The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1892-08-11
PLENTY OF CHAMPAGNE.

and France Senu ller Nin
Maj. Fred BraclSett, special agent of
the United States treasury department,
sent to Spain to explain customs rcgu'
lations to intending exhibitors at the
fair, returned to headquarters ycstcr-
day. lie was abroad eight months and
brought encouraging news to Director
General Davis. "The government of
Spain has really appropriated but four
teen thousand dollars for the fair" said
Maj. Bracl1ctt, ''but that does not begin
to represent the value of the exhibit we
shall receive from that country. Now,
for instance, the government has de-
cidcd to reproduce the Santa Maria,
Columbus flagship. Instead of making
an appropriation the government ship
builder was authorized to use all neces-
snry material in the shipyards for that
purpose, and he has been doing SO.
When l left he had one hundred and
fifty men at work on the vessel AS you
know, our government will reproduce
the Pinta and the Nina. All three
of the boats will be towed to New
York to take part in the naval
rcvicw and then brought to Chi
cago for exhibition purposes during
the fair. Barcelona is the most
important city of Spain commercially,
and found that there considerable at
tcntion had been paid to the exposition,
one newspaper having published a
series of articles written by student
of American history who had produced
some very interesting articles on the
subject of the fair in 1898. We inter
! viewed no less than ten prominent cd
| itors of barcelona, with the result that
on the following day they all devoted
q large amount of space to the expo
sition. At Valencia we found q very
cntcrpri5ing consul dcvoting a good
| deal of attention to the introduction of
American goods into Spain. A large
| fir1n in Valencia manufacturing ccram-
les from old Moorish designs intends to
be represented at Chicago. At Madrid
he had very satisfactory interviews
with Senior Canovas, president of the
council of ministers, and secured from
him letters of introduction to the gov
crnors of the various provinces in
Spain. During subsequent interviews
with Canovas, and, in fact, during the
entire tirnc spent in Madrid, Minister
Grubb coopcratcd actively with us, and
because of his very friendly relations
with members of the Spanish govern
ment was of great assistance to us
The fac similc of the La Rabida con
vent, which is to be reproduced on thu
grounds at Chicago, will undoubtedly
be OF great interest to Americans, as IL
that win be placed most of the exhibi
relating to the life and times of Colum
bus"
Mai. Braclxett says foreign exhibit
ors are deeply interested in the ques
tions of transportation and insuranc
, and arc unable to get accurate informa
ton ON either subject. "The Frcncl
commission" he added, lis now full.
: organized and composed of cxccllcn
. material. 1t includes among its MON
bcrs the venerable Jules Camaill Krantz
the commissioner general, member O
the house of deputies, and an active
intelligent gentleman, speaking Ling
lish very well. M. Grisson has had
very extensive and varied expcrienc
with cxpositions and NJ. Monteith wa
attached to the fine arts department i
1889 and is familiar with America an
( American customs. All these gentle
men, at some later date not yet deter
mined, expect to take up their rcsiaeac
s in Chicago until the exposition closes
The commission intends sending a
architect and engineer to take chare
e of the erection of such building rs wi
y be put up very soon. Visited the grei
champagne districts at Rheims an
5 Epcrnay and found on consultatio
t with the producers that the sales, no
withstanding the increase of tariff, ha
been considerably augmented durin
) the last year and that they were vci
+ favorably disposed toward the expos
ton. The fact that three firms
I Rheims had shipped during the prcviol
It year to this country 900 cases
9 champagne indicates that there will
no question about having an cxtensi'
q exhibit of that product"