Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1891-09-17
BUILDING THE FAIR.
Busy Scenes at jackson Park. the Site
ofthe Columbian Exposition.

1t takes fence six miles long to enclose
the Worlds Fair buildings. All these sUruct-
ures are to be of extraordinary dimensions
but the largest of them, on which the founda.
tion work has just been commenced, will be
something stupendous. 1t is the Hall Of
manufactures and liberal arts. The site fol-
this vast building is broad, highly situated
plateau overlooking the lake. A railroad
track runs through its center, and on each
side rise tremendous piles of lumber, iron
and all sorts of construction material.
A similar scene is witnessed at the other
great buildings, on which further progress
has been made. Within the enclosure the
Exposition site resembles one vast work
ground surrounded by freight cars and lum.
Der yards. Looking out towards the lake,
the breakwater, the long pier and foundation
for tho naval exhibit present the appearance
of a mammoth dockyard.
Changed, indeed, is jackson Park, and
those who visited it three months ago would
not know it now. Aworld's workshop, en-
ploying an army of builders, environed 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 won
derful change since last Spring. Then twas
a soft marshy ground shelving in irregular
stretches to the water line. Now it is a firm
level, smooth sandy surface upon clay
subsoil. A perfect and admirably improved
building site. The hundreds of visitors who
view the grounds cannot Immediately appre-
ciate the immense difficulties that have been
overcome and the great labor involved in the
earthwork accomplished on this lake shore
site. 1t is now level surface to the line OF
the lake, surface mile and half in length
and at its southern extremity, 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 constructing
the great buildings is being pushed with
ceaseless activity.
From the slight eminence already known
as administration hill," which the lofty ad.
ministration building is destined to effeo.
lively crown, the observer can even thus ear.
ly gain realistic sense of the distinctive
features and general magnitude of this stu.
pendous undertaking. At this point he is
practically in the center of the sites allotted
to the principal buildings and the system OF
terrace work which will surround them. He
is also in the center of complex network OF
railway 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 un-
touched by the first improvement. The
tracks are covered with cars, loaded with
lumber, iron and every description of build.
ing materials. These roll into the grounds
increasingly and are switched up to the build.
ings to which the materials belong. Gangs
of men take hold with will and as if by
magic towering piles of material rise in ev
cry section of the grounds. Mounted super.
intendents ride from point to point urging
things forward. The word is ''rush" in ev.
cry department and branch of construction.
The big buildings 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. Looking north
west from the administration building, tht
visitor sees the Woman's Building, already sc
far advanced that it looms up imposingly