New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-07-09
FRANCE AT THE FAIR.
~ur COURr IN THE MANUFACTURES AND
LIBERAL ARTS BUILDING.
ONE OF THE BEST SITES AT THE FATI-TIIE
SPACE FILLED WITH GREAT TASTE
CoRATIoNs-CouETEOUs PRO
VISION FOR VISITORS.
VISION FOR VISITORS.


neutrality-suspicious. PRO
VISION FOR VISITORS.
iyPoM STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF TIE rRiRrSR.l
Chicago Ill.,, July Ain tie centre of the Man
ufactmes Building, where the two main avenues,
the one extending north and south and the other
cast and west, each other, the courts or sec
lions of foar great nations concentrated. On
the northwest corner is Germany: on the south
west is Great Britain: the northeast is the
United States. and on the southeast is France
IL is in the Manufactures Building that the
rrcatest diversity of exhibits from all countries
is TO he found for il is here that the nations OF
the earth have grouped their most beautiful and
most costly products. TIE title of the building
itself. Manufactures and Liberal Arts has II
broad definition and thus il comes about that
this greatest of all the great buildings contains
the largest variety in the lines of products of
human bands Other departments are filled from
end TO end with objects of infinite interest, but in
onocifc branches only. The contents of the
TRANSFORMATION Building. for instance are striking
70 the vision by reason of their size and bulk in
deed one cannot fail 10 be deeply impressed by
the majestic appearance of some of the more
p,ominent objects like the giant locomotive en-
zines which abound on all sides, we'll as by
other pieces of mechanism designed and constructed
with view 10 the development and application Of
artificial, forces for the service of mankind The
place. too, is constant school for the student
whose tastes whose occupation render the cx-
bibits found here especially attractive to himself
individually Then again, AZ crosses the
threshold of Machinery Hall. the thrill of that
strange activity going within is impaired az
once 10 his own being and he is momentarilv
dazed, though not unpoasantly so, by the sight of
the great wheels revolving at a terrific rate of
speed, by the wlirr of the cnginerv. and the hum
ming and buzzing Of machinery above him and be-
low him and OIL all sides of him.
But the Manufactures Building is a reposcful
sort Of place at all times. and entrance to il is
unasS0ciatcd with any peculiar sensations or
emotions of confusion Of any sort. It may be
that the visitor will arrive at one Of III" portals
just at an hour when the chimes in the clock tower
i'm the centre of the great hall are letting fall
their soft harmonious notes one after another
and except for the novel scene around him he
might imagine that he entering great
cathedral TO the music of welltunc'l bells. Dr.
IL may he that some one is al the moment pl1y-
Inc on one of the larger ORGANS. in which else
similar emotions TO those described might ~ en-
pcricnccd. Or it may he that simultaneously
with his entrance waltz OF qnickstcp is beng
p.rrormod on ole of the finer toned pianos. an |
the sound may have the effect, as h" feels him.
self walking on a bare and sand-strcwn floor. Of
INSPIRING his feet to a time-kccping movement
ANY Of these pleasant sounds are liable - b. your
greeting in this great tuilding. Otherwise
peculiar auietude reigns over tho plaHe: Won see
throngs Of people sursing backward AMI forward
and crossing your path in the avenues which
separate sections and courts and pavilion', and
as if by instinct tho visitor himself gdes forward
.;1 hot. be
of Sightseeing in this the most interesting and
diversified department of the Exposition, are
upon him.
The position occupied by France. il will be seen.
IS one Of the best. The allotment 10 France in
tljs building was 100. 600 square feet of floor
space II was not all that the commissioners
wanted hut a. il was the same that allotted
n Germany and Great Britain it was. Of course
accepted ani by the construction Of a second
floor over the rear portion Of th" court 10000
foot ad Iii onal were secured: vet even this vast
spacc is filled, though i'm no instance t. TN" de-
gree of discomfort. On the contrary. IN" ar
rangcment Of the apartments and chambers ID
This court was effected with much skill that
while every available spot seems t. b. ntil!z q
the whole plan is 50 harmoniously wrought on
that M Sims Of crow,iin- "a1 be detected.
While France was exceedingly slow in the con-
s'ruction of the court building, the erection OF
ravilions and the installation Of exhibits. when
Ter doors were finally thrown open to the public
everything WIS found in perfect order and ar
rangol in absolute good tast". While the facad" OF
The German Court building was rearing itself
majcsticay toward the roof, and while the on
frances were receiving their beautiful decorations,
the immense wrought iron gates were swinging
Oh the hinges and the striking group Of statuary
was standing in its place high above and over
al tie section q. The great rival of Franco, the
French Court was vccd in muslin cover and
The eye Of the public was not permitted even to
pep between stray rents in :ie cloth or around
unprotected corners from which the winds had
shiftcd il. But when this Veil wHs removed
France was discovered 70 bc housed in struc-
tur,, with ornate facade of massive bnt artis-
lie ,lcsign in harmony with tie dimensions OF the
greater building by the roof of which i,
covered The STYLE is sort Of intermiXture OF
ancient Greek with that Of European seventeenth
C.. injury The turning point AZ the crossing of
t,io TWO avenues is fashioned in n curve form
the circle surrounding the clock tOwnl Looking
thence southward the plan embraces first OF all
two arches twelve feet high, with solid wood
and stat work of the same height above them.
making a total frontage OF about twenty-five
feet in length IN the upper corner Of each arch,
which is about ten Icct wide, each arch bcinc
separated By broad columns, is the head shoulders.
urms aud outlines in heroic lines OF n female
Gcurc. nude to tie waist The head and shoulders
bend forward the arms are extended, the palms
Of the hands turn upward. the who'll" figure h'ng
thus made 10 represent the idea OF supporting the
weight above. Then there Is the main portal,
abou, twenty feet wide At III" outer edge ana
narrowing US the entrance - appioirI'd inns
consists of an arch about twice the E"lghf OF the
continuous front OF the facaAc The sides are
concave from the outer threshold OF the portal
10 the door, "A distance Of about ten i"' III
these concave sides panel pictures oy h'hfi
Motto. That to the right represents, ID series