The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-05-01

in wonder at the variety and magnitude OF
the museum Of all times and all nations
which is being assembled around and
about it. As museum the Worlds fair
Is to be almost as great SUCCESS as It fs
as an exposition. In fact, the features
composed of novelties, relics, curiosities,
queer processes, historical articles and
buildings-the rare, strange and wonder
full things of all the earth-forrn a greater
show than the exhibition of the products
of art and industry. The visitor who tires
Of that part Of the exposition which Is
really most worthy though here and there
commonplace because composed of the
things used in everyday life, will have no
difficulty in finding the more sensational
with which to regale himself. The Egyp-
tian obelsk itself, as it now stands, is
doubly a curiosity; for added to the CLASH
cal outlines of the original, indicating q
constant vigil upon the progress of all the
world for two or three thousand years, it
is as yet unfinished, and queer sensation
comes over the observer as he notes the
great granite column, or what purports to
be granite column, standing on stills.
The unfinished base destroys the illusion
and exposes the method of construction.
1t is almost pity that the tell-tale open
ing is to be closed before next Monday, for
IL would afford all visitors convenient
and graphic object lesson in the stage-like
process which has made this whole enter
prise possibility.
A mere catalogue of the interesting and
curious things now in this huge museum
would fill many columns. The visitor will
come upon them in any part of the grounds
and often where least expected. The nov
elites are so numerous and SO widely diff
fused that in no spot does the exhibition
come down TO a mere display Of the arts
and manufactures. While the appreciation
Of the useful and the beautiful is appealed
to, there il sa1dwiched in so much of the
sensational and extraordinary that the
dullest soul must here find ample repay
ment for his time and money. 1t is worth
something to see one-ffth of mile of i'm.
mense steam boilers generating $4,000
horsepower OF energy, nearly all to be con-
verted into electrical power for running
the machines and lights, even the railway
three miles and more in length, which for
a dime il TO carry visitors all over the
grounds. Surely this is the electrical age
Ii will be worth something TO see hun
dred thousand incandescent lamps and six
thousand arc lamps-enough to light
street 200 miles long so brilliantly that one
might sec to read his paper as he rode from
one end TO the other of it.
There is the Convent Of La Rabida, re-
production of monastery older than
American history. Within its dark cells
the visitor will look expectantly for the
hooded monks who succored Columbus,
and within the room which the great dis
coverer occupied during his residence in
retreat one will have his thoughts carried
most vividly back to the days of Isabella
and her corrupt court.
The crystal cave from the Black Hills,
underneath the rotunda in the Horticul
tural building, will be sure TO attract much
attention. So will the big Krupp gun,
wfach il one OF the chief sensations Of the
fair, and the great guns exhibited by oui
own government, of but little smaller cali.
Der and power. Uncle Sans brick man.
ofwar, with its complete outfit and per.
feet illusion, will be worth the study of
whole day. If one wants TO take in the
earth at single gulp he may do so in the
Government structure, where our sphere
Is reproduced on scale that makes IL pos
sible for one TO realize as never before the
height of mountains, the comparative size
of continents and lands and the vastness
of the sea. One may go aboard the old
whaleship Progress, which fora score or
more of~years pursued the sperm monster
in Arctic waters; or he may put his hands
upon the boat with which celebrated
Grace Darling rescued dozen or more
human beings from the grasp OF old ocean.
A visit 20 this fair will be simply round
of wondersceing. Picturesque and inter
esting will be the gaudily-clad gondoliers
polling their pretty craft through the la
goons. Moro modern and more useful
will be the scores Of electrical launches
which glide silently and swiftly over the
water. One may see all the types OF ships
and boats used the world over: and he may