magniicence of its buildings. although
| its streets are neither as broad or well paved
| as are the streets of Paris. The Prater. upon
which the exhibition buildings are located, is a
/ splendid park with fine walks and drives, equal
| to those of the celebrated Bots de Boulogne of
| Paris. 1t lies only short distance from the
| principal hotels, and within easy access by
| street cars and omnibusses.
The price of admission to the exposition for
three days in the week is one form (6fty cents,
| and half that sum on the other days. The di-
| rectors found it necessary to demand a low
tariff, or the exposition would prove q dead
| failure.
| On entering the main building at the west
| end we come TO the American department, only
| portion of which is in partial order. Here
are seen bottles of catawba wine from Ham
| mondsport, n. Y, soda water fountains, hair
| oils, boots and shoes from Chicago, stereoscopic
/ views of Niagara Falls, and cases of firearms
| from the manufactures of Remington s. Sons,
| Colt, and Smith s. Wesson. There are also
/ pianos from the rooms of Steck 81 Co., New
York city, and organs and melodeons from
| those Of Esty 500. Farther on are represent
| atiohs OF the workings of the common school
| systems of New York and Massachusetts,, and
in a conspicuous position Is a model of the
| Franklin school in Washington. Next we come
| to a few bales of cotton from New Orleans and
| Mobile, together with cotton IN its various
stages of growth. Neither are bars wanting, at
| which mixed drinks, Ia AmericGine, can be OBJ
| tanned.
| Great Britain occupies the space next to
| America, and contributes fine show of man
| ufactured goods in iron, cotton and wool; also,
| some fine specimens of silverware.
| Next to Great Britain appear Spain and
| Portugal, and then France. The display of
| Spain and Portugal is not striking, especially
| between such neighbors. France exhibits fancy
| articles In endless variety, and finer things are
| seen here in diamonds and pearls than in all the
\ other departments combined; and rs TO carpets,
| nothing so magnificent can be found elsewhere.
| Next follows Italy, principally represented by
| its beautiful statuary, and between Italy and
| the great dome are ranged the productions OF
| Norway and Sweden, Denmark, Holland and
| Belgium. The last-named country contributes
| iron, principally sheet-iron in various forms
Around the dome appear alternately German
/
| in operation genuine American soda water
| fountain.
| Austria and Hungary occupy nearly all the
| remaining portion Of the building, and fine
| display or Bohemian glassware is noticeable
| 1t is said OF the Bohemians that when a babe Is
| born among them the mother places a violin at
| one side OF the child and purse on the other
II the babe seizes the violin first it becomes a
| musician, if the purse a thief. They are pop
ularly supposed, however, to grasp both. An
| occupationin which they excel, asis well known,
| is glass blowing. In this they have arrived at
| degree of perfection unequalled in any other
/ country.
| Austria is well represented in regard to fire.
| arms, cutlery and other finished irons, but the
majority OF articles from that country are bad
| Following Austria is Russia, which boasts a
cannon cast in one piece of the weight of 40 900
| khogrammes, or about 95 900 pounds-the bore
is about 10 inches Russia, anxious to demOn-
strate that she takes high rank as a naval power,
| has sent a model of the new iren-clad "Peter
the Great" together with many models OF
| smaller vessels, dry docks, &c. She exhibits
carriages, too, of her peculiar make, as likewise
Austria, but not one thing of the sort is seen in
| the American department, which is the more to
be regretted, since in this line OF manufacture
America excels all other countries.
| Turkey and Roumania occupy portion of
the building; Japan, China, funis, Egypt,
Morocco and Persia each have a small represen-
| tatiOn. The articles from Turkey and Rouma-
mia are mostly carpets and coarse cloths. and as
for the products of China and Japan, have
| seen much better collections in the curiosity
| stores of San Francisco and New York.
The machine hall is of the same length as the
main building, and parallel with it, and here
| gwen to England, and were it not for the firm
| Of Sellers & Co., of Philadelphia, our country
could hardly claim an exhibitor, Stevenson, OF
New Haven. has sent street car, which is so
| far ahead of anything in that line in Vienna as
| TO be matter of astonishment to the people.
but the only American presses, and Indeed the
| only ones oftheir class, are the "Liberty" the
Gordon" and the Universal The finest
l.,,,IN
Austria would be thrown in the shade by an or
dinary, well-built American engine, could one
| be found in this hall Austria and Germany
exhibit their best made railroad cars, but one is
impelled to wish that a little more use of them
was made on the Austrian railways.
Leaving the main exposition building at the
east portal, we discover the exposition of fine
arts. This is large structure still in some dis
order, as all the German pictures are not vet
placed. France makes the largest exhibition
in the way OF paintings, although Germany is
| not far behind. But little statuary is to be
seen, and as for America, although had heard
that she had contributed largely to the depart
meht of fine arts saw not single picture any,
where, and looked anxiously, but in vain, to |
find something in which our country had done |
herself justice in that line.
At different point on the grounds are small |
buildings erected by the German and Austrian |
governments for the benefit of exhibitors from |
those countries-those occupied by Germans |
being greatly in excess Krupp appropriates |
an entire building TO his immense cannons and /
numb car-wheels. In another building the |
oCimdh eCHoOl systcm ItCelNts d IuOrOuS0 rep
resentation. Here are shown maps, charts
school furniture, globes and text books in COM
mon use. The schools of carving and drawing
have sent their best executed pieces of work |
done by pupils, some of which are very fine. /
This department Is of the greatest interest
even to one not directly connected with school /
matters. Before closing will mention that /
American, Swedish, Turkish, Russian, Per-
sian, Italian and French restaurants abound |
In any one of which fine dinner can be had for |
about two forms, (S1,) certainly not too dear.
Strauss band plays on the grounds every
afternoon, and proves an immense attraction,
since under his leadership this band Is un,
equalled. He is paid by the city authorities,
and rs private parties have placed rows OF
chairs around the music stand, one can sit at |
ease and hear the finest music discoursed for
the sum Of ten cents.
have given but the merest outline of some
OF the salient points OF the exposition, since TO |
paIticularize would be an impossible task.
One leaves the grounds feeling that it Is a |
mbig thing, J" but great as it is, I hope and be-
heye that 1t will be surpassed by the Philadel-
phia Centennial In 1876. JHR
PRIHrERe' SrIKH IN OTTAWA, CArApA.-I