Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-04-17
"GREAT WHITE CITY,"
An Interview With Commissioner Blk
by Regarding the Worlds Fair.


The park looks ike a great white city
said Hon. A. r. Bixby when JouRsAL r,
porter asked him Saturday afternoon no
be found matters on the exhibition ground
at Chicago.
Mr.. BixoY vas on his way home fror
Chicago, having been there for a week O
more arranging the details Necessary to til
completion Of Mains's tuiliing on tn
grounds.
The Maine building," continued Mr.
Bixby' meets the fullest aniic. pations. /
is really beauty. The painters ere nos
putting the finishing touches on the lnaid
and the grounds are being graded. TIL
building will be ready by May lst."
Mr.. Bixby says that great preparation
are being made for Maine day at Chicago
The Maine people of the Northwest ar,
looking forward to il with great deal o
interest. He feels assured that the day vii
be a big one IN all that means.
at the grounds, ' he continued, .'hH i
chaos and confusion confoande,i One hun
| bred carloads Of exhibits arrive every day
moFe than can be handled to 1lyantage."
II suppose Mr.. Bi1by, the buildings ar,
nearly in readiaessf"
THE exhibition building. are nearI,
completed and will be really May lst, bu
there are scores Of bulldogs that can't b,
completed even by the first Of June. In
| elnded in these are buildings for the foreign
exhibits and some of the state buildings
l'ne Of the things which attracts the cufigs
ity seekers is the assembiage Of foreigner,
IN their little settlement just outside tn,
park OF these the Egyptians and Turk,
.ttract especial attention from their pecul.a,
modes Of life tina. can be plainly seen there
1t is estimated that there are 1919 ogt
Strangers in Chicago nov an more comm.
every day. | believe that more than an,
other one thing the Iowa corn palace all
attract the most attention during the ckAi
iitlon. II Is a marvel. one entering III.
conceivable arrangements, the bml;In.
built of corn, finished with corn anC
furnished witf corn all under the Director
Of artists. That they must be artists goe,
without the saying when one sees the build
ing. think, too, that this will be an TX
ccp;lon to other Worlds Fairs in that Their,
will be more interest in the agricultural OK
hibit and machinery hall than in the manu-
features which usually attracts the largest
number The people of Maine cant af
ford 10 stay away from the exhibition"
The Maine exhibit had not arrived when
Mr., Bixby |. # for home but he says it vii
far surpass any the State ever had before.
But the Maine building is what he takei
great pride IN and he said he wouldn't OK.
change it for any other state builling in
New England, and il Is the only state build
ing on the grounds tina, has slate roof snd
1t affords fine display of Names STATE
and granite.
The commissioners have been arranging
the details of completion and have pur
chased the furnishings for the interior OF
the building. They have already expended
nearly $1,000 for the furnishings and il is
thought they will keep a little within the
appropriation of $1,000. Gen. Mattock,
will remain there until the exhibition optn.
and Mr.. Birby returns next SATURDAY. liz
advises Maine people who go there to pre-
pare for all kinds Of weather for he tiud,
thar it changes there three times in on,
night on certain occa sions, and he brought
back n severe cold on account OF the sud
den changa from hot July forenoon to {
cold wtrtry afternoon. On hi4 way home
he saw at Toronto that mammoth clees'
which is to be one of the attractive exhibits
a cheese weighing % tons. 1t was loadeC
onto flat ears for transportation to Chi
g.Ut