Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1891-09-11
BUILDING THE FAIR.
Busy Scenes at jackson Park. tho Site
Of the Columbian Exposition.

'hIbS stupehuouS. III ~ the Hall O
Manufactures and Liberal Arts. Tho
site for this vast building is n broad
highly situated plateau overlooking th,
lake. A railroad track runs through
its center, and on each side rise tire
mendous piles of lumber, iron and oil
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 lumber-yards Look
ing out towards the lake, the break
water, the long pier and foundation for
the naval exhibit present the appear
ance of a mammoth iockyard.
Changed, indeed, is Jackson Park
and those who visited il three months
ago would not know il now. A worlds
workshop, employing an army Of
builders, environed on three sides b,
the foliage and flowers Of the south
parks, and on the fourth by the infinite
expanse of the lake.
The exposition site has undergone n
wonderful change since last spring
Then it was soft mar-hy ground
shelving in irregular stretches 10 the
water-line. Now il is a firm level. u
smooth sandy surface upon clay sub
soil. A perfect and admirably i'm.
proved building site. The hundreds III
visitors who view the grounds cannot
Immediately appreciate the immense
difficulties that have been overcome.
and the great labor involved In the
earlhwork accomplished on this lake.
shore site. 1t is now n level surface Ia
the line of the lake, surface n mile
and half in length and, at it's south.
ern extremity, nearly mile In width
This has been created, graded and
leveled by constantly employing u
small army Of men and now. within the
six miles OF fence that surrounds u.
the work of constructing the sres;
buildings is being pushed with cease
less activity.
From the slight eminence already
known as Administration Hill,
Which the lofty administration build
ing is destined TO effectively crown. the
observer can even thus early gain q re-
alistic sense OF the distinctive features
and general magnitude OF this stupcn
dous undertaking. At this point lie 10
practically in the center Of the sites sl.
lotted to the principal buildings and
the system OF terrace work which will
surround them. lie is also in the cen.
ter OF complex network Of railway
track, $4,000 feet Of IL extending In
every direction and connected with the
trunk-lines by fifty switches. all OF them
in constant use. This system Of rail.
way is laid upon what, four months
ago, was wild park land untouched by
the first improvement. 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 "a
the buildings 10 which the materials
belong. Gangs of men take hold with
will, and rs il by magic towering
piles of material rise In every section
of the grounds. Mounted supcrintcnd-
ents ride from point 10 point. urging
things forward. The word 10 "ru.h'
in every department aud branch oI
construction.
The big buildings are hc, inning io
rise. Already some Of the principal
structures are not only In evidence
but progress on them is marked from
day to day. Looking northwest from
the administration building the visitor
sees the Woman's Building. already ~
far advanced that II looms up impos
ingly against its background oi psrl
trees.
Rising in the vista are the Electric
ity and Mines and Mining buildings
on which the foundations are already
completed. Upon the sites Of the Hor
ticultural and transportation building
all preliminary work Is completed. an,
hundreds Of tons Of material are read,
to he placed in position,
Hundreds Of men are engaged 90
every possible sort Of construction
work. Laying water mains. electric
light plant, modelling for the exterio
decorative work and developing land
scape effects around the ornamenta
waters.
A busy place indeed is the exposition
ground, and soon il will he as busy D.,
night as by day, for the electric light
ing necessary for night consttuctio,
has just been arranged for.
From one end Of the grounds 10 th
other everything is pushed. and that
too, in all sections of the work. In IN
landscape system. which includes sh
lagoons, basins and ornamental water,
the breakwater and lake shore terrace
the great pier and casino. in TACT. al
principal departments. aud even thci
minor divisions are being pressed ior
ward with a business-like ambition
thoroughly in accordance with the IN,
pelling spirit of this gigantic cntcrpri..
VANCOUVER has been chosen n. Al
place of meeting Of the Pioneer Assoc
alton of this State in 1892. II l-ouit
appropriate that one Of the olie.
towns in the State should he selecte