St. Landry democrat., 1893-08-05
Our Chicago Letter.


W. d. BoYCE's CORRESPONDENCE BUREAU, AID
GROUNDS, July 81, 1898.
There is at the south end of the
grounds, in what is familiarly known az
the back yard of the fair, little square
building. 1t is located east of the col
ony of windmills and close to the shore
of the south pond In this building may
be found the exhibits of model roads
Around the house, too, are short sections
of model roads. Three styles OF con-
structiOn are shown on three widths Of
roadway. The first road is 81 feet wide,
with stone bed feet wide. The Sec
ond roadway is Al feet wide, with a
| driveway of IL feet. The third is so
feet wide, with 16 feet OF drive along
the crown. These are intended for
country roads.
OF the three styles of road building
the first is simply six-incl bed OF ma
cadam with fine stone and sand on top.
1t would cost about $4,000 mile for a
narrow roadway. The second is the
eight-inch macadam, costing about &c.
600 a mile. The third is called the Tell
f0rd-eight inches of block stone with
four inches of macadam and crushed
stone on top, the cost being not far from
$4,000 mile. The attending engineer
says the third style of construction is
desirable in soft clay or any soil which
has tendency to be yielding. 1t costs
money, but it lasts forever. All the
roads are SO built that face sections
are exposed. Just back of the league
house they are going to show road
suitable for very wet land. 1t has a
deep ditch at each side and the crown of
st0newolk has steep grade on either
side.
These sample roads interest visitors
in general and farmers in particular.
They approve of the roads, too, and say
they are good things.
Liberia dedicated its interesting ex-
lllbits in the agricultural building We'd
nesday. Liberia is the only christian
negro state in Africa. The exhibit sent
republic, which by the way is modelled
largely after the United States govern
ment, consists Of the national products
of the country, coffee forming the main
feature. According to the commissioner
Liberian coffee is fast becoming popular
with merchants who handle it, and the
product is said to equal that Of any 9TH
er country in its excellence. The crop
this season will exceed 1,000, 900 pounds.
The population Of Liberia exclusive of
the few white settlers, is divided into
twelve tribes or classes. They are the
Vey, Boatswain, Pesseh,
Liberia, Dey, Gedibo, G0Iah, Congo,
Queah, Barline and Bassa. The exhibit
OF the MandiDgoes is the most complete,
and includes sample of every class of
work done by the tribe. Curiously
beaded needle cases, sandals and war
caps, with number of unsheathed dirks |
and daggers, form one part of the ex-
hibit. In the same section are the old
time war bows with quivers of arrows. |
A thick slave rope of native grass that |
is said to have been fastened around the |
neckS of dozen unfortunates is looped |
On the wall. Side by side with the in
struments of otfense and defense may
De seen the the instruments of a more
peaceful existence. Among them is
udely fashioned violin with three coarse
strings. The music produced from this
instrument is not the kind that would
lelight the the ear of virtuoso, but it
atisfies those for whom it is intended.
Then there are inkstands with pointed
ticks for pens, states, dresses and ma
i've loom. All of the other tribes have
made exhibits, though not as extensive
IS that of the MandiDgoes.
At booth in the agricultural building
s row of dishes containing what ap-
'ears to be butter scotch aud caramels.
The broken cakes are waxy and tempt