The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-24

A Hurried Glance at What Is There To Be
Seen-The Wonderful Foreign Exhibits.
Correspondence Of Il India napolis Journal.


LOUISVILLE, Aug. 21-The Southern Exposi-
ton opened Aug Is, with the usual pomp and
ceremony, and invites the attention and
presence of all lovers of progress and improve
ment. The first thing that attracts the attention
OF the visitor is the utter incompleteness of the
thing the incessant hammering and saving of
the workmen as they labor in their efforts to get
things in readiness, and last, but not least the
lack of visitors. Several exhibitors expressed
great dissatisfaction with the management for
keeping the admission fee at fifty cents in the
present condition of the exposition and in the
face of hard times; they say if half the amount
were charged more money would be made, for
then the Louisville people themselves would
attend, while now they depend on outsiders. But
1T is too early yet to even surmse what the
attendance is likely to be. Even in it's present
condition the exposition is we'll worth visit,
and in a couple of weeks it will be much better.
1t is especially interesting in its foreign exhibits
most OF which came from the worlds exposition
at New Orleans. At the right Of the main en-
trance pass some Turkish fakrs with a
booth full of pipes, caps, jewelry and trinkets,
which they very zealouSly entreat US to buy.
Passing numerous exhibits of the Louisville
under the auspices of the Southern Pacific rail
road. Here is cube, II 10 feet in dimensions,
covered with tin-foil. which represents the silver
output OF her mines, or a value of $26000 900,
and if all her gold were formed into a solid cube,
each of its sides would measure fourteen
and three eighths feet or value Of 100 000 000
Here are specimens of her woods what Califor-
MIA exhibit is complete without them!) a section
of the sequoia gigantic or big tree eighteen feet
in diameter which taken from the tree
xv-cix Foot A1ooh
feet high and estimated to be 300 years old
five men worked twenty five days in telling it,
Here is species of fir which, for the first few
years of its growth, is round like ordinary trees
but soon gradually begins to square" itself, and
in the specimen shown the annual rings are as
straight and square as if drawn by man. This
section of tree eighteen inches in diameter is
an elder6ery bush with the pith punched out; it
is a tritie heavy though for pop-gun. Here is
a model of a header and thresher with sickle
from sixteen TO twenty feet long; it is said
twenty mules and four men will cut and thresh
forty acres in one day. And here is the shovel
with which Leland Stanford, then CALIFORNIA;
Governor, cast the first earth of the Central
Pacific railroad, Jan. s, 1868. 1t bears
the stamp Mark Hopkins, Cast Steel"
and in no way differs from the
thousands of others he made, and, it seems,
was thrown aside after the ceremonies, until
Uncle Mark" picked it up, saying: We'll take
care OF this maybe some day We'll need it,"
here we see SILK worms raised by CalllOrnla
women, the cocoons, the thread and the manu-
featured silk goods all done in the United States.
Here are fruits canned, preserved, dried, green,
and every way imaginable, together with grain,
garden seeds, honey, wines and numberlesS other
products of the land Of gold
But let US visit the Sandwich Islands while
our eyes are turned toward the occident This
exhibit IS under the management of Hon. j.
Matt Smith. and in charge of Mr. George Allen.
who kindly furnishes you with all the information
principal articles shown are drugs and medicinal
plants, perfumery, straw hats, school books in
their own language, sheet-music written by
Hawaiian authors with the words in English,
German and Hawaiian; kappa, kind OF cloth re-
sembilng Japanese paper, made by hand from
the fbers of a plant called wauke; here are
pictures of King Kaakaua, his wife, sisters and
other members Of the royal family, and paint
ing by Jules Tavernier representing the crater
of the volcano Kilauea; fine coffees and sugars,
also feather necklace made from the os bird;
1t is very rare article, only two feather can
be used from single bird, one being obtained
from under each wing.
The Mexican exhibit is under the supervision
OF Capt. Louis Siliceo, and is entirely private
enterprise He petitioned his government to
assist him to make creditable showing of the
countrys progress at New Orleans, but, receiv
ing no aid, he collected specimens and made the
exhibit at his own expense. Here are fine
specimens of corn, and picture showing horse
men riding through Mexican corn
field; the stalks look TO be ten feet
high l asked him the average
yield per acre, but ne could not give it without
an arithmetical calculation Wheat, rye, barley,
coffee, and cotton S, sseven feet high contain
ing LOO to 200 bolls; Mexican fruits of endless
variety In wax; Indian pottery, costumes, toys,
SILK, WOOL and cotton, raw and manufactured,
all tastefully arranged and under the charge of
Mexican citizens who take great pains to satisfy
the visitors curiosity.
Jerusalem and the Holy Land seem omni
present, from the number of booths filled with
ohve-wood crucifxes, boxes, ornaments, ancient
and modern jewelry.
China brings her dishes, pottery, silks. fans,
bronze, and fancy wooden figures. Here is
Chinese residence with bamboo fence, tea plants
growing in the yard, and Cinnamon inside who
give to the thirsty visitor hot or ice tea free of
charge, with the injunction to buy only Pe-Kong
tea in the future.
ID. Laruelle, Of the French exhibit, shows