Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-05-13
The New Orleans Exposition.
VIEWS OF CHARLES DUDLEY wARNE

The picture gallery is large enough, and one
sees there many fine pictures, but as a whole it
is not credit to the creative genius of the coun-
try. 1t has the appearance of being made up of
anything artists chose to send in. The most i'm
teresting part of it is the Mexican gallery, not
because the pictures there are the best, but be-
cause We knew little of Mexican art and ex-
pected little. 1t is serious In intention and
character, and most of the subjects are religious,
One respects this sort of sincerity, which is un-
touched by our modern bric-a-brac and decora-
tive mania, but it seems TO be either faint sur
yivai of the old Spanish school the sort OF re-
vival that Cornelius attempted OF sacred sub
jects i'm Germany, where perspective and color
are not of SO much account as the sacred SUBJ
tect and the fiat drawing. / could mention a
gallery, but 1t is, taken as whole, inferior: and
the same may be said of the small exhibition of
scmiptuF r the most hopeful piece in it
title OF The Mother with a baby on her lap by
Karl Gerhardt.
The Horticultural hall is a pretty building
but the display Is not particularly good. would
rather at this season wander about the city
and admire the roses which bloom and climb
every where In prOfusion. and in all the choicest
varieties, and make one forget the shabby
streets, than to waste time here.
The greatest attraction to thousands here is
the Mexican band. There have been two bands
here, one OF strings, which played little except
national music, and was greatly liked. and the
military band, which remains, and is the only
one have heard. 1t has about sixty-five pieces.
The musicians are Mexicans, all of them dark
in omplexion, and some of them apparently
negroes is to be understood that this is purely
military band, belonging, think, to a cavalry
regiment, and not to be compared TO an orches-
ira like that of Thomas or Damrosch. But as a
military band We have nothing in this country
worthy to be compared with it-for comparison
you must GO to the German military
%%se Of it Is the equal in nnr
bands of Munich. So far as l have heard
it. it does not attempt music of so high an
order, and 1t certainly lacks a highly civilized
something that the Munich bands have. But
then it does some things that no other band
does, and it is about the most interesting mill
tary band l ever listened TO- 1t does uneX-
pected and most pleasing and exciting things.
Most of its music is light, from the waltz music
of Germany the light French operas but it
gives also much national music, Of strangely
pathetic character-a Moorish strain that
carries one back to the land of Alhambra. 1t
didual character as well; now and then it pro-
duces an effect of strings, and again almost of
the human voice. The s fitness of its brass is
much spoken OF, but in this it is to me less de-
lightful than the Munich band. 1t Ia great
favOrte here, and suppose the musicians have
become little conceded with so much praise,
but understand that they have a small
opinion of American taste or of American
musica! knowledge. They nearly always play
in the bands of the world, It has given distinc
ton TO this exposition.
AS an exhibition this is great success and in
the government building success unexampled.
should like the world to see il, and patriotism
can well rest content with such a national
showing. The reason of its failure financially
could be easily told. New Orleans is too far
away from the great cities and great centers OF
population. The exhibition was got up in a
hurry. The railways did not apprehend the
magnitude OF the services required, and the
freight was not delivered in time. A delay oc-
Cured In the opening, and then rainy, bad
weather set in to discourage visitors But a very
serious difficulty is the location of the buildings
ana the lack Of facilities in getting to them.
The exhibition grounds are some four. IL seems
10 me fve, miles from Canal street, the center
OF the city. The city is the largest in area in
the civilized wOrld-sOme fifteen miles long
from the barracks to Carondelet The grounds
can be reached by steamers from Canal street,
but 1t took us an hour aud quarter one day to 60
that way after waiting half an hour for the boat.
1t requires from three-Quarters OF an hour to
an hour TO 60 from Canal street by horse cars,
The cars are al! one-horse, drawn by a mule
(sometimes opinionated), and 1t is q very tedi-
Gus journey to and from the exhibition. It
spoils day to 60 and come, and II is for this
reason that thousands Of people In New Orleans
have never seen 1t, and that the gate receipts
are not at all what they would be IL the build
tngs were in the city proper. This matter OF
location and lack of quick transit is,sufiicient
to account for financial failure, IL no other
causes existed. To 60 to the exhibition from
Esplanade street is more Of an undertaking
than for an uptown New Yorker to 60 to
Dudley Warmers NeW Or.
leans Letter TO Hartford C6ssr0nt.