The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-11-02

| In the whole plan of buildings and
grounds magnificent idea of proper
| ton, of setting, has prevailed, and no
false idea of economy was allowed to
| prevent the allotment of ample space to
give dignity and grandeur to each mag
nificent building: it cost money to make
these lakes, lagoons and canals where
! dry land was; it cost money to make
these fine lawns, flower beds, and shub-
berry grow, where was naught but sand:
it cost money to put up these acres of
wood, iron, glass and staff, with all their
rich decorations of statuary and relief,
rich bnt not ornate; yes it cost money,
some $50, 600, 900 did the administration
bravely spend and how grandly has the
end justified the expenditure, and how
nobly has Chicago acquitted herself of
her herculean task; for the citizens of
Chicago advanced the major part of the
money with sense of civil pride that
could be found nowhere but in Chicago.
1t was task to make the richest city
hesitate, but it never daunted Chicago
and may it, as it surely will, rebound to
her everlasting credit and benefit.
In all probability the end of the Fair
will see total paid attendance of in the
vincinity of 20,000,000 of people Gf you
are good at guessing, you may obtain a
present for the nearest guess, of any
thing from fifteen barrels of whiskey to
fountain pen): 100000 of people, or,
say one third the population OF the
United States (what a pity they couldn't
all have gomez, though as each visitor
! probably enters five times, it makes per-
haps 4, O00, 900 different individuals who
have seen it all; verify the greatest
show on earth" And, oh shame! they
have all seen the Vermont State build
| ing.
| If the BANNER" will give all its col
umns for few weeks, / may be able to
enumerate some of the things one sees,
but in letter, now decide what to
speak of; are you interested in electric
| boot blacks? There's one. Are you in
terested in engines? There's the largest
in the world. In guns? There's one
| fortv- eight feet long. In fish? there are
millions. In telescopes? There's the gift
of Mr.. Yerkes to the Chicago Universi-
ty with 40 inch objective, the largest in
the world. Mind you. Chicago is big
city; she has the largest in the world,
whether it be telescope, or office build
ing, or theatre or pork packing establish
ment, and what she has not, she means
to have; Chicago means to be the largest
city in the world and may she be, still
growing" the Chicago man will tell you.
| Perhaps not one of the least attractions
at Chicago is Chicago itself.
AS was saying are you interested IN
cheap home; one that can be built for
! 81, 900 and where you can live, family
of five and an income of $500 yearP
| There's one, with Sll the plans, specitica-
tions and bills of fare. Or are you inter
ested in a snug, comfortable house cost
| 81 IN
have many readers who are), there's one
in the New York State building. Per-
haps you are interested in sawmills;
there's one, and the largest load of logs
ever handled by one team, some $4,000
| feet if remember rightly.
Perhaps you are interested in hand-
kerchiefs; there's one in the Women's
i Building that took two women three
years to make, and they ruined their
eyes, poor things, and there are other
things there in the Woman's Building of
the same tenor. And next the Women's
Building is the Children's build
ing, and, of course, you
are interested in children. Like all the
rest of the bachelors, / went to the
Children's Building and saw kindergar-
ten methods, physical training and such
things, illustrated. But that wasn't
what went to see. No, went to see
the greatest invention of the age; the
babys' checkroom, where a mother can
check her baby at so much an hour. and
then go and see the Fair. There they
were, lots of them, little ones in one
room, older ones in another, some play
ing, some squalling: it was great sight
for bachelor. So go to the Fair and
take the twins you can check them!
fVAfn fnh n
shows. Perhaps you go to the side
shows when the circus comes. Well,
there's the ''Biggest side] Show on
EARTH too, the Midway Plaisance. If
ANYTHING in the world isn't seen in the
Fair, it's in the Midway. Half dollar
takes YOU into the Fair and all the ex-
hibits, and you can walk up and down
the Midway, but the various attractions
there, they are numbered by the score,
charge from ten to fifty cents admission,
the latter price being charged only IN
one case, for ride twice around in the
Ferris Wheel. By-the-bye, one of our
fellow-townsmen was viewing the fire
works one night, when the man next
him in the crowd suddenly spied the
wheel which is illuminated throughout
its whole periphery by incandescent
lamps. "Goshl S'manthy," said he,
''loOk at that pin WHEEL"
The fees charged on the Midway are
small and one can we'll afford to give a
dav and the few dollars necessary to
seeing what there is there; numerous
villages, Irish, German, Japanese, Da-
homan, Samoan, etc. gold mines, glass
works, Old Vienna Hindoo juggers,
etc.. etc. am under no obligations to
the management of the Streets OF Cairo,
besides which it is too late for this to do
any good as an advertisement, but l can
say from practical knowledge that 1T is
a perfect reproduction; everything is
true to life, save dirt; it is very clean,
and that can't be said of the original.
But here are the tobacco shops, the
rug bazaars, hammered brass, silver
ware, sweet meats, BARRIERS, mosque,
camels, donkeys and donkey boys;
everything as natural as possible.
Camelsl All, thereby hangs a tale; Of
course; did you ever see camel With
out tail? You can ride the camels,
thirty cents round trip, just as good as
an ocean voyage. Two people ride each
beast, with boy to clear the way and
driver behind to steer the .'critter. u
The camel kneels down to take passen'
gers, and when he gets ready to shove
off, the fun begins; to get up he gives
lurch forward, when the passengers
scream and clutch the air; then another
lurch back, another scream and more
clutching; four lurches, one for eacf
leg, eight screams, four for each passen
4 IL.