The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1891-04-16
TO Be MAGNIFICENT
THE SPLENDID WORLDS FAIR
BUILDINGS.
To Visitors the Columbia ExpOsitiOn's
Superb Grounds and Great, I'm
posing Structures will Pre-
sent q Spectacle of Sur
passing Beauty.

sent Spectacle of Sur
passing Beauty.
Especial Correspondence of the GoId Leaf.
CHICAGO, April 18th, 1891.
Many thousands, no doubt, have begun
to be curious as to how the buildings
and grounds OF the Columbian Exposition
will appear-y5hat sort of spectacle
they will present. A birds-eye view OF
the site and buildings, and a series OF
the several structures and their ground
plans will soon be issued. Without
waiting for these, however, a general
idea can be given.
CHICAGO A sIGHTIN ITSELF.
The first sightseeing which visitors to
Chicago in 1893 will do will be, ofcOurse,
of the city itself-of its great, wide, busy
thoroughfares and it's magnificent build
ings, ten, fourteen, and even eighteen
and twenty stories high. To see this
great, throbbing commercial heart OF
America, this marvellous young giant
among the chief cities of the world, even
though he does not spend the time neces-
sary to inspect in thoroughly, will alone
amply reply the visitor for going. But
a second surprise will await him when he
Washington Parks and the magnificent
array presented by the Exposition build
ings. Beautiful as was the site-the
Champs de Mars-and it's approaches,
and captivating to the admiration az
were the graceful and inpOsings edifces
at the Paris ExpOsitiOns of 1878 and
1889, it is believed that they will be sur
passed by those of the Columbian Expo
sitiOn. The Chicago site is four times as
large and has n frontage of two miles On
Lake Michigan, the second largest body
OF fresh water on the globe. The build
ings will cover twice the area and cost
twice as much as did those at Paris in
1889. Alone they will cost nearly fifty
per cent more than the total expense
attending the Paris Fair. The best
architects in this country have prepared
the plans for the several-buildings anC
the structures they have designed viii
exhibit the highest achievements o
American architecture.
A MAGNIFICENT SITE.
More than 81 ,OOO, 900, exclusive OF The
cost OF the land, has been spent OF
jackson and Washington Parks, in laying
them out and identifying them. Another
million will be spent in improving the
of the Exposition. Additional lawns
terraces, hower-beds, rustics, walks, drives
and fountains will be constructed: stat
nary will be placed at conspicuous
points; the lagoon will be enlarged by
slnuOus branches: and the lake beach
Will be made charming resort fol
visitors.
BY THE WATER ROUTE.
The most delightful, probably, though
not the speediest means by which the
vistormay reach the Exposition grounds
VIII be by steamboat on Lake Michigan
ride OF SIX miles from the embracing
point at the Lake Front park, with the
towers and gilded domes of the Fair
buildings constantlyin sight, will take
him there. When abreast of the site a
grand spectacle OF surprising magnii-
cence Will be before him-the vast extent
OF beautiful park, the windings OF the
lagoon; the superb array of scores OF
great buildings, elegant and imposing
IN Their architecture and gay with my
RAIDS OF flags and streamers floating from
their pinacles and towers; and towering
about them all, the lofty Proctor tower.
In the northern portion of the grounds
he Will see picturesque group of build
1ngs, perhaps forty or fifty of them,
constructing Il veritable village palaces
Here, on hundred acres or more, beauti-
July lald out. will stand the buildings. of
foreign nations and of q number of the
states OF the Union, surrounded by lawns,
walks and beds of flowers and shrubbery
How many OF them there will be cannot
be stated yet, but it is certain that they
Will numerous and will vary greatly in
size and style of architecture They will
be ranged on WIDE curving avenues. will
include some of the most ornate, costly
and palatial structures and constitute
perhaps the most interesting portion OF
the entire Exposition. In the western
part OF the group will stand the Illinois
building, 4O0x15O in size, and costin e
S35O,0OO. 1t will be severely classic in
style with dome in the center and a
great porch facing southwark. In this
portion OF the park, too, will stand the
FINE Arts building, which is to be a
magnificent palace costing halfa million.
just south of theforeign and state build
ngs may be observeda considerable eX-
panse OF the lagoon, with inlet to the
lake, and accomplishing three islands.
On the largest one will stand the U. s..
fisheries building, 7OOfeet in length and
thanked at each end by a curved arcade
connecting it with two round pavilions
III which will be aquaria and the tackle
exhibit. This building. designed by
Henry Ives Cobb, of Chicago, will be in
the Spanish style and conspicuous be-
cause OF a liberal use of color.
UNCLE SANS EXHIBIT.
little farther south, across an area
OF the lagoon, will be the L. S. Govern
ment building, measuring 35Ox42O feet
and having dome 100 feet in diameter
ana 100 feet high. 1t will reconstructed
ol stone, IRON and glass, classic in style,
covering tour acres and cost $4OO, 900.
In lt Will be very complete exhibit from
the several federal departments, etc-war,
treasury, agriculture, interior, post office
navy, smithsonian institution and Ma
tional museum. On the lake shore east
oil Its building and in part in the inter
Venlng space, the government will have
u gun battery, life-saving station COM
Plete with apparatus, a lighthouse, wal
DatloOns, and full size model of q Sd.
OUo,ooO battleship of the first class
inns Will be constructed on piling along
size q pier, being thus surrounded by
water and apparently moored at q wharf
Inc ship will De built of brick and
coated with cement. 1t will be 34S feet
long, CD feet wide amidships, and will
nave ali the fittings and apparatus tina,
belong to the most approved war vessel
suca as guns, turrets, torpedo tubes
torpedo nets and booms, boats, anchor
military mast, etc, and full complement
OF seanen and marines detailed from the
navy department. The visitors arriving
by steamboat will pass very near anc
OBTAIN an excellent view of the shore
poI aon OF the Government exhibit. II,
VIII probably see also, anchored near by
a Columbus fleet a reproduction, al
near as may be, of the one with which
the great discoverer sailed from Palos-
and also a Government revenue cutter
and one or two torpedo boats
THE GREATEST OF ALL.
Steaming by the Government exhibits
the visitor will come abreast of thelarpes,
building Oft the Exposition-that of mann
lectures and liberal arts. twill measur,
i,iOOxSOO feet, with two interior court,
and at it's center great dome $50 feet