The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-05-03
SCENES AND INCIDENTS.
UnprOmising Weather for the Opening Da
of the Great show.

UnprOmising Weather for the Opening Day
of the Great show.
Half in cloudland was the white Co.
lumbian city by the lake when. didused
and sourceless, the slow daylight crept up
on the earth this morning The eastern
horizon had 10 more of color than had
the western horizon. Eastward where
the dawn was breaking drifting scarfs of
mist brooded close down upon the waters
of Lake Michigan. SO that cloud and
waters mingled into gray field that
baiiled vision and perspective. North
ward. southwark, everywhere, palpablo.
leaden veil traied from aloft to the lowest
reaches of the horizon. To one who early
stood in the midst of the great plaza
where the crowds should later be, the
surroundings, stupendous in plan ponder
GUS in their extent and soft while in the
morning light, gave more than ever the
impression that this was a ghostly city
that had been raised up in the night; or
that it may have been deserted city,
whence Titons of some strange race had
moved away to other shores.
The bases and columns of the sur
rounding buildings were softly distinct,
but their domes, minarettes. towers and
flagstafs, were yet in the cloudland. You
have seen the rock-ribbed bases of mount
aims. whose topmost trees tore locks of
wool from the low down clouds. So, in
some measure, was the spectacle in early
dawnin the aisles and avenues of the
great city which should at the noon-tide
hour be turned over to the uses of man
kind. Even Columbia, riding her ship
of state at the plaza, though relatively
not high in air, was In cloudlsnd, as YER
liable goddesses are and should be. The
| figures of her hand maidens strsining at
the oars were wet and dripping with the
| mists of the morning. which chiefly con-
stituted the raiment Under the prov of
| Columbia's bark, and stretching out to-
ward the lake. the waters of the grand
basins are steely blue in their half light.
Circling them about was their setting of
green turi, between the great buildings
of agriculture and manufactures
Human pigments of green and blue are
never used ss a foil, one against the other,
for no shades OF these colors that man has
ever made harmonic or blend. But here
was natures own artistry defying the
tastes of men. but reaching combination
and results beautiful in the early hours
| when the city was scarcely astir, and
when none, save guards and waichmen,
were about to see.
Across the vista, lakeward, arose in deli
cate grill work the pillars of the Coonade,
under which the waters of the lake Green
into the lagoons and basins. Like a dim
picture of the imaginative school, these
outlines, while positive, were so softly
lined against the gray back ground
OF waters and clouds as to suggest rather
than affirm their existence. Within her
| gives of wooden sca1oiding the goddess
| of the rupublic at the lakeward end of the
grand basin rose up ponderous in her
| golden might. Yelled she was, by the
curtain, which was so arranged that it
should fall away the moment the nations
| president should give the electric signal
touch to open 10 the world this great en-
/ terprise. Towering above all the admin
istration building. whose gold dome were
half wrapped in yapors. stood dark and sen-
tinel-like in the midst OF this great white
camp of buildings. At its front and
sloping upward TO the second story
stretched from side to aide the grand
stand. where the dignitaries of the earth
should later sit in their representative
| dignity.
Hundreds of chsirs waiting for their oc-
cupants seemed yawning in wet discom-
fort after night out of doors. Under the
main arch of the building and having for
| its base the topmost row of seats on the
grand stand was the great sounding board
machine where the bands aud orchestra
should be placed during the ceremonies.
Strange yagaries come TO q lonely
/ watcher at such hours in such weather;
and, while the day was yet young, this
| great white cavern seemed TO be titanic
| ear, listening to the muflled swash OF the
waves out yonder beyond that beautiful
colonade.
Meanwhile what was being done2
A ponderous grinding roller. keeping
slow time to the snorting OF it's little, i'm
pudsnt engine. was ambling to and fro
across the sloppy plaza where soon thou
! sands Of feet would be standing. The