Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-12-29
A TOUR OF THE EXPOSITION.
Georgia, Florida and Carolina Depart.
ments as yet Almost Unoccnpfed


NEW ORLEANS, Dec. 25.-The exposition is
long way from being in shape yet. To-
DAY set out to make a systematic survey of
the exhibits of the Southern States in the
| government building. but found the space of
the Carolinas. Georgia and Florida practically
ulfoSeupied. The honest beginning is made
IN preparing for their display. Arkansas is in
goQu shape, and makes a fine show for an agri-
cultural State. She claims among other things
20 kinds of valuable woods $50 differe1t
grasses, variety and quality of minerals
unsurpassed, the position of fruit garden of
the Southwest, every kind of fibre used in
the arts, and an the crops that will grow be-
tween the Gulf and the lakes. The claim is
backed with fine display of authentic speci-
mems. In fact, one gathers from the Southern
states exhibits, so far as they are visible, that
this section has variety and extent of re-
sources OF natural kind that should raise il
rapidly to prosperous condition.
THE EXPOSITION WILL, NO DOUBT. BE
SUCCESS.
As yet it IS hardly in a condl ton to be fairly
judged. The art building will not be open be-
fore January. The government building, in
which the various States as well as the gov
ernment make their displays is not in order
The Woman's Department is in that building
but owing to the leaky roof and other causes
Mrs. Howe and her assistants are only begin
ming to unpack their goods. The part of the
building set apart for the cOlOred exhibit is
not In order. Some OF the States-NeW York
and Pennsylvania, for instance-haVe nothag
yet In the space set apart for them. But rapid
progress Is being made and there are already
some fine exhibits in this building. At the end
OF another week it will be nearly complete,
In the main building there is yet much work
to be done The Mexican building is not fin
lshed. There is great deal to do in every
direction. The managers of this enterprise
are doing their best, but they have had many
dlmcultes to contend with, not the least Of
which was the trouble of bringing here, in a
short time, several thousand car loads of ex-
hibits.
WHILE SPEAKING OF THESE MATTERS,
which are inseparably connected with the
exposition, though not part of it, the ques-
tion OF hotels and boarding houses may well
be included. The rates do not differ materi-
ally from those of New YORK, but for the
same money much better fare can be had in
New York. The st. Charles Hotel, which is
the principal one here, is q very old house
and in need of modern furnishings. Its low
est rate Is "a day. Under the same manage
ment is the Hotel Royal, on the European
plan, newly furnished and well equipped
house. Its lowest rate for lodgings on the
top floor IS 81 so day, while the restaurant
charges are abOutt same as DelmOnico's in
New York. took list of houses furnished
nation, and went in search of
lodgings in private house. The
owners of each house had made
an agreement with the exposition managers
not to charge more than 81 so a day for lodg-
ings, exclusive of board. 1 found no trouble
in getting such accommodations providing
would share a room with some other person.
Finding the search Improbable l concluded
to remain at the hotel | am told by others,
however, that they found good board at
private houses at 81 a day, but persons COM
ing to the exposition for q few days have not
time to go on a long search for rooms in
private houses. The boarding house keepers
and hotel proprietors evidently thought that
a rich harvest was to be reaped at once. In
that they may be mistaken. AS the eXpOsi
tlon Will not be fully open before the middle
of January, and as the pleasant weather, it is
said, begins then, it is probable that the num-
Der of visitors will not be great before that
time.
There are plenty of restaurants in this city,
of the average kind, but their charges are
public comfort building on the exposition
grounds. | took lunch there to-day. The
charges were for roast beef so cents; cup of
tea, 10 cents; fried potatoes, Is cents, and
everything else in proportion. My experience
here Is that for good board and lodgings high
prices must be paid, while for average ac-
cOmmodatlons the rates will be about the
same as at the Centennial Exposition.
THIS is THE SHORT SEASON OF UN-
PLEASANT WEATHER HERE,
but few people from the North are aware of
that fact. They come here expecting to revel
in sunshine and flowers, to see orange trees
loaded with fruit, and to dress in summer
clothing. In some respects they will find no
reason for complaint. Orange trees with rich
looking fruit are plentiful, and in many
gardens can be seen good supply of roses
wear summer clothing, and within "a hours
he may be hugging the stove and go about
dressed in the heavy winter clothing
still feel uncomfortably cold. Yesterday
the thermometer was % degrees above zero,
and two days before it was 65, and to-day it
is about so degrees. But the atmosphere is |
humid and the cold is penetrating, and the
changes are so great that it makes one feel
more uncomfortable than when the cold is
steady. The frosts of the last few DAYS killed |
most Of fha f1OXUpue VUiltnd tho han bt1o
and did other damage. These cold snaps are
preceded by heavy ram storms, of which
there have been good many of late. The |
dip of the land is so slight. only about an inch
to the mile, that the water does not run off |
readily, but leaves the ground thoroughly
soaked. Hence the exposition grounds, ex-
slush.
The streets from the central part of the city
leading to the exposition grounds are paved |
less than half way. The unpaVed parts are |
simply horrible. The mud is several inches |
deep, and the holes are numerous. 1t is no |
uncommon thing to see a dozen ''stalled" |
wagons on the two miles or so of unpaved |
road leading to the exposition grounds. Car
ria2e travel under such circumstances is I'M
possible. Everybody is forced to take the |
'bob-taiP' street cars. They are dirty and |
smoking. But what is still worse, they are |
wholly inadequate to accommodate even the |
limited travel at this time. On two success |
sive days it took me nearly two |
hours to get from the exposition |
grounds to the Hotel Royal, a distance |
of about four miles. OF course it is the inten- |
tiOn to remedy this serious defect. But the |
exposition is open, and speak of things just |
as find them. There should have been pro- |
vided before the exposition was opened good |
facilities for reaching the grounds. A rail- |
road is projected, and by the time the heavy
travel sets in next January it is to be hoped |
that it will be finished so that people can |
reach the grounds without the present dis |
comforts. 1t is expected that many persons |
will avail themselves of the steamboats, which |
are to run to the exposition grounds, but the
steamboat wharves are some distance from |
the hotels and boarding houses, and the travel |
that way will probably not be large providing !
people can be accommodated by The street |
RAILROAD lines.