The record-union., 1893-05-24
MANY TONGUES.
Unique Association Of the Columbian
Exposition.
President Charles A. Barry Speaks
Sixteen Languages and Reads
Others.


way Plaisance at the Worlds Fair. 1t
may not seem necessary to say this. But
a man happened to stroll into the glass
factory oft the Libbey Glass Company one
night, and he was deceived in this matter,
He happened to be acquainted with some
half dozen languages OF the 1882 that
are spoken in this world, but he heard at
least a dozen there that were entirely
strange. He listened in amazement few
minutes, saw a collection of men convers-
ing, gesticulating. and looking as if they
understood each other.
My friend" said he to a bystander, sis
the Tower CT Babel anywhere around
here?"
"Oh no. 1 guess not" was the reply.
This is a meeting of the International
Association of Interpreters to the Worlds
Columbian Exposition
''Ah, yes"
The cause OF the mans wonderment is
one of the most unique associations that
was ever formed. 1t is likely that never
was such another. An association of
Worlds Fair interpreters. What brought
about such a thing-one that perhaps
more than any other possible calls atten-
ton to the cosmopolitan character of this
big fair of the world? How many Ian
guages do these people speak? Wouldn't
they make jolly good exhibit in them
selves, If anybody asks you?
HOW IT ALL ORIGINATED.
The association Is not on old one 1t
was formed almost by accident about
three or four weeks ago. Charles A .
Barry, an American, born and educated
is President OF this muitilingual affair
One day. or rather evening, he was stroll
ing down the street with some friends
whom he met abroad. They are all inter-
prefers for some of the foreign companies
who have exhibits at the fair. They
stopped at the Saratoga to chat a while
Among them were Beraketti, a Persian;
Kalinewski, a Russian; Raphael, an in
terpreter IN the street of Cairo; Cav. Ed
Twin Bennuzzi, with the Murano Venetian
Company of Italy; Theodore Cassamoati,
O Greek; w. NJ. Fleischmann, German,
and Benyakar, an Egyptian.
BY the way" said Mr.. Fleischmann,
what arrangements have the postal
authorities made for the receipt and for
warding of mail In the fair grounds p"
The question led into general discus
sion of the necessities of the case and the
talk gradually turned on to the American
exchange in Paris. Everyone that goes
to Paris knows all about the American
exchange. There it is that voyagers ar
range to meet each other. Your mail is
forwarded there. If you leave for other
parts of Europe the intelligence depart
ment tells you many things that every
traveller wants to know about continental
travel. Your mail and baggage is sent
after you. In the exchange are reading
rooms, writing-rooms, reception-rooms
and all those things that make it the
place of all the places in Paris for Ameri-
cans.
THAT'S what we ought to have at the
fair" said another one of the party.
! " - cnn hat
thing it would be, and to talk Of details.
temporary organization was formed
there.
NOVELTIES OF THE MEETING.
1t was a strange thing, that meeting. A
company of educated men happened to
meet together in the most American city
of this country, and in the party were
more nationalities and more languages
spoken than any of the gentlemen had
seen anywhere in their wide travel So
the international Association of Inter-
prefers to the Worlds Columbian Expo
sition was conceived. A week later the
permanent organization was formed, and
MIR. Barry was made President, The
headquarters have not been decided upon
yet but they will be either in the street
of Cairo or in the Liberty Glass Com
pany's place on the Plaisance
The object Of the association has been
fairly outlined when the functions of the
American exchange were spoken Of 1t
is purely social; there are no dues or fees.
they meet to have good time and see if
they can't talk i'll some language that no
( body has ever heard before. They have
a lot of odd experiences, these men. Mr..
Barry was telling of one that happened
the other day. lie speaks only sixteen
languages and has an acquaintance with
hall a dozen more.
ORIENTAL CURIOSITY EXCITED,
1A,-fr ,is, ~
ing people you ever saw" said he. THE
other day party came in together. and.
of course, were observed by the crowd
with great deal of curiosity There were
an Algerian, Turk, an Egyptian. and A
Persian. -Four languages were repre-
sented.
They began at the big glass furnace.
watched 1t with interest, but soon moved
along to the place where they spin glass
and make cloth out of it. That caught
| them. L came along and began TO ex-
plain matters. Immediately every hand
went up to the forehead III token of
salutation and friendship. IL is a custom
among them that has almost the riplditv
III observance OF religious customs. That
sign is never made except to a friend.
Ihey grabbed me by the arm and looked
supremely happy in having found a
whlte man who spoke their tongue They
soon caught on to the scheme of snin-
nlng threads OIL piece Of molten glass
out they could not get it through tLair
Oriental heads where the threads went to,
They wouldn't believe that it was around
the big wheel flying over at the rate of
200 revolutions a minute. Seeing pieces
OF thread on the ground, they thought
they mad 1t down pat and looked salts
fed. After a while made them undar-
stand the whole thing by spinning the
wheel slower. a crowd had gathered
around in the meantime They extended
almost around the cut-glass makers
The Egyptians, by the way, have
glass-makers, but the industry is in a
new to the solitary Egyptian in the
party.