The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1873-05-03
Vienna and the Exposition.


the one city Of the world which has
any claim to emulate Paris in getting
up Of a great exposition. 1t is cos
mopolitan, it is brilliant, it is on the
great highway Of travel, and it is hos
pitable. The sovereign and authori-
ties Of Vienna have certainly spared
no pains or expense to make the Ex-
position successful. They have built
IN the Pnter-the very finest park in
the world--buildings of surprising
grandeur and convenience. The Prater
is always q sort Of bazar, a gay fair in
which all nations are represented, and
the buildings now built in it are as
the centre Of many wings already
prepared through many years, and
such as present attractions which it
requires generations and many races
to supply. The Austrian commits
sioners began by corresponding with
and securing the cooperation Of the
most influential, energetic, and scien-
tific men in every country. The list
of their cO-Operators amounts to many
thousands. These commissioners
comprise many Of the most distin-
guished scientific men in every coun-
try. In consultation with them the
Austrian directors have issued to
each country special requests that it's
specialties Of art or production shall
be carefully represented this being
carried to the extent Of the desire ex-
pressed to Mr.. Jay that all American
free school should be sent over, with
the children in it, all at their regular
tasks! A question may indeed arise
whether Vienna will be able to enter
tain the enormous number of people
tiocking thither, and it is probable
that hotel prices may run rather high.
But Vienna is II larger place than
most people think; including its sub
urbs, it is almost as large as New York
and it is not 50 crowded. We are told
also that the citizens have so much
interest in the success Of the Exposi-
ton that many who do not wish to
make money by it are offering mole
ties Of their houses for the use Of
hotcl-keepers, in case their establish
ments shall overflow.
In order to promote the success Of
the Exposition the emperor has given
up to the chief commissioner, Baron
Schwartz, his private gardens, border
ing the Prater, 50 that the area occu-
pied is immense-jjust five times AZ
large rs that occupied by the Paris
Exposition Of 1867. This domain OF
the Emperor, the Krisan, used to be
deer park, and though the animals
have disappeared, there are still about
it some Of the features of forest.
Though the commissioner has had to
cut down some Of these to make way
for tho vast buildings, he has pre-
served them us much as possible, and
he has left cluster of small green
trees 10 the centre Of the rotunda itself
This rotunda il the finest ever put up.
1t was designed by the English arclli-
tect Mr.. Scott Russell, and executed
by an EDglishman also, Mr. Harcourt,
though in Westphalian works. 1t is
80 feet in span, 800 feet in height,
weighs 4O, 600 tons, and was raised by
24O workmen to its secure place on
thirty two massive square columns.
From this rotunda there run great
avenues, with numerous transverse
paths, all well lighted from the sides,
as well as from the rotunda, it being
bit Of experience, gathered from the
Paris Exposition, that the lighting
from above exclusively is unsatisfac-
tory. The general lues used in the
decoration-which is Of the F1orentine
Renaissance style-are blue and gold,
which, relieved by dark red pillars,
have q very brilliant effect. Since
November last the preparations have
been sufficiently advanced for visitors
to be admitted, and the small pay
ment required has already netted a
considerable sum. The visitor passes
through beautiful entrance in Tyro-
lean chalet style, at which two noble
avenues of horse-c -cllestnut-tree con-
verge. The splendid avenues stretch
out on every side, and the kiosks,
bazars, mosques, and cafes make up a
sort of medley Oriental city.
There is one respect in which the
Vienna Exposition will far surpass in
interest any other that has ever been
held-that is, the varieties of races
and costumes which will be witnessed
at it. A visit to that city even i'll
ordinary times is equal to a year OF
chronological study. Of the two great
navigable water-paths between Eu-
rope and the cast-the Adriatic, with
Trieste at its head, and the Danube,
with Vienna for its portal-this is the
one along which the historic develop
ment of commerce and civilization has
taken place. The Turkish Jews, who,
driven out Of Spain, had to ofind among
the followers of Mohalnmed the pro-
lection which the followers Of Christ
denied them, became the chief agents
of the great current of trade between
Asia and Europe. They still use Span
ish as their regular language, while
they wear-at least the men do-the
Oriental costume, which make theil
entrance into Turkey more easy. Al
| the same time there is blended with
this costume most oddly certain an
tique Syrian vestments. (Amonl
|