The record-union., 1893-08-07
At THE WORLDS FAIR.
Magnificent Display in the For
estry Building.
sd Vernon" Says That California Is
In the Lead In All Things - The
Krupp Exhibition-La Rabida, Etc.


Especial Correspondence REooRD-UNToS.
When | left California 1 fancied that
my object in going to Chicago was to see
the Worlds Fair. 1 now know that 1
went to Chicago to see California at the
Worlds Fair. Such / find is the thought
lof every Californian, TO see how our
glorious Golden State holds her own in
comparison with the other quarters of the
globe.
The California State building has al
ready been described by me, But l can
not keep away from it, either from the
building itself or from the subject. l
lind myself wandering back to both.
cannot help it. I am homesick for the
blue sky of California, the bonhommie of
her people, the free iife the fresh air,
the broad sweep of the ocean and the
salt sea air. l hate the fiat, fiat prairie
and its deadening effect on nerves and
brain. l want to lift up mine eyes unto
the hills. l want California. And am
only one Of many whose eyes fill with
tears and whose voice chokes at the
thought of home. For there is no place
on all this great continent where the Cali
fOrnian can feel at home, unless perhaps
1t is in his own State building, and no
wonder our footsteps turn to its ever hos
pitable doors.
When | last visited it in the early part
of June, general air OF incompleteness
hung over the place. Now all that has
vanished; all the exhibits are in place,
and a fine show they make, too. The
California building is rightly considered
one of the exhibits that must not be
missed.
While 1 was travelling throughout the
af,fAl
attention in any newspaper was Worlds
Fair correspondence. 1t was source of
satisfaction to me to note that one and all
united in bestowing praise upon Califor-
ma for her characteristic and exhaustive
display, the well nigh endless variety
OF her resources.
Last Sunday the Chicago Inter- ocean
published long, critical paper on art at
The Worlds Fair. 1t bestowed high
praise upon our California artists, men
toned William Keith and Amadee Joul-
lin and Hill, each as representative of his
own school. and devoted considerable
space to the art gallery in the California
State building.
While l cannot quote the exact words
from memory, the Idea was this: Califor-
MIA is wonderful, country, intallible in
her resources, independent of the whole
world. Her people, while not at all mar
row, are Intensely local, not to say pro-
Nlncial. They have an absorbing patri-
otto pride IN their Golden State, and alb
sOutely careless and Indifferent TO the
rest Of the world, they are content with
what they have; they are exultantly
proud OF the superiority of all things
Californian.
This feeling extends even to art, de-
clares the Liter-O Ocean, and the Califor-
mans determined to have an art gallery
OF their own. The pictures in the Cali
1ornla State building display a higher or
der of talent than the majority of the
pictures in the American section in the
Palace of Art. This high praise is not
undeserved, as glance at the pictures of
Keith, Hill, Joullin, Alice Chittenden
Alary Curtis Richardson Lee Lash and
Kari kahler will attest.
In the statuary hall of the Art Palace
Douglas Iildens Tired Boxer" and
Baseball Pitcher" reproduced in plaster,
attract the admirlng gaze of all who pass
that way. 1t will be remembered that
Douglas Iilden was a deaf-mute Califor-
MA boy. whose talent for sculpture was
1ostered by William T.. Brown OF San
Francisco, who sent the lad to Paris to
become an artist in form. Mr.. Brown
presented to Golden Gate Park the bronze
statue of the baseball Pitcher" 1t is
with feelings of pride that a Californian
sees how fayorably the work of one of
her native sons compares with that of
other artists.
All the exhibits in the California build
ing have an artistic appearance. The
pampas-grass palace is very much ad-
lnired. This is the exhibit OF Mrs. Strong
OF Whittier, California, formerly an Oak
land lady, now the largest cultivator of
The feathery plume in the country
The Californian Illustrated lIdgaziEe
and the Ooerta}td Monthly, in the early
spring of this year, each devoted a num-
Der of pages to the consideration of this
new industry for women, and told how
Mrs. Strong had developed not only the
~aF FnraVa Of hnRs L
created a demand for its product among
the political parties during the last Presi-
dental campaign. By an ingenious ar
rangement of colors, each party had a
separate and distinct device, for the
panpas-plumes can be dyed. Her palace
in the exhibit is Mooresque in style: It's
walls are covered with the plumes glued
TO background of white linen. 1t was
all done by hand, and by women's hands,
too.
Speaking of women's hands, there is
not one OF them that does not ache TO get
at those trumpery old decorations of
dried grasses, old faded cheese cloth and
palm leaves, and sun-tanned evergreens
That are disgrace to the building and an
eyesore to the visiting Calitornians The
women's hands ache to get at those old
bits OF rubbish, to pull them down.
1he relief model in miniature of San
Francisco is studied by verybody The
display of California woods in the Cali
lorna building shows, If ! mistake not,
some finer specimens of our woods than
the California exhibit in the forestry
building. AS | said, one hates to leave
the cool shade OF the California building.
with its bright bits OF color of golden
oranges, fresh and in jars. But not far
from the south entrance TO the California
building is q station of the intramural
railway, and it is good thing to use that
as often as possible one has to walk too
much as it is. 1t seems to my California
intellect that the intramural might ma
terially aid its patrons by distributing
small hand-cards with the stations and
the buildings near each station plainly
printed. But take the intramural and
ride south. Ride to the point where the
not Over-eourteous conductors yell II asst
station, all out; say, there, old man, you
get out" That's one OF their little WAYS.
that's all, but it's well to get out, all the
same.
Go down stairs and walk little way to
the convent OF La Rabida. 1t is most ap-
propriate for a Californian to go from his
state building to La Rabida, because the
convent is SO reminiscent of our own old
Spanish missions, which are so interest
ing memento OF the Spanish occupation
OF California. La Rabida is picturesquely
situated on the shore of Lake Michigan,
and forms q striking contrast with its
white walls, low architecture. tiled roofs
and towers, to the grand buildings which
tower above il in the background. 1t is
always thronged with visitors. Fortu-
nately 1t is one of the very few buildings
which are closely approached by the in
tramural railway. The elevated road
would be a great helD 10 people ATTEMPT