The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-06-12
UNCLE SANS BIG SHOW.
The Government Building Is Very
Popular at Chicago
WHERE VISITORS ARE SURPRISED.
Foreigners Have Their Eyes Opened to the
Richness and Resources Of Our Uncle
SAnuel-The Various Processes and De-
partmsnt- AZ Government Graphically
Illustrated.

WO6LD y Alfls Juuc ifs- t~'PeSsi'j
Uncle Sam is very popular parsonage at
the Worlds Columbian Exposition. There
As no feature OF the fair that attracts
greater number of visitors than his dis
play of the processes and efforts of the
federal government Foreigners who come
here are much surprised at the evidence
which they find here Of governmental ac-
tivity in this country. They had enter
tanned a general sort of notion that the
Americans were violently opposed to
paternalism in government affairs, that
the government of the United States was
about as simple thing as could be
devised. But they are quickly convinced
of their error. While they find no evidence
of such paternalism as exists in some OF
the European countries and finds expires
sion in state control of railway and tele-
graphs, and of franchises in the trades
like tobacco monopoly, they do encounter
proof that in everything pertaining to the
welfare Of the people and the development
of the resources and fertility of the land
our government Is alert and energetic.
It is impossible for an American to visit
the Government building, and the display
Of government concerns made in the open
cir near by, without a distinct sense OF
pride in his country and its institutions.
Nearly all the things Uncle Sam attempts
to do he does well, and he attempts good
deal. AS an architect and builder he is
not perfect. by any means, as the struc-
ture which he has erected here for his own
use abundantly shows, but he is on the
eve of reform in that respect. In num-
Der of departments Of his operations,
notably the hfc-saving service and the
weather bureau, he has easily led the
world, pointing a way Of improvement to
European nations which they have been
glad to follow.
The government has an exposition Of its
own here, and 1t is not surprising that II
should prove 30 alluring to visitors. In
building covering three and half acres of
ground it shows every function Of govern
ment, excepting the making of laws and
the reception Of oflice-seekers In the
White House. What surprises most Wis
1tors il the enormous number of irons
Unole Sam has in tho fire. He appears to
be In pretty much everything, and after u
few hours spent anon his display no Wis
itor win have need a further wonder as to
what our good, fatherly uncle does with
all the millions which we pour into his
strong box through the custom houses, in
ternal rvvcnue offices and postoffices. The
wonder rather is how he manages to get
along without striking US for more.
To describe everything in the Govern
ment building would be like writing a
handbook Of Washington, and that am
not going to do. Il win suffice II we take
. passing glance at things shown here,
pausing now and then for better view OF
some Of the more interesting features.
One of these IL the mos comprehensive
display Of seeds ever made. Thespecimens
represent V,hcat grown in every county in
the United States-that is, every county
in which wheat is grown, and it is grown
In abCut2 900 counties There are also osam-
Piles Of grain grown in all countries, from
Japan to Mexico, and from Peace river
valley IN northern Canada to Patagonia in
the southern end of South America. Every
seed in this codlectior was picked by hand,
and the varieties are shown In neat glass
compartments ON which are indicated the
weight nature of soil and climatic condi-
tions.
LIZ oItttA ~, III OkfO VI OtlfCT lCdbuIO Vi
his btg show, Uncle Sam starts somewhere
near the conter Of the earth, comes to the
surface, aud then sails away toward the
clouds His geological survey exhibits
sections Of the earth an deep down as any
one has ever gone. Here the panorama Of
volcanoes. earthquakes and glaciers, as
well as the constructive and destructive
effects OF water, are graphically pictured.
Almost everything on the face of the earth,
the farms, water courses, harbors, lakes,
are shown in one way or another, and as il
this were not enough Uncle Sam builds
hugo model Of the ee<th and sets it up on
q pivot for the curious to walk under,
around and over. Then he goes up in the
air with q balloon and sets off dynamite
with which to bring rain, or Gen. Greely,
Of Arctic fame, flies a balloon designed to
show the modern method Of military
signaling.
In Europe the use Of balloons for observa-
ton OF tho enemy's position and strength
hes been common for many years. The
British and French have regular balloon
corps, outfitted with all necessary appa-
ratus for the imitation of the airships with
hydrogen gas and the manipulation Of the
balloons after they are filed. Such cap-
tive balloons were used very successfully
Suring the Rebellion, and Gen. Greely has
had On airship constructed in France for
use by the signal corps of the United States
army.
Gen. Greely figures in the govern
ment display in another role. What
the French would call the piece de
resistance of Uncle Sans show Is a
panorama or model of TT. Conger, Lady
franklin bay, Grinnell land, which was
for three years the home Of Greely and his
fu-fated expedition. The scene is repre-
sentative of the return Of Lockwood and
Brainard from that famous journey in
which they made the "farthest NORTH" ap-
preaching within less than 400 miles OF the
pole. Grecly has advanced some distance
from TT. Conger TO meet and welcome the
returning heroes, who with their Esaui-
maux assistant and their dog team form
quite cayalcade. The figures of Greely,
Lockwood and Brainard are well executed,
and the animals are exceedingly life-like,
being the stuffed skins of Esquimaux
dogs The imitation Of ice all around Is
realistic enough to deceive many visitors,
and the members Of the expedition who
are seen standing on the land in the back
<4<xI ~ -. IN