The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1884-12-13
NEW ORLEANS EXPOSITION.
The Magnitude of the Buildings-Mexi-
cos Exhibit-A View Of the Grounds.

the Worlds Exposition, shortly to open, from
which the following extracts are taken:
1t is fact that you could put nearly the
entire buildings of Paris and Vienna which
were devoted to their fairs into the main
building of the New Orleans exposition. 1t
tennial at Philadelphia. 1t is by odds the
largest edifce of which history gives any ac-
count. The Coliseum at Rome, structure
which gave word to the world by which to
express magnitude, does not compass hall as
much space as this exposition at New Orleans.
But of course this is not as lofty and suhstan-
tial as the Coliseum was.
The engines to be used here for lighting
the place alone are more tremendous than all
those set in operation at the Philadelphia
Centennial by the Emperor of Brazil and
General Grant at the moment of opening the
exhibition there. But one wearies of these
repetitions of magnitude. Briefly, then, the
whole arrangement is on this vast plan. 1t
is worthy of the country. 1t is fashioned after
it in its vastness and its splendor. Out there
in the Mississippi, lording the whole scene,
will lie the Great Eastern, soon to arrive from
Europa fit companion of the grand event.
Perhaps some conception of the largeness
and the positiveness of the place might be ar
rived at by contemplating the number of acres
involved We have here about seyenty-hve
acres under roof. Now, if you will go oul
into the country and try to find field as large
as this, 70 acres, you can IN some feeble sort
of way understand that here we have on hand
the most colossal work that ever was.
To me the best things here, the best, most
impressive, most beautiful, most marvellous
of all that is here, or can be brought here, is
the army of ancient and wide-boughed oaks
that stand in solemn line. In their gray and
priesty garments of moss they guard the ex-
position buildings about and down to the
banks of the great swift river. Bring what
you may here, gold and silver and silks and
precious things, 1 shall turn from them all to
these gray old bearded and impressive Druids
for contemplation and companionshlp.
These wonderful Druid oaks have long been
celebrated in song and books OF travel. L
cannot say now what famous traveller de,
scribes them, but | think it was in Bayard
| Taylor's or Baron Won Humboldt's book |
read of them, but | knew them very well.
They are not dull in the least, like the great
trees of Yosemite, lofty, leafiess and desolate
in their gigantic glory; but they are broad
boughed, green and evergreen. The least one
of this wonderful avenue would shelter from
sun or storm an army of thousands. And the
grass grows green beneath them, even up to
the tremendous trunks. And then up the
trunks the ferns have found their way. And
| far up and far out along the spreading boughs
the ferns grow rank and green.
There are no such oaks anywhere else III
the world. But the wonder and the beauty
of them has found singular and rare dignity
in their gray and majestic boards that sweep
almost to the earth. Moving in the wind,
moving to and fro with q grace and restful-
ness, even in the calmest weather, the traveller
| instinctively uncovers his head in their pres
ence, as if he stood before the tutelary deites
of time.
Nv own private notion is that Mexico, in
point of interest and instruction, is gong to
carry off the palm. You see the most OF the
other things, or something like them at least
have been seen, or can be seen, in other lands
and at other expositions But Mexico is
unique. With the oldest civilization on this
continent her wonderful history, she has
much to begin with in the way of sentimental
interest. And then her products are rich be-
yond parallel. All these things are to be dis
played too in building apart and set mod
estly aside. The picturesque quarters are
away down in n corner of the park. Ihls
building, though comparatively small, Is OF
itself an attraction, being one of the best and
brightest things in the way of architecture on
the whole ground.
The generous action of the Mexican goy-
eminent in promptly contributing nearly a
quarter Of Il million gold to tbe enterprise, the
fine behavior of the officers in charge here
and the celebrity and ability displayed in per-
fecting their work here, have won for Mexico
much good will and admiration already, both
| from Americans and strangers. The Mexican
exhibit is ready.
Here you are to see heaps on heaps of pre-
cious stones: opals, pearls, diamonds, rubles,
indeed all things that are hidden in her great,
rich heart. Heaps and heaps of gold, rich
and yellow from the mine; silver in bars and
ingots and bricks. Great seams OF silver and
gold threaded in together that have been hid
den away in the mountains heart, where 1t
was placed by Gods finger on the day of ere
alton, until to- day. Threads and seams and
flakes of silver and gold that never saw the
light until little time ago; gittering house
of gold and silver and precious stones is this
of Mexico.
| find the five miles of approach to the fair
grounds, from the heart of the city to the
upper edge of it, n most delicious and vivid
| bit of road. The whole way is through a
green grove of magnolia trees, with these
! burning bits of color dashed in here and there,
| lust as nature would have done it. The road
is good, perfect; the same sort that prevails
/ in Washington. And the perfume of roses Is
poured out everywhere. Here is perfect
riot of red perfume. Perhaps the very next
spacious dooryard as you dash past up the
/ road toward the grounds of the exposition
| will be a bed of snowy white. A snow-white
| house with dooryard of tall and intensely
green magnolia trees, and these trees full OF
4 birds, and then little sea Of red roses, with
an undercurrent of fervidly green grass, and
all these nursed under dome of sapphire
and this is dash of color which you encoun-
| ter every square on your way to the tair
! grounds here in December.
/ And so drive of many miles up this road
under the magnolias ard amid the December
roses puts you in a splendid mood to lift your
hat at the heaven of banners before you as
you approach the exposition. And you will
! lift your hat, my word for it, and wave it, too,
and shout with exuitation and delight, pride
and Joy at the achievements of the land az
you catch glimpse of this city Of banners
above the tops of the magnolia trees. The
sense of life and movement here, the countless
multitude, the coming and going, the shouts
of youth and the tranquil delight of age, the
victories of peace, the triumphs of art, all
these will make the day memorable as one
into which years and years were crowded.
The building committee of the exposition
made an inspection of the grounds, buildings
and machinery Saturday with view OF de-
Gliding if there is any reason for delay III the
opening of the exposition. The committee
found the water supply completed. The boil
ers, engines and shatting will be finished by
December 10. Boilers of 1880 horse power
and $500 horse power engines are now ready,
and 1900 horse-po engines will be rum
ming on December 10. The Edison, Brush,
Louisiana, Thompson, Houston electric lights
and Jenny Towers-in fact, the entire electric
plant-will be in readiness by the same date.
| Two thousand carloads of exhibits have been
received, and are being rapidly placed in po-
Stiop, and cars are arriving at the rate of $50
loads daily. The government exhibits and
those Of about thirty States and Territories,
not including Utah, have been shipped. The
foreign sections are being installed. After a
thorough inspection the committee decided
there was no reason for delaying the opening,
and that the preparations were further ad-
vanced than was ever known before in the
history of a large exhibition. The demand
for space is Unprecedented, over 500 applica-
tons having been filed since all the space in
the buildings was awarded. Many of such
applicants have shipped their exhibits, and
| the management has decided that space not
occupied by the 18th of December, or not
represented by bills of lading for exhibits, will
be realotted in order to avail of free return OF
freight, and to avoid delay of goods, pending
the adjustment of freight bills, exhibitors
must prepay freight in every instance. The
| huiIdinOs are now LIGHTED by electric lights