The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-06-21
@attbmam 4 SournaL.
The Columbian Exposition.
ny j. T. p.

The writer has Just returned from a
nine.days' visit to Chicago and the
Columbian Exposition. Thoroughly to
analyze its character and contents, at
least months stay would be needed,
and for proper appreciation of the
various departments one would need to
be specialist in the fine and useful
arts, in mechanics, and agriculture,
employing all these terms in their
widest significance. To this distinc-
ton he makes no claim. He has simply
skinned the display, and aims to pre-
sent the reader with what he deems its
cream. In this connection he may say
that he visited the first American
Worlds Fair at New York in 1854,
spent eight we eks at the Centennial
Exposition at Philadelphia in 1876, and
was about week at the Southern Fair
at Atlanta in 1881. Hence, his expert
ence with former expositions may have
given him ability to set forth the larger
display at Chicago in a manner which
will benefit the average visitor who
may follow him thither Those who
go there to make certain departments a
special field of inquiry will get little
information from him, but those who,
like himself, are in search of general
entertainment may be helped by his
record of sights and impressions.
AS is generally known, the EXPOSE
ton is held in Jackson Park, lake
side tract of about 533 acres, seven or
eight miles south of the main city of
Chicago. Passengers by any of the
routes terminating on the lines of the
Michigan Southern and Central and
Illinois Central roads may get off at
Sixtieth street, close to the Exposition,
and thus avoid the longer ride to the
city proper. From this point south
ward as far as Sixty-ifth street, and
even beyond, lodging houses and hotels
abound. Almost every house hangs
out sign of FURNISHED Rooms to
Let" Care should be taken in the Sc
lection of these to avoid wet plaster
and other rheumatic and malarial in
fiuences. Yet there will be found an
abundance of places where the visitor
can obtain lodgings-two in room
at one dollar day each. Lower prices
may perhaps be secured and higher
ones will be asked in many instances,
yet terms approximating these may be
secured. Should the visitor wish to be
doubly careful, he may enter the
grounds and seek further information
at the Bureau of Public Comfort
Whenever possible, the stranger should
confine himself to hand baggage
Nearly all the depots are overwhelmed
with trunks and other packages, and
local express companies are often
twenty-four hours behind time in de-
livery. The Chicagoans have tried to
grasp the situation, but, to use bomely
western adage, they have sometimes
bitten more off than they can chew.
The other day a party at the Grand
Central depot were compelled TO aban-
don the train they had chosen, simply
because they would not leave behind the
baggage which the depot hands claimed
they had not time to check. If the
stranger, having secured his rooms, de-
sires lunch, he had better take it out.
side than on the grounds. The extor-
tions practiced during the earlier days
of the fair have disappeared, or at least
been mitigated, but prices are cheaper
outside the walls than within. This is
to be expected, for all restaurant keep
ers on the grounds must pay twenty
five per cent of their receipts to the di
rectors, aud of course the consumer is
made to contribute this large percen-
tage. Many people still carry in their
lunches every day, and save money
thereby, but in long walk bundle
may prove burdensome. Avoiding the
Casino, and other fancy restaurants,
one may find in the Wellington cafes,
of which there are several in the Lib.
eral Arts and Horticultural buildings,
an opportunity for fifty-cent lunch.
The main difficulty is that everybody
wants to eat at once, and the cafes are
always crowded from twelve to two.
The greatest drawback to the visitors
comfort is the paucity of seats around
the park. There has been an improve
ment in this respect, and further re-
forms are promised, but the change
must be great to be sufficient. AS the
case stands, the foot-sore and the lunch
bearers must sit on the steps of some
building.
Still, supposing that the reader has
no particular affinity for manufactures
or art, but is only sight-seer, the
writer would advise him, first of all, to
get his bearings. This can best be
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