Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1886-01-08
TROPICAL ILLUSIONS.
A Wanderer from Yanzton Basking
I'm the Sunlight OF the Gulf Region
The n orth, Central and South Ameri.

New Orleans, La, Dec. Goth, 1885:
Your correspondent has safely reached
the southern metropolis and revisited
the great exposition. The trip was &C
complished with the greatest comfort
and enjoyment, and the weather, though
at times foggy and wet, was warm aud
agreeable. But unlike the New Or
leans OF a year ago, the city has shown
since our arrival.
The great southern tourists route is
the Illinois Central. Every night at
about eight, a train consisting Of pas
senger and palace cars set out from
Chicago on lis run of N5 miles to New
Orleans. Belths III these sleeping cars
for beforehand, to make sure of them.
For thirty.six hours we speed straight
southwark, humming along at q good
rate over q smooth track, watching with
Inteuse lnteres the rapid change OF
climate, vegetation aud soil as we rush
toward the tropical shores of the gulf.
A good deal of the enjoyment aud sat
sfaction derived from such a ride de-
ponds on the conduct of the rail
road men with whom We come III contact.
In this case, as we'll as last winter, we
tesy, kindness and accommodation in
every one connected with the road, leav-
ing net a single disagreeable remlnls-
! cence of their treatment.
When we crossed the mouth OF the
Ohio at Cairo, Con the largest transfer
boat in the country, holding ten Pullman
cars at a time,) the scenery was most de-
lightful, and 1t was o charming variation
of the long ride. At daylight of the
second day W were among the cypress
and palmetto of southern Mississippi,
and theu ran rapidly through Louisiana
TO this city.
New Orleans has been thoroughly
written up by most sctibblers of the
north, and needs no description in this
letter. About half our time here has
been devoted to sightseeing in the
queer old city; the remainder we spent
at the exposition, which is doubtless the
chief object of interest to your readers,
but of which very little has thus far been
published.
The north, central and south American
| nv AnoJfInn 10 ., IN FnIl nrnrnfInn
and visited by thousands. The
buildings and grounds are in better
condition than a year ago and the grass,
flower beds, foreign .plants So, more
completely grown; the steam railway
gives more excellent means OF access,
hotel accommodations near the grounds
are more ample, aud all sorts of public
~convenisnceB inside are greatly multi
piled. The large art hall, which l did
not see opened at all while here last Jan.
uary, is now well filled with magnificent
paintings by American and European
artists, with a constant crowd studying
and admlring them.
holt lSuituIhl uhll huo Y Va
fruit tables replaced by walks gardens
and choice ~exotics. There are mas.
sive clumps of banana plants, fifteen to
eighteen feet high, in their hot-house
perfection of leaf, flower, green fruit ane
ripe yellow clusters. Palms, roses, cam
elias, hibiscus, polnsettias and an end
less array of lovely tropical plants de
light the visitor. Beside the door
cage of bears,an a tame sea-otter, sport
ing in a large tank, are great attractions
The Vanderpoele electric railway run
j, much larger cars, on q very long track
whose rails are wholly uninsulated. Ih
Mexican buildings seem vacant, an
Mexico this year is unrepresented. Res
u taurants and places of amusement ar
= plenty and cheap inside the grounds.
The artificial lake between the tw
great buildings, which is a model c
Lake Pontcbartrain, has been wonder
fully improved. An immense and 81
y ~tractive public spectacle called th
- Gov uStltl VA o"POit &c ASt
resented two nights per week. A larg
eXpanse of seats on one side OF this LAX
:, is confronted on the opposite side by
>; most extensive and splendid array
theatrical scenery, representing tt
classical Roman halls and streets of ii
ancient city in its glory, backed in tt
distance by the ranReo of mountains ar
the great volcano highest of all. Sci
" by day these life size buildings, son
az rising out of the water and others
81 their rear upon land, with the RurroRn
ing mountains, form a worthy spectac
81, But at night, when some 200 performe
in proper costumes enact their dramai
III parts in the glare of the electric lamps
IT. feasting, dancing and moving IN and o
Il. through these half real scenes for
'h' hour or SO, and when the rumblin
@ of the volcano are t
lowed by an awful erupti
III from the concealed fireworks of the q
a's tant crater, engulting the city and co,
uf' try in a grey and murky storm of ash
We. causing panic,death and final blackpe
gal the effect is something indescribaI
lng grand, and probably never before
tempted.
emit In another letter I shall speak of
his exhibits contained in the main 9
iew government building.