Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1891-09-09
BUILDING THE FAIR.
Busy Scenes at Jackson Park, the site
Of the Columbian Exposition.


1t takes fence six miles long to en-
close the Worlds Fair buildings. All
these structures are to be of extraordina-
ry dimensions, but the largest of them, on
which the foundation work has just been
commenced, will be neutrality-suspicious..
II is the Hall of Manufactures aud Lib
eral Arts. The site for this vast building
is broad, highly situated plateau over
looking the lake. A railroad track runs
through lis center, and on each side rise
tremendous piles of lumber, iron and all
sorts of construction materials.
A similar scene is witnessed at the
other great buildings, on which further
progress has been made Within the en-
closure the Exposition site resembles one
vast work-ground, surrounded by freight
cars and lumber yards. Looking out to-
wards the lake, the breakwater, the long
pier and foundation for the naval exhib-
it present the appearance of a mammoth
dockyard.
Changed, indeed, is jackson Park, and
those who visited it three months ago
would not know il now. A worlds work.
shop employing an army Of builders en-
vironed ON three sides by the foliage and
flowers of the south parks, and on the
fourth by the infinite expanse of the lake.
The exposition site has undergone
wonderful change since last spring. Then
it was soft marshy ground shelving in
irregular stretches to the water line. Now
it is a irm level, smooth sandy surface
upon clay subsoil. A perfect and adj
mirably improved building site. The
hundreds of visitors who view fairgrounds
cannot Immediately appreciate the i'm
mense difficulties that have been over
come and the great labor involved in the
earthwork accomplished on this lake
shore site. 1t is now a level surface to
the line of the lake, surface mile and
a-half in length and, at its southern ex-
tremity, nearly mile in width. This
has been created, graded and leveled by
constantly employing small army Of
men and now, within the six miles Of
fence that surrounds it the work Of con-
structing the great buildings is being
pushed with ceaselesractiyity.
From the slight eminence already
known as administration hill" which the
lofty administration building is destined
to effectively crown, the observer can even
thus early gain realistic sense Of the
distinctive features aud general magni-
tude of this stupendous undertaking. AT
this point he is practically in the center
of the sites allotted to the principal build
ings and the system of terrace work
which will surround them. He is also in
the center of a complex network of rail-
way track, $4,000 feet of it extending in
every direction and connected with the
trunk lines by fifty switches, all of them
in constant use. This system Of railway
is laid upon what, four months ago, was
wild park land untouched by the first inn
proyement. The tracks are covered with
cars, loaded with lumber, iron and every
description Of building materials. These
roll into the grounds increasingly and are
switched up to the buildings to which the
materials belong. Gangs Of men take
hold with a will and as il by magic tow
ering piles Of material rise in every Sec
ton Of the grounds. Mounted superin-
tendents ride from point to point urging
things forward. The word is "rush" in
every department and branch of constuc-
ton.
The big building are beginning to rise.
Already some Of the principal structures
are not only in evidence, but progress on
them is marked from day to day. Look
ing northwest from the administration
building the visitor sees the Woman's
Building, already 50 far advanced that it
looms up imposingly against its back
ground Of park trees.
Rising in the vista are the Electricity
and Mines and Mining building, on which
the foundations are already completed.
Upon the sites Of the Horticultural and
Transportation building all preliminary
work Is completed, and hundreds Of tons
Of materials are ready to be placed in po-
sition.
Hundreds Of men are engaged on every
possible sort Of construction work. Lay
ing water-mains, electric-light plant, mod
cling for exterior decorative work and
developing landscape effects around the
ornamental waters.
A busy place indeed Is the exposition
ground, and soon it will be as busy by
night as by day for the electric lighting
necessary for NIGHT construction has lust