West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1893-11-02
LIGHTS AND SHADOWS
OF tho Great Columbian Exposition
at Chicago.
Scenes and Incidents Picked mp There
and Thereabouts and Written up
From the Editors Noto Book.

1
In opr article last week we had
just Cotton to the Fair and realized
what an immense and magnificent
exhibition 1t was, and we felt proud
er than ever of being native born
citizen OF such o great and glorious
country and one able to get up such
u big show, the like of which has
never been seen before in the
worlds history and will scarcely be
equaled during this generation. 1t
was truly Worlds Fair, and 1t
just took "Uncle Sam" to mako it
such a bowling success.
Just think of it, one show cover
ing G33 acres of ground. or this,
so acres are in tho Midway Plai-
sance and 553 In jackson Park.
The Midway is wide, level street,
about mile long, and the most in
teresting place on earth. People
are here from the four corners OF
the earth and tho most remote
lands. but we will speak more fully
OF this later on. There is no trou-
bic about getting into and out of
the grounds, as there are many
gates OF entrance and exit. This
reminds us OF a good story that is
being told on follow who was
at tho Fair and taking in every
thing he came to. llo saw u gate
marked exit" and told the BOYS
ho was going to take in that exhibit,
no difference what it cost. SO he
pushed his way in, or rather out,
for when he looked around to see
where he was at. he found hc wasn't
sin ii" and had to pay City cents
TO get back.
Tho ticket sellers have become
very expert, and the way they can
change money and shove out tickets
is worth seeing. They won't take
anything but the coin Of the realm,
either, and one of them showed back
Canadian quarter, mighty quick,
which friend who was with us
offered on his ticket, not having
noticed it himself even.
One of the arandest scenes at the
FAIR is, on emerging from the
Building of Manufactures and Lib
eral Arts by tho south end, as you
approach the spot whore Lake
Michigan strikes into the grounds.
This is marked by sheet Of water
called the Grand Basin. Around
this all the buildings that before
have seemed detached and scattered
group themselves. On your left a
triumphal arch and lofty colon
nades through which the blue wa
ters Of the inland sea laugh and
sparkle in the sunlight. Before you
a grand canal that would make
Venice blush, lined with the finest
specimens Of Greek art. Backing
up these are gildcd clouds aud
minarets and colossal statues, and
away on your right, at the head of
the grand canal, rs Sitting source
for it's waters, fountain with basin
piled upon basin and presided over
! by majestic group, ali except the
guided statues, the domes and the
awnings white as the driven snow.
In fact, nearly all the buildings
are u pure white and the name Of
"The White City" Is a very appro-
pirate one. All the Exposition
Buildings, and many OF the State
Buildings, are covered with staff,
a composition OF plaster, cemont
and hemp, or similar fiber. 1t is
lighter than wood, is 1re-proOf,
waterproof, and il kept painted
will last for years. STAFF has been
used for over a hundred years as a
covering for buildings, notably i'm
South America. The architectural
and sculptural designs in the cover.
ing Of the buildings are fret mod.
eled in clay, from which model
m0ulds are made, and the staff
covering is then cast very much as
iron is cast. The large aud beanti.
ful buildings look as solid and mas.
sive as marble aud like they would
stand forever, but many Of them
would hardly stand through a SO.
yere winter, ~ they are very tempo
rary and we're only intended to last
through the Summer. Nearly oil
Of them will be torn down at the
close Of the Fair, and many Of them
are offered free 10 anyone who will
remove them from the grounds.
The West Virginia Building is one
Of the few that will be worth mov-
ing. As It is we'll built Of native
I tu.,I us.I l...ft.fs