The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1893-05-04

air. In front of the grand stand where
the president soon should be, there was a
lofty flagstaff, and at its peak in bal
loon-like bunch, the flag of the United
States was ready to be broken out when
the electric signal should be given. At
each corner of the grand stand were
other staffs of great height, and just
above the heads of the people, at their
bases. the cross-bars of great banners
give them forth to the air. Having OBJ
served this, visitor gazed about all
the buildings, and upon every flagstaff,
at every gable and at the point of every
tower, smaller bannerets might be dis
cerned, each waiting the same signal for
the salne part in the great outburst
which should attend
The Opening Signal.
Beneath the colonnade the revenue cut
ter Andrew Johnston steamed through
to place in the basin. Ten o'clock had
come, and the dull roll of carriages with
Erominent people was almost constant
They were deposited at the northern en-
trance of the administration building.
and found their way to seats, Indicated by
their tickets, upon the grand stand.
Rapidly then the spaces there filled up.
Among the early comers was the earl
of Aberdeen, attended by two of the
British fai1 commissioners. A 1.-the man
of nervous temperament, he viewed the
gathering of the people with quick and
lively interest He heheld the represent
atives of the press of the country hud-
died IN pens upon the ground level on
either side of the jnttinlg circle Of plat;
form on which President Cleveland
would be seated. These quarters for the
press were protected against the crowds.
that might come, only by a light wooden
rail- Meantime the skies had again
thickened, and while not obscuring abb
solutely, they dimmed again the out
lines of all the structures round about.
At ten o'clock several guards had placed
upon the presidents platform small
square table over which was draped an
American flag. Two electric wires were
uncoiled from the floor and carried up to
square, ,pyramidal stand which was
covered with gold and blue plush. Up
through this little pyramid the electric
wires were run, and were then adjusted
to golden telegraph key, the button of
which should be pressed by Mr., CleYes
land as a. signal for the machinery to
start. f..
The diplomats of foreign powers had
not come to the opening In a body, but
more in an individual capacity. Down
the broad aisle of the grand stand a
tall, white-haired man sought place in
front. 1t was Baron Fava, Italy's min
lister to the United States. Fred Douglass
next took place on the stand; Minister
Romero, of Mexico, followed closely, and
then, without particular order or attend
ance, the consular corps strolled down
the the sseod aisle t9 Their P9Ess Ess bdse Mea9Mha
obliquely from the south corner of the
grand stand across the plaza, and tho
regulars of the Fifteenth regiment took
relative position from the north corner
of the stand. At the base of the center
flagstaff a man in white shirt with yell
hlonE frOncnrS
and seized the ropes of the waiting flag
aloft. Two meE similarly attire6 laid
a4p lRs yRP @Rta S'ass ssns sTe Maaa Msf
while, rapidly arriving trains and street
cars We're
Pouring Forth Their Freight
at the gates of the grounds. Streams of
people were flowing towards the great
plaza before the grand stand. Short
time was required for such rapidly ar
irving throngs to blacken the entire space,
and when IL O'Clock had come the spec
taccle thus presented was q notable nne
from eRss h5se % resE sp9 Of cheer tSs rTpd wan
stand, and white-haired Director General
Davis came down the main aisle side by
side with President Cleveland. The rat
Ting shout near the great sounding board
had attracted every eye thitherward, and
as the familiar figure of the nations ex- /
hats flew in the air, shouts shook the
clouds and echoed along the white facades
of the surrounding buildings, Behind the
pre9ldent GamR Secretaries Gresham, Her
bert, Smith aud Morton; scarcely had
the party been seated when u brilliant
group of figures appeared in sight and i
followed along the aisle, The duke of
Veragua and his party were recognized
Instantly, and generous shouts of well
come greeted them as they seated them
selves little to the rear and side of
President Cleveland. The duchess and
Secretary Herbert's daughter entertained
each other during the brief waiting A
corps of photographers mounted on tha
platform nc little distance from the
plaza at this time became busy at their
work.
AT twenty minutes past the hour the
orchestra, with a grand burst, opened
the Columbian march and hymn which
had been written by John X. Paine.
Then prayed the blind chaplain of the
house of representatives, and while there
was something of hush, the crowd seemed
irrepressible. At that time the great
space of the plaza had been filed. The
bases of the lamp posts and even the.
bases of the great columns and towers
had been climbed upon by eager sight
seerS. branching away to left and right
ON either side of the basin crowds ex-
tended away to the manufactures build
ing and to the agricultural palace, filing
all the standing room, climbing upon the
mammoth animal figures upon the