Telegram-herald., 1891-08-29
BUILDING The FAIR.
Basy sesaes az jackson Park. the site oi
the Csisasbiaz kxpssitfs.

- y u
the csiassbias kxpssitis.
Chicago. Aug. est takes a fense
SIX mikes long 10 enclose the Worlds
Fair buildings All these structures
are TO be OF extraordinary dimensions,
but the largest OF them. on " hieh the
foundation work has just been com
meIleed, viii be something stupendoas.
/ IL + the Hall OF Aaaafae lures und
| Liberal Arts. The site fos this vast
bailding IL broad, highly situated
| plateau overlooking the lake A rail-
road track runs through it's center,
and Oh each side rise TREMENDOUS piles
OF lumber, iroa and all sorts of con
/ struet ION material.
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-groand,
surrounded by freight ears and lum-
Der yards. Looking out towards the
lake. the breakwater, the long pier
and foundation for the naval exhibit
present the appearance OF a mammoth
dockyard.
Changed, indeed, f. Jackson Park,
and those who visited il three months
ago would not know il now. A
worlds workshop, employing an army
OF builders, cnyironed on three sides
by the foliage, and flowers Of the
south parks. and on the fourth ty the
Infinite expanse of the lake.
The exposition site has undergone
a wonderful change since last spring.
Then it was a soft marshy grouAd
shelving In irregular stretches to the
water line. Now il Is firm level, a
smooth sandy surface upon a clay
subsoii. A perfect and admirably inn
proved building site. The hundreds
OF visitors who view the grounds car
not 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. IL is now level sur
face TO the line OF the lake, a surface
IA mile and hall in length and. at it's
southern extrmity, nearly mile In
width. This has been created. graded
and leveled by constantly employing
q small army of men and, now within
the six miles OF fence that surrounds
II. the work of constructing the great
buildings is being pushed with Cease
Less activity.
From the slight eminence already
known as administration hail."
which the lofty administration build
ing Is destined to effectively crown,
the observer can even thus early gain
realistic sense of the dis
rinetive features and general mag
nitude OF this stupendous under
taking At this point he is practi-
cally 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 Gen.
tsr OF a complex net work OF railway
track 10000 feet of Ii 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 ears, loaded
with lumber, iron and every descrip-
tion OF building materials. These roll
into the grounds increasingly ana are
switched up to the buildings to which
| the materials belong. Gangs of men
| take hold with will and as if by
magic towering piles of material rise
in every section OF the grounds
( Mounted superintendents ride from
point 10 point urging things forward.
| The word is rush" in every depart
ment 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 northwest from
| the administration building the visitor
nv IL
| so far advanced that IL looms up i'm
| posingly against its background OF
| park tree;E
Rising In the vista are the electricity
| and mines and mining buildings, on
which the foundations are already
| completed. Upon the sites of the hor-
| ticultural and transportation build
| ings all preliminary work is completed,
| and hundreds of tons OF material are
ready to be placed In position.
| Hundreds Of men are engaged on
every possible sort of construction
work. Laying water-mains, electric
| light plant. modelling for the exterior
| decorative work and developing land
| scape effects around the Ornimental
waters.
A busy place inded Is the exposition
| ground. and soon IL will be as busy by
night as by day for the electric light
ing necessary for night construction
has just been arranged for.
From one end of the grounds to the
other everything is pushed, and that,
too. I'm an sections OF the work. In
the landscape system, which includes
the lagoons. basins and ornamental
waters. the breakwater and lake shore
terrace. the great pier and casino: in
fact. all principal departments and
even their minor divisions are being
pressed forward with a business like
ambition thoroughly in accordance
with the impelling spirit of this
gigantic enterprise.