The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-04-30
TOMORROW THE BIG FAIR.
The Eve Of the Wonderful Worlds
Columbian Show.
Copyright. 1881


ions-The Town Alive With People
and the Fair an Arena of Activity.
Copyright, 1881
Chicago. April 29.-The stage manager
has cleared the boards, the prompter is in
place, the audience is ready, the bell rope
is futtering and the curtain is about to
rise on the worlds Columbian exposition.
1t is a moment full Of expectancy. Even
Chicago couldn't deny that it is in a state
of nervous excitement.
Is the fair ready? Well, it is ready in
one sense. 1t does not ask any favors. 1t
is ready to go ahead with the performance.
But this is not to say that everything is
where it is going to be, that every tack is
driven, every sod laid and every bucket
of paint duly applied where it will do the
most good.
These last few days have been days of
peculiar rush. There has been a rush
ever since February, but not rush under
such a tension as we have seen here since
the managers took TO counting the days.
All of the heads of departments having
said that the fair would be ready they
have been living up to their predictions.
They know that the public will have little
consideration for the difficulties they
have had to contend with; that strikes
may come and strikes may go, but that
the fair must go on just the same. And
somehow it has.
The scenes in the exhibition buildings
during the past week have been pictur-
esque in the extreme, more picturesque
in many respects than they will be next
week when things are more settled. In
the Manufactures building and in Ma
chinery hall the pictures have been truly
imposing The big central observa tiOn
tower in the Manufactures building has
only just been receiving the finishing
touches, and the sight presented from its
balcony is one not soon to be forgotten
The booths and exhibition cases in this
building are more ambitious and ldecOra-
tive than those seen at the centennial
show-everybody will make these com
parisons-and the play Of outline is lively
and pictorial
In Machinery hall there has been titanic
work to do and big force has been
doing it. There are many departments
here where things are incomplete and
where at least a couple of weeks will be
required TO effect the necessary finishing
strokes. The outlines are here, however,
and the general effect is that of show
ready to be seen
The Transportation building, the last to
be fully decorated on the Outside-its ex-
terror decorations are more ambitious
than those of any other of the big build
ings-has been well forward with its eX-
hibits. Exhibition locomotives and cars
have been in place for a month. The
chinks have been pretty well filled up
this month
The live stock show does not begin until
August. l think it is believed that this is
to be a bigger and better show than any
live stock exhibit ever given in the east
Perhaps it will be. There is room enough
for it, surely, though hOrsey people have
done their share of grumbling about the
accommodations. The stock arena, in
which we are to have scenes rivaling
Rosa Bonheur's Horse Fair" excites the
curiosity of many visitors, who want to
know if it is for Buffalo Bills show. But
Buffalo Bill is an outside attraction.
There has naturally been the greatest
delay and the biggest scramble in the
building where perishable exhibits are to
be found. The horticultural show has
been remarkably well managed For six
weeks there has been fine display in the
floral building. In the agricultural build
ing the mechanical exhibits have been
early, but other elements are scarcely vet
in position. The fisheries display is also
conservatively slow in making it's appear
ance, although the assignments were
made as early as in any of the depart
ments. The cquarial displays of living
fishes are not easily managed They will
be worth all the trouble expended in get
ting them here.
In no part of the exhibition have the
foreign exhibitors worked with more
energy during the week preceding the
opening of the show than in the Mines
building, where New South Wales and
Brazil did some of the tallest hustling at
the beginning and "all hands and the
COOKE are straining every nerve as |
write The collective displays of the
states will attract much interest and ex-
cite much admiration. Kentucky's can
mel coal turret and New York's marble
pavilion have started in on their friendly
rivalry.
Some of the greatest surprises in the
great buildings will be found in Electric
ity hall. The thoroughly scientific class
lhcation which prevails here does not pre-
vent an animated and picturesque general
display.
And so the story goes. It is a story re-
peated everywhere. The state and for
eign government buildings have been
eager to be ready for the opening day.
Most of them have succeeded. They will
be the scene of many interesting recep-
lions tomorrow.
So much has been published concerning
the opening ceremonies that nothing in
detail need be said here. The problem of
room was serious one 1t worried the
management for a long time The present
plans will not please everybody. But the
management already knows what it feels
like to displease people.
How does Chicago itself feel on the eve
of the opening2J
l think it maybe said that its emotions
are mixed. OF course the expectation
and excitement has made the town lively,
and as whole the city gives
the impression of having decided
TO make hay while the sun shines.
Then we may form an idea of the
Chicago frame of mind by recalling the
words of clever Chicago man who re-
Gently wrote an article for one of the
magazines 1.-THE world" he said, Twill
call it the Chicago fair" That is the way
Chicago looks at it. This is not national
fair or a worlds fair. 1t is Chicago's fair
and Chicago is going to stand or fall by it.
As everybody expected, the fair gave a
great boom to South Chicago real extate.
1t gave great boom TO real estate inter
ests in general, Chicago has been willing
to gamble on the enterprise to the entent
of nearly S15,000,000 collected from cor
porations, individuals and from the city
treasury. As a city, it has realized the
chances of a great opportunity, and has
thrown itself into the thing with the
lveliest energy.
But there are two sides to public senti-
ment 1T will ruin Chicago said n
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