The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1892-10-27
WORLDS FAIR DEDICATION
CEREMONIES, IMPOSING, PATRIOTIC
AND SOUL INSPIRING.
Gorgeous Parade to the Grounds and Elabo'
rate Defeating ceremonies-one Humid
red and Fifty Thousand People
Witnessed the Exercises,

CHICAGO, Oct. 2l.-In the presenc
of hundreds and thousands of peopl
and amid the echoes of the larges
chorus assembled.in the history ofmod
ern times the Worlds Columbian Elk
position was formerly dedicated toda,
by the dignitaries OF the nation. Th'
event was one we'll designed to in
spire the loyalty of American hearts
making as it did the first information
al exposition to be participated In by
every civilized nations of the globe
The occasion was equally significant
in being devoid OF that pomp anC
pageantry which have characterized
Worlds Fairs of monarchial Europe
The inaugural ceremonies today were
q triumph to republican institutions
greater than the glories of war.
The scene presented by the vast
gathering in the dedication building
was one never to be forgotten. In
many respects 1t was without prece'
dent. Everything was on the order OF
the superlative. Dedication hall
manufacturers and liberal arts build
ing-is the largest structure ever
erected, and in it was gathered the
largest crowd that e. or assembl be-
meath single roof. In the audience
were probably more distinguished
Americans than have ever been seen
together on any commemorative 0c-
cassion in the history of the republic.
Learned jurists from the bench,
cabinet officers, governors of states,
senators and congressman, admirals
and generals with all the regalia Of
authority, cardinals with the insignia
of the apostolic faith. scientists who
are fast wrestling from jealous nature
the problems of the ages. All these
gathered to do honor to the great
silent student of 400 years ago, who in
his way was the pioneer of them all
who led the van of hlman thought
and manly daring and gave to the
world new continent, and to pUs-
terity an unperispable reverence fer
Christopher Columbus. al
This was The name on every lip, in
every ode, and the song that crowned
every perorartion that found utter
ance in the opening prayer, and was
softly breathed in the closing bene-
dictiOn. All did him honor, and time
that ripens and mellows the gratitude
of nations after 400 years gives great
est homage to his memory and name.
AS several Grecian villages claimed
to be his birthplace centuries after
he begged his bread throughout their
streets and moldered unhonored
into dust, 80 art and science, and
invention and religion all We'd today
in claiming Columbus as their own.
The president of the exposition claim
ed as the author of the national de-
velopment of this age and hemisphere,
eloquent Depew characterized him as
q pioneer of art, science, invention
and higher civilization wh) sailed
ION country where "force was sole
aource and exercise of authority both
so church and state;" and great
ny holic Cardinal Gibbons almost the
same minute claimed him as "zeal-
GUS representative of the church of
Rome, an apostle inspired with sub
lime ambition of carrying the light of
the gospel to people buried in dark
ness of idolatry." 1t remained to q
woman to pronounce the only suspi-
cion of disparagement of achieve.
men s of Columbus. In an address
nearly twice as long as the average
orators of the day Mrs. Palmer of ,he
board of lady managers only mention.
ed the great navigator once and that
was to declare the fact that "the gen.
,eral government has just dis
covered that women will be
of more Importance than Columbus.
discovery of America" There was
slight surprise at this almost irrev-
srent statement, but the audience,
good naturally, c,ndoned the offense
by the reflection of the declaration
was probably due to the enthusiasm
of the woman in being accorded a
prominent part In the ceremonies of
the day.
The addresses of Chauncey M. De-
pew of New York and Henry Waiter
son of Kentucky was highly appro-
pirate to the occasion. The reception
accorded the great Kentuckian
amounted almost to an ovation and 1t
was evident that it was the intense
desire on the part of the Chicago por-
ton of the audience to atone for that
discourtesy aud criticism which i'm
PEELED Congressman Breckenridge to
decline the honor of delivering the
chief grafton OF the uay.
THE DAY OPENS.
At 4 o'clock this morning gun out
In the darkness on Lake Front park
was set booming. That was the way
people were awakened to the fact that
the day of dedication had been born
and was moving on towards daylight
and to the doings that should make 1t
heavy in history. AS day broke the
skies were clear and providence lad
drawn down below the horizon every
cloudy curtain, and the reddening
east brought further assurance that
thousands should see and go away I'M
soaked. People had read and read,
but there in great buildings to be used
today were seats for 90, 900 people and
each determine to get into those 3d.
O0C sittings. Thousands, however,
who feared the frightful crush of the
fair ground elected rather to see the
distinguished people in procession on
the way to the grounds. AS q result
Michigan avenue from the auditorium
to Thirty-fifth street wers fringed on
the curbs as early as 7 o'clock, and in
streets through which the great people
should pass out on the boulevard
people early were there to get good
ground for observations. Railroads
l. L. ut