Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-05-25
WORLDS FAIR LETTER.
From our special Correspondent.l


done a great deal Of night work this
week, and the grounds are almost com
plete. There has been no rain all week
and much work has been accomplished
all over the grounds. By the first Of
the month there will be nothing left un-
finished in the way Of building and
decorating.
This has been ali interesting week at
the fair. Many notable events have
taken place. The women have held
their Woman's Congress all the week
in the Columbian Art Gallery down on
the lake front. Many noted women
have spoken, and the attendance has
been unusually large. Modjeska and
Clara Morris gave some very fine talks
on stage life and its representatives.
Never before in the history of Woman's
progress has there been such perfect
harmony in the vast army Of spectators
as was apparent at the congresses held
in the memorial art palace. Every
session was crowded, but everybody ex-
pected they would be and so they were
good natured and stood the crowding.
Miss Susan B. Anthony spoke Thursday
on the progress Of woman in the com
mercial and professional world since
the time when Horace Greeley as
founded the world of men by devoting
column after column Of the New York
Tribune, to the first suffragist meeting
held in Boston. Miss Anthony was
followed by Lucy NJ. Stone, Helen H.
Gardner and other noted women, on
the suffrage question. To-day is the
last day of their congress.
There were quite a number of dedi-
cations this week. The Tyrolcan booth
in the Transportation building was
dedicated on Monday. This quaint
little booth is an exactrepresentation OF
Tyrolcan bone in the Alps and is
formed of great stones and limbs OF
trees. A fine painting forty feet long
stands at the back, and represents a
Tyrolcan village on mountain side.
It is very pretty.
Tuesday the Egyptian temple was
dedicated. This was q very solemn
affair, and but very little to it as we
could see. There were four Egyptian
girls dressed in their queer costumes
sitting on raised platform at the rea1
of the long dark hall. They never
spoke word all the time, but once in
a while they would twang their instru-
ments in a doleful manner. a number
of men were lounging around on the
platform and floor. These, the manager
told us were the high priests and the
girls were young priestesses. They
were silently worshiping their gods.
Wednesday the Norwegians dedicated
their building May 18th, is to them
what our fourth Of July is to us. 1t was
on that day 1871, that they became in
dependent of Denmark, and they chose
to dedicate their building on that day
although it was not near done. 1t was
a grand sight to watch them marching
toward their building. There were
over five thousand Norwegians in the
line Prof. Julius E. Olson of the Uni
versity of Wisconsin delivered the
principal address. His subject was
"Our day of Independence" His elo-
quent words brought his hearers tC
their feet in loud applause. The pro.
gram closed by singing Norwegian
hymns.
The Illinois State building was dedi
Gated on Thursday. The Governor o-
the state, the mayor of Chicago, and
the president of the State Board Of
Worlds Fair Commissioners, with very
elaborate ceremonies presented the
building to the exposition authorities
The Illinois State building as every one
knows, is the largest state building OF
the grounds, 1t stands facing the lagoon
from the north more than three thous
and feet of space is allotted to this
state. The building is in the form Of ;
Greek cross. The south arm contains
the Offices, while the north end is called
the memorial hall, and contains tht
relics and battle flags loaned by Tho
State Historical Society. The women
of Illinois have done much to make
the building beautiful. The Legislature
appropriated the sum Of $780, GOO viii
which to make collective exhibit o
. the work Of Illinois women. i boarc
of lady managers was organized anC
they, with their uniting efforts and in
, genuity, have made as fine an exhi6i
of woman's work as there is on the
grounds.
The North Dakota building was dedl
Gated yesterday. This is really beauti
full little building. And here again tht
women have come to the front. The
neat and tasty parlors show just wha
dear little housewives these northern
farmers have Many fine pictures made
of the grains and grasses that grow il
the state adorn the walls, while speci
mems of the ore are arranged in prett,
little cabinets around the room. TIL,
building was crowded Yesterday to hea
the speeches made by several notet
men from North Dakota. The buildin.
is all done and ready for inspection.
The grounds will be Illuminated to
night by all the fountains and lights
great crowds are expected.
For SAIE.-125 acre farm within
mile of Babcock, with % acres unde
cultivation, 53 acres fenced and 20 acre