The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-07-05

CmcAoo, July Ale who has not
seen the worlds fair at night has not
seen it at oil, and has missed the very
finest piece Of scenic pageanry this
vale Of tears affords, The stage Of the
pogeant is floor Of smooth, landlocked
water, go feet in one dimension and
1,OOOin the other, bordered on all sides
by great white palaces that are vaFter
and more spectral by night than by
day
On one OF tho shorter sides 1t Ia
backed by the domed administration
building, go set back as to leave an am-
pie foreground some 200 feet in depth
by the width Of the great basin, and as
soon as darkness falls this foreground
il pack with people waiting for the
show. Directly in front is the monu'
mental fountain, the Triumph OF Co.
lumbia. On either side Of it ia a Circu.
lar basin filled with heaps OF stonework
that represent by day what at night be-
come the electric fountains.
As the darkness deepens, and the hue
Of the sky behind the colonnades oil the
opposite peristyle becomes dusky
gray, suddenly aerried row OF lights
appears TO mark the cornice line Of tho
buildings that border the basin, and OF
those that are withdrawn from 1t at the
west side and flank the administration
building This uniform limo was one OF
the devices agreed upon By the archi-
toCts to secure unity and totally to the
sum OF their various constructions, and
it's emphasized in wonderful way by
the row OF Lowell lights that Is brohen
only ut the center OF tho manufactures
building by the higher row that marks
the cornice Of the central arch, and by
the definition in lines OF light Of the
gables OF the buildings Of agriculture
and Of electricity, and by the continue
ton Of tho line around the aemiCircular
pOrtico Of machinery hall.
Far below, at the waters edge, an
other continuous line OF white lights
springs to view, complete surrounding
the great water court, mirroring itself
in the scarcely rippled surface, and
Illuminating, as the footlights Of the
spectacle, the procession OF ghostly
launches and Of gondolas gay with
Chinese lanterns that continuously
makes its way from left to right around
tho basin.
The hest place from which to see tho
coming show is from one or other Of
these craft. From the water the ad-
ministration building is the dominant
feature Of the whole spectacle. The
two terraces from which the dome rises,
thA ono spreading square, the other
withdrawn and truncated at the corners
that bristle with groups of statuary into
an irregular octagon, are bounded with
rows Of electric sparks, while cunning
arrangement OF unseen lights illumtn-
ates the red background, against which
the shapely Doric colonnade Ia relieved.
Above, on each Of the four long sides Of
the oCtagon, is row OF eight brazen
standards bearing torches that burn
with lurid, waving, smoky glare against
the white drum of the dome, and that
contrast with the white and steadfast
lustre Of the rows of light below and Of
the train Of light above, for the base
and the ribs OF the soaring dome are
outlined in light and d crown OF light
surmounts II.
From the lake, from the basin, from
the lagoon and from the grounds this
diadem OF fire is dominant-so effect
lively lit that 1t seems to have been de.
signed expressly for the illumination.
Az the launch slips noiselessly along
over the lighted water one Of the bands
on either hand of the administration
building breaks forth into martial mp-
Sic and from the ridge OF the manufac.
lures building the vivid white BULLS
eye OF searChlight Is turned upon the
scene. 1t brings out into sharp relief
aud au intenser whiteness than that OF
daylight the Atho and defiant figure Of
thosOated Columbia, with her attend.
ant oarswomen, the plunglng horses OF
the basin aud the jetsof foamiug water
hatshoot between and over them. Then
itsweeps down upon the huge "Repub.
lic' atthe other end, and the sheen Of
i upon the figure and the drapery in.
duces ono for the first time to forgive
tho sculptor for permitting his work TO
begided.
Again tho spreading white Hwath Of
light Is lifted and veered so as to bring
into sharp visibility in turn the puro
lines Of the agricultural building, the
groups Of sculpture that relieve tie sky
line and the low domes and incrusted
ateepea Of machinery hall, and then
sweeps upward toward the zenith, fol.
lowed bytho widening belt OF darkened
sky, that the contrast turns from purple
10 black:
Full half the height Of heavens blue
That inonstrous shadow overflow"
And now the playing OF the electric
fountains begins, play OF water and Of
ire. A central Jet is surrounded by u
r,lngo lesser jets, at first in as pure aud
dazzling white as shooting water shows
under tho search light, then in living
green and rose color and intense violet,
but changing and shifting in shapes as
wei Us III colora whilo the spectacle
laats. Tho smaller Jets become at last
ring, Of sheayes in binding white,
while tho central shaft Of water goes
through all tho hues Of the electric
spectrum, and finally Is shot up In q
pure white geysDr TO its utmost height
OF something like hundred feet aud
the wonderful show IL over.
Tho show Is over, but the crowd docs
not dlsperse, The rings OF living light
gIil surround the basin, tho terraces Of
light dOtlno tho building at tho back,
tno rcd torchOl still glare and wave
above them, and ovor them again tho
dladom Of light utill stands In steady
lusIre, the band 10 still blarlng from tho
stand. aud the processionists In tho
Iondolas'ato Joining tho refrain Of ils
melodies. Not until tho hour OF closing
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