St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1893-05-04
THE GREAT FAIR OPENED.

Monday, President CleVeland TOUCH
ing the KEY whose simple motion was
to set in operation the machinery III
the several buildings. The rain had
fallen steadily all the previous night
and up to "a. m. of Monday, and
the wea Their of the whole day was
threatening. Despite this, however,
the streets were filled with people
eager to witness the opening cere-
monies. The procession which
started for Jackson Park was made
up as follows:
A detachment of police was at the
head; next in line were two com
panies OF United States cavalry, and
carriages containing the guests fol-
lowed: In the seventh carriage was
President Cleveland accompanied by
Messrs. Palmer and Higginbotham.
In the 18th carriage, which led the
foreign division, was the Duke Of
Veragua, escorted by the fair Off
cials. In the vehicle which followed
was the duchess of Veragua, accom-
panied py Mrs. Potter Palmer and
Mrs. Dickens. The carriage of May
or Harrison brought up the rear.
Enthusiastic applause was accord
ed the procession along the whole
line of march. Up to the boundar-
les of the Plaisance the welcome had
been distinctively American, but from
here on to the gates it partook of
decidedly cosmopolitan flavor.
Arabs Frustrated themselves on the
ground and cried aloud to Allah;
Cingalese, in long white flowing
robes, described salaams with their
arms and shoulders; eunuchs stood
in line with beauties of the harem
and the donkey boy Of Cairo knelt
beside his sleek coated companion.
So the procession slowly wound its
way past groups of Algerians and
Mongolians and Africans and Japan.
csc aud Laplanders and Moors and
Persians; through Dahomey vii
lage and a Japanese camp, past the
blue grotto of Capri and the Moor
ish palace, the Japanese settlement,
and the Zoopraxiscope, under the
captive balloon and through a lane
formed of two score female beauties
OF half as many nations.
Arrived at the platform where the
inauguration exercises were to occur,
the distinguished party were seated,
and an orchestra of 600 Instruments.
led by Theodore Thomas, played
Columbian march. Chaplain Mil
burn OF the house of representatives
offered prayer, and Miss Jessie
Couthoui, the well known reader,
recited the opening stanzas of the
poem of the day, entitled "The
Prophecy" written by w. A. Croffut
OF Washington.
After short address by Director
General Davis, President Cleveland
was introduced, being greeted by
volley of cheers from thousands of
threats. The president made a brief
speech, congratulating the country
and the world on the wonderful
achievements and remarkable adj
vancement which have made this Ex-
position possibility; and at the
close he touched the button which
set the Worlds Fair machinery in
motion. This was the signal for a
demonstration in fact difficult of
imagination and infinitely more so
OF description. At one and the same
instant the audience burst into a
laundering shout, the orchestra
pealed forth the strains of the Hal
lelujah chorus, the wheels of the
great Allis engine in machinery hall
commenced to revolvc, the electric
fountains threw their torrents tow
ard the sky, food of water gushed
forth from the McMonnies fountain
and rolled back again into the basin,
the thunder of the artillery came
from the vessels in the lake, the
chimes in manufacturers hall and
or the German building rang out
merry peal and overhead the flags at
the tops OF the poles in front of the
platform fell apart and revealed two
gilded models of the ships in which
Columbus first sailed to American
shores. AT the same moment also
hundreds of flags of all nations and
all colors were unfurled within sight
of the platform.
The number of people present at
the opening exercises is variouslv es-
timated at from $50, 900 to 175, 900.
At the conclusion of luncheon,
which was served in the administra-
ton building, President Cleveland
was escorted to the foreign section
OF manufacturers hall, where he re-
ceived the commissioners from for
eign countries. Afterward he was
driven over to the woman's building
and witnessed portion of the ex-
ercises incident to its formal dedica-
ton. From here he was driven d.
rectly back to the terminal station
on the Worlds Fair grounds. 1t is
estimated that 440,0 900 people Wis
tied the Worlds Fair grounds on the
Opening daV.