Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-09-05
ANTICIPATORY VIEW
WHAT THE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. WILL
LOOK LIKE A MONTH HENCE.
spootiou' Of the Main Building
Made

Ihe Exposition, Tor which active
preparations have been in progress for
many months, will be a memorable
event in the history of the South.
No place in the Union is OF greater in
terest to the tourists from abroad and the
people Of this Union than Richmond,
while southerners look upon it not alone
as city of Virginia, but as their city.
Situated on the historic James river, just
where the rapids greet tide-water, ii is
the farthest inland town TO be reached
by seafaring crafts from the Atlantic
coast. The Fredericksburg road and
connections place it in few hours ride
from New York, Washington, Baltimore,
aud Philadelphia. The Chesapeake and
Ohio and Big Four systems make 1t
near neighbor to Cincinnati and
al the cities OF the Northwest.
The Norfolk and Western and the Rich
mond and Allegheny connect it direct
with the States of Kentucky, Tennessee,
and tho States beyond, while the Pied
mont Airline and the Atlantic Coast
Line link her to all the South. Thus
it will be seen where the people will
come from to the Exposition. There is
not need here TO dwell on the beauty,
bealthfulness, and commercial aspects
Of this city, nor Of the hundreds OF his
toric places within easy reach OF her,
such as Mechsnicsville, Dutch Gap,
The Crater, Appomattox, Drewry's
Bluff, Malvern Hill, Old Point Com
fort. Seven Pines, &c, and those
within her limits, such as the home of
Lee, the "White House" of the Con-
federacy, Libby Prison, Belle Isle, &c,
which are OF interest to all sightseeing
travellers.
THE EXPOSITION.
The spaces for exhibitors are now all
marked off and in anticipation one may
see the Exposition as it will be in full
operation.
Leaving the State Capitol, situated in
the heart of the city and in one Of the
loveliest little parks in the land, there
are many avenues and streets that lead
out to the Exposition-Grounds. The
most attractive Of these is Broad street,
on which the main Exposition building
fronts. This thoroughfsre is as straight
as q bee-line and is ll8 feet wide and
about three and half miles long, from
end to end.
AT THE ExPOsITION-GROUNDs.
The dummy car or the railroad train
whichever you have elected to 60 out
on) has reached the grounds, and you
step of. Passing through one of the
passimetre entrances you enter into
court 700 feet long by $50 feet wide,
stretching in front of the great building.
At the extreme east end is the President
and Executive Committee building. The
main building is in the shape of an 4,
and has straight front with three i'm
mense wings.
This building hos over three hundred
thousand square feet of floor space, and
is wonder Of design and completeness.
Great care has been exerted to provide
every convenience. There are several
spacious galleries with cross-bridges, and
six massive towers with lookOuts. There
are three groups of doors, three open
ings each, in the front of this struc
ture. You enter one of the middle
group, which stands before q beautiful
grotto. where limpid water is seen grace
fully threading Itself among the rocks
end falling into the lakelet below, while
from among the rich ferns comes steal
ing through the draped moss the varie-
gated hues reflected from ingeniOuslY-
planted electric lights. A little further
back is seen the largest sodawater foun-
tain ever made, being that used in Phila-
delphia III 1876.