Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1893-08-31
-THEBIG FAIR.
WoRLD's Fam GROUND.
CHICAGO. AUGUST "a, 1888.
(FrOn our special oOrrespOndsn..l

Illinois day! Paid attendance, 240,-
900. Total number of persons on the
grounds, 272,0l6, swelling the total
paid attendance from May to 9,O99,.
$50. All hail 10 the great Prairie state
Of Illinoisl Her patriotic sons and
daughters from even the remotest cor
Der, from the corn fields, swamp lands,
prairies, and valleys poured into the
grounds of the Worlds Fair in count
less thousands. They came by rail, by
steamboat, by electricity, and by cable.
Never did turnstile turn so fast and so
often. Never did gate keepers work so
hard.
The state was here. A few persons
remained at home to water the stock
and do the milking, but all the rest
came in on time with red tickets in
their hats. 1t was their day and they
claimed 1t. The Worlds Fair grounds
became as crowded as TaZewell coun-
ty bee tree. No matter where the man
came from-Ehingham, Galena.
Quincy, Bloomington, Chicago or Gal
va-he had partnership interest in
the building with the big yellow dome.
This building was embroidered with
flags and folds of bunting as large as
circus tents. From Its tOpmost staff
tioated a pennant bearing the word
"Illinois,n
From any part Of the grounds this
streamer could he seen, and toward ii
went the men, women and children,
humping against their neighbors at
every step. For once the interest of q
big holiday eentered at state building.
Around this building were jostling
acres of hats and bonnets. Through
its doorways went a scrambling pro-
cession, which lasted for hours. Inside
the building the good people of this
state were rubbed up so close to each
other that they all wanted to get out
again.
The strange foreigners who live in
the plaisance marched and shouted for
Illinois. Thousands of boys in blue
swept up through the length of the ex.
position grounds. Every one was an
Illinois soldier. The governor of Illi-
nois rode ahead on restless horse,
The majors and colonels and captains
of Illinois were scattered down this
magnificent line. At night the multi
tude saw the sky blaze up with designs
telling of Illinois. In the live stock
pavilion an immense crowd saw an
Illinois horse wear the prize ribbon.
Lest there should be some doubt as 10
the meaning of the day, yellow ribbons
marked "Illinois" were pinned to coat
lapels and dresses. Incidentally the
whistles blew and chimes rang out.
1t was great day for the fair, great
day for the people who made it so, and
was a grand success from start to finish
In the odd Midway parade at 8 a. NJ.
there came first the Bedouins riding
camels and high spirited-horses. They
were allowed nearly thousand feet oi
space and as the parade moved along
those mounted on horses rode back
and fourth at full gallop with theil
snow-white robes fiuttering in the
breeze, whirling their long spears about
and displaying wonderful feats O
horsemanship. After the Bedouin:
came the Laplanders, with their rein
and then came the cannibals of Daho
mey. They were the most vicious anC
ferocious looking warriors in the pa
rade. They were attired as If golnf
out to battle. The king, a huge black
fellow in fantastic attire, was in the
lead. On his head was a sort of hel
met, surmounted with a pair of ram!
horns. He carried a great war-clut
which he fourished as he prancet
about shouting in savage frenzy
while his followers sang a wild wa
song and beat tomtoms and acted like
demons. Hanging down the front o
the cannibal kings breast was pecu
clar-iooking protector made of polish
ed human bones and around his neck
was an ornament of human teeth.
The Chinese with an awful lookine
dragon sixty feet long, came next. L
frame and carried by twenty Mongoli
ans. Nothing but their feet could bt
seen and the horrid thing moved alons
in a wonderfully lifelike manner
Strangely attired musicians, playing
on Instruments no less strange, &C
companied the dragon and the music
! if such it can be called, was ear-split
ting in the extreme. After the Celes
tials came the South Sea islanders
Then in turn came the Hawaiians, til,
Persians, the Egyptians with thei
camels and donkeys, the Turks, 'th'
Moors, the Swiss horn-blowers, Hagen
beck's lions, the natives of lahore, th'
Algerians and the Inhabitants of thu
Irish and German villages. In tn,
main grounds they were Joined by tn,
Italian marines, the British soldier
and the West Point cadets.
1t was strangely wonderful sigh
and it is doubtful If its like has eve
been witnessed in the world before o
if any one who saw it will ever see it
like again.
After the procession had passed tn,
governor and his staff were received il
Illinois building by the members o
the state board of commissioners. A
2 o'clock luncheon was served in tn
diniBg-room on the third floor. TIL
members of the Illinois board, the ma
tional commissioners, lady manager
and invited guests were present. Ii
the afternoon the governor received
the citizens of the state in the mail
court on the first floor, under th
dome. Director General Davis and
host of commissioners and World
Fair officials paid their respect to Gov
Altgeld. The hours of the reception
were from until 5 O'Clock. From
four sides the crowds poured in to shak
hands with the governor. At 4 o'clocl
the tens of thousands of loyal citizen
of Illinois stood still. At the doors th
crowds fought but the solid square tina
pressed about the governor was a
strong as the rock or Gibraltar. Their
was no place to move. Finally, how
ever, the ranks thinned and the crow,
passed around and out. There was
representation from every county il
the state and from every town an
county from Cairo to the Wisconsi
lline.
In hollow square formed by thous
ands of spectators and before crow
that filled every avenue leading to tn
administration plaza the West Poin
cadets gave review drill before Ger
Nelson A. Milessand staff in the after
l 4 Al