Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-11-25


the clements. If any use can be made
of them which will at all compensate
for the expense of preserving them they
certainly should not be sacrificed. At
any rate the people are loath to believe
they must lose them, and it is quite
likely that when the fair is over endeav-
ors to prevent their destruction will be
made similar to those Chicagoans are
now making to preserve some of the
buildings of their beautiful White City.
Another beautiful feature of the Sun
set City which Californians will be lOath
to part with, once they have seen it. is
the great allegorical fountain which is to
stand facing the principal entrance to
Midwinter plaza, the grand court Of the
fair. The design accepted by the COM
missioners shows this to be a work of
great originality and a high order of ar
tistic merit. Rupert Schmid, the sculp-
tor, is the designer of it, and he and his
assistants are now hard at work getting
it ready.
The fountain is thoroughly original.
1t will be classic, but not of an ancient
order. No old Greek can come back
from the pale realms of shade and claim
it is an infringement on his work; no
modern globe trotter can find in it resem-
blances to the celebrated fountains of
the world. 1t is an allegorical history
of the Golden State, no longer famous
| for its auriferous deposits alone, but now
more widely known, as an inscription on
the fountain declares. as the LAND of
sunshine, fruit and flowers"
On mountainous pile of rocks typ
ical heroic figure of California, crowned
with peoples and waving an olive
/ branch, towers 40 feet in the air. At
| her feet on one side is CALIFORNIA; en-
blematic bear glaring down over rocky
| precipice, and on the other side horn of
plenty casts forth its wealth of fruits
and flowers. Below these, on the face
/ of the cliff, is an eagle, illustrative of
| the states loyalty to the nation, grasp
| ing in his taloRs a standard and shield
bearing CALIFORNIA; coat of arms. Be
low these again q group of cherubs are
engaged in pressing grapes.
All about the base of the rocky pile
San Francisco's characteristic sea lions
are scattered, and from their mouths and
from the sides of the pile of rocks just
beneath the summit streams of water
will issue when the fountain is put in
play. The resources, industries, com
merce and agriculture of tho state are
appropriately portrayed by statuary ar
ranged near the outer edge Of the base
of the fountain. quite apart from the
main grouping, but none the less effec-
lively backed up by it. The figures of
Pomona and Flora are more nearly con-
ventional than anything else about the
fountain, but it was not to be expected
that those old Roman diviuitieS would
consent TO attire themselyS. in forms en-
tirely modern. and those in which they
have been impersonated are sufficiently
original to avoid violating artistic can
ons as to originality. The group of min
ers, however, is distinctively modern,
rugged, strong and Californian, and the
old hume in the rocks above them Will
carry flood of Renaissance over the
sands of the past of many an old forty
miner, washing out golden nuggets of
memory long buried away amid the de-
bris of forgotten things.
1t is proper that intending exhibitors
from other states and nations should
know that while the regulations adopted
by the Midwinter commissioners permit
the greatest latitude in the matter of
displays IN national, state and county
buildings, the products so displayed will
not be allowed to enter into competition
with the classified exhibits in the main
buildings for prizes. Neither will any
selling privileges be granted for any Of
those buildings nor anything permitted
which would interfere with the rights OF
those who have contracts for CONNER
cial privileges. The justice of these
regulations is easily comprehended when
the rights, privileges and duties of al
concerned are properly considered.
| Fl It WHITE