The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-05-02
With Simple, Impressive Cere-
monies, as Becomes Republic.
the Fair is Opened.
Director General Davis and Presi.
dent Cleveland Deliver
Short Addresses.
The Latter Touches the Button That Inn
parts Life and Activity to the
Peerless Enterprise.


ushered into being In this the last decade
of the nineteenth century to-day when
President Cleveland. by pressing button.
started the mighty machinery. rushing
waters and revolving wheels In the Worlds
Columbian exposition.
No exhibit of the tsir that ia to attract
Thousands to this city for tho next six
months can be more marvellous than the
magical effect following the solemn open
ing of the fair TO-DAY. OF the multitude Of
vlsitors-soms estimate the number as high
as 2OO. O.OO0-probably not one fully realized
the full import Of the effect that WAS to
come from the arrangement cleverly de-
| vised In the opening of the exposition. It
was known in a vague way that the presi
dent was to press . golden key and that
electric communication with the machinery
was to start the fair. but no one realized
how intricate was this machinery, how in
finite the rnmifoations of that electric
spark, until the great fountains threw up
their Reysers seventy feet in the air and the
rumble and the hum of wheels in the man
factursrs building and clatter of maohi-
merry in all parts Of that area of mile
square or more. told the story of the final
oonsnmmation of scientific thought.
The lfelass started into being on every
hand, draped statuary she'd its veil and re-
vealed to the world the artistio labors OF
the past eighteen months. and in mo.
meni all that had beea apathy and inert
| and inactive through the long hours Of the
morning sprang into animated existence
and thrilled the multitude and Drowned the
triumph of the exposition. In previous ex-
positions the possibilities of electricity had
been limited to the mere starting of the en-
gines In machinery hall, but in this II made
thousands of servants do its bidding.
and from the great Corliss engine and
mammoth foundations down tc the minut-
est acts where power and touch were requi-
site the magic of electricity did the duty OF
the hour.
Jupiter Pluvius held his upliftsd aud
threatening fists over Chicago this morn
ing. The skies were sodden and a bleak
and chilled mist filled the atmosphere. The
bunting throuRhous the CITY was damp and
listlesa and q general tone of gloom per-
vadsd the air and streets. but to Chicago,
| whose day of history this was, the weather
conditions counted for nothing and very
carly the people we're astir, and the bust.
ling eager spirit of the great west was
bounding through every artery OF this, it,
capital city. This contamination Of this
great enterprise took place to-day. when
the myriad of wheels began turning al
jackson park in response to the touch OF
the nations executive upon the golden key
that reached out through che electric train
| to the mighty engines which are to the
Worlds Columbian exposition the vital
moving energy.
In the great circle Of events which to-day
made Chicago the festal city tho first point
of interest was centersd at the Auditorium
hotel. where large numbers gathered for q
| glimpse of Columbus desceuaa the duke
de VeraRua, who, with members Of his fam
ily, and committees aud prominent Off
cials. national, state and municipal. tool
carriages about nine O'Clock and under mil.
itary escort drove to tho Lexington hotel
at Michigan avenue and Twentieth street.
at which were President Cleveland aud
members of his cabinet. and from which
point the procession to the park was to
STAT.
The duoal party were arrayed in all the
Glories OF Spanish court costume. brilliant
In color, rich with gold lace, and bright
with decorations and orders of nobility,
and nll the trappinRs Of the Spanish court.
Tho assembled multitude set up shout a.
the party appeared, entered carriages and
drove rapidly 10 the Lexington hotel.
Meantime the city at large seemed going
in body to the white city by the lake
plying, loaded. from Van Buren, street te
the fair grounds. Every cable car wa.
| thronged to the tail board. Elevated oars
groaned with humanity. Steam car,
reaped harvest and the great Michigan
boulevard was thropged with carriages Rnl
| conveyanoes OF all sorts.
| Soon after nine President Cleveland ani
associates appeared at the entrance to the
Lexington hotel and were conducted tc
carriages. When all was In readiness the
PROCESSION moved In the following order
Platoon of mounted police. two companies
United st.ss. cavalry, she Chicago hussars.
! . troops of Illinois national guard. Worlds
fair officials occupied the hrst six carriages.
In the seventh were President Cleveland
and the chairman OF the Columbian com
mission and the president OF the Worlds
Columbian sxposition. Then came ave
not and fair officials; then Tho duke dt
VeraRuA and party In Ave carriages. fol
low.d by Thomas +. Bayard, ambassador
to Great Britain, Gaj.-Gen. Sohofield.
Admiral Ghsrardi. Gov. Altgeld and Mayor
Harrison bringing up the rear.
Down Michigan avenue, chsered by
Thousands who lined the curb. olattcred
and rumblsd The oavaioade. II turned into
Grand boulevard At Thirty. hfth street, into
Washington Park al Fifty-htst street, from
ths park into Midway plaisanoe, now
medley OF all nations, and from II into ths
great white city and 10 ths administrastou
building where the ceremonies OF ths day
were 10 take place.
PasslnR through the building the notablel
cana out np0n the platform at tho eas
side. looking out upon Grand plaza and th,
Court Of Honor. Tho plaza was black viii
people. the vAols soens forming one of tn,
most remarkable aud enchanting In history
Already tho officials and invited auests no
In Tho proses.ion were seated on the Plat,