The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1893-12-23
THE MIDwINrER FAIR.
CALIFoRNtA 4IDwfNTBR INrE9NA-
TIonAL EXPOSITION. -DxPARrMENT
OF PUBLICITY AND PROMOTION.
Weekly Circular Letter-No. 81
J. H. TRUsDELL, Chisf Of Department


The best news Of the week in conncc-
ton with the coming Exposition has
been the extension of the time limit of
excursion tickets from the East to 30
days. This means that those who come
to California to see the Midwinter Ex-
position will have month in which to
visit other parts of the state besides
those contiguous TO San Francisco, and
that the benefits to be derived By the
entire Pacific Coast will be correspond
ingly multiplied. And just here there
ought to be word said about the num-
Der OF visitors that may reasonably b
expected to come ont Of the frozen East
to hibernate in the country
Where the leaf never fades In the still bloom
ing bowers,
And the bee banquets on through . whole year
Of flowers"
Those who have already arrived &
San Francisco rs the advance guard Il
the grand army Of midwinter continent
crossers say that the influx of visitors
will exceed the most sanguine expecta-
tons Of the friends Of the Exposition.
Eastern railway managers are constant
ly sending to the Department of Pub
hcity and Promotion for advertising
matter in connection with the Fair.
Their patrons are hungry for informar
ton ON the subject. Some Of them are
so hungry that more than one Of the
great trunk lines have deemed il neces-
hary TO prepare vast quantities of mat
ter based on the material furnished by
this department with which to satisfy
/ the popular demands. All this means
that thousands of people in the East are
going 10 take advantage Of cheap rates,
and the special attractions OF the Expo
sition as an excuse for making = long
promised trip to the land Of sunshine,
fruit and flowers"
Meanwhile the list of attractions con-
tinues 10 grow. and there will be lively
times during the next three weeks get
ting all the concessions in readiness for
the opening day. There is one feature
Of the contemplated attractions, how
ever, for which no elaborate building
has 10 be erected, and yet it is one in
which a very widespread interest CEN
tiers, and that is the grand athletic tour
namenf. This tournament is To cover
the entire term of the Exposition The
contests will not be on each succeeding
days programme. but there will be sew
eral events each week and every Satur-
day will be largely devoted to this feat
ure. There will be games Of lacrosse
between British Columbian and Ameri-
can teams: there will be polo matches
between swell society riders; there will
be football games between college and
university teams: there will he races
and all sorts Of contests on the cindei
path. and last. though 10y no means
! least. a series If baseball games in which
the entire Pacific Coast is invited to take
part.
With a view to facilitating arrange
ments for the last mentioned feature IL
this connection. Colonel T. p Robinson
Of San Francisco has been selected TO ar
. range the games on the diamond field
and in order TO have the largest possibl,
number Of clubs participate that gentle
man desires the addresses Of every uni
: formed baseball club not only in tn,
state of California but in all of tn
( states of the Pacific Coast. These ad
: dresses should be sent to him at room
= 81. second floor, Mills building, Sa,
= Francisco. and based upon the numbe
Of addresses Of intending participant
, which may he received there will be AZ
u ranged such a baseball tournament a
! has never before been seen anywhere il
the world.
The latest and most startling Of tn
!, suggestions that have been forthcomin
In the form of confessional features G
q the Fair is that which 10 TO represeu
-Dantes Inferno and which has q
A ready begun to he spoken of about tow
r. as hell on earth" This concessio
N Is TO he located in a very prominer
s. part Of the Exposition grounds, IN
the character Of the entrance to til
- building containing the exhibit is on
N that will attract inevitable attention.
e great dragons head. Is feet high. wit
la, like wings protruding from eitht
side, seems TO crouch against the groun
NJ ard grin a welcome TO the passin
:. crowds. The bat like wings, and entil
:. front in fact. are gilded to look like bur-
=, ished gold. and. when the sun is refiecte
from it, il presents rs brilliant an exte
"A ior as one can easily imagine. Out I
10 the center of the lower part of this e.
To ure-head. SO to speak. projects lon
nc red tongue of the dragon. and on thi
OF those who care to venture in must st,
and walk between the teeth of the dra
W ons lower jaw into the very body of Il
ng beast.
III The interior arrangements Of the
ar -Infernal Regions is rendered remar
us ably effective by the highly colored st
lactites which hang from the walls Al
X which seem to extend for miles, almos
away in the distance. In one large grot
~ n stage is erected. and half dozen SIX
ia etons dancing grotesquely in the 70,
is ground are SO reflected by mirrors tn
ng their number seems to be legion"
another point, after traversing sever
ell tortuous avenues, the visitor comes up
N. a clever construction with mirrors abo
nv and below and with lights so arrang
AZ that there really seems to be no top
10, bottom TO the place, and hence
.n- name Bottomless Pit" There is mu
that is gro,esque about the danci
vs. skeletons in the cave referred to, a
vi, there is considerable that is uncanny
on every part Of this arrangement,
nne there is nothing that il disgusting or
me rifying though there Is much to anu
ia When people turn to 60 out, after h
ing seen all the show they find themsel
MIA confronted by numberless passages Il
to seem to lead everywhere, but VIII
nA- really lead nowhere, for when you st
ny to follow one you run plump agains