Gloucester County Democrat., 1893-05-04

shout. The orchestra played the hallelujah
chorus, the wheels of the great Allis engine
in Machinery hall began to revolve, the
fountains in the lagoon threw up their
Jets of water. food of water gushed from
the McMonnies fountain and fell into the
basin, and the thunder of artillery came
from the vessels in the lake At the same
time chimes in Manufacturers hall and on
the German building rang out merry
peal, and overhead the flags at the tops of
the poles in front of the platform fell apart
and revealed two gilded models of the
ships in which Columbus first sailed to
American shores.
Hundreds of flags of all nations and all
colors were also unfurled within sight of
the platform, and an immense United
States flag fell out from the top of the
central staff in front of the stand The
roof Of the Manufacturers building was
gorgeous in red gonfalons, while the Ag-
ricultural building was dressed in banners
of orange and white. 1t was a wonderful
and brilliant scene of transformation, and
while it was taking place the cannon con-
tinued to thunder and the crowd to cheer.
When the demonstration had spent its
force, the band played America" J" and the
exercises were at an end.
The greeting to the president was hearty
and vociferous 1t came first when his
genial face was seen above the heads of the
diplomats and commissioners in the grand
stand. 1t was repeated when he stepped
forward to make his modest address, and
for the third time it rose when the signal
was sent and the great achievement of the
century was inaugurated. But only part
of this honor was Cleveland's; the rest was
in acknowledgement of the event which
that roar from Machinery hall, that sud
den outflow of flags as if "a rainbow had
been splintered above the buildings, that
booming of cannon and that triumphal
chorus signalized.
1t was unfortunate that this part of the
days proceedings should have been
marred by what might have been serious
panic. Always anxious to see and hear,
as American crowds are, some of those in
the rear began to push in hopes of gaining
more advantageous positions from which
to witness the proceedings on the plat
form. The movement attracted the atten-
ton of those on the platform and orders
were given TO the police to clear away the
jam that began to threaten the platform.
Officers sprang into the crowd, but it was
some minutes before their efforts were
successful and when the dense mass of
people had been in some degree separated
twenty persons had been taken out in a
fainting condition. Fortunately, how
ever, no Que was seriously hurt and a
great calamity was avoided.
OF course it was big crowd to handle,
for Director of Works Burnham declared
that 440, 900 people had passed the turn
stiles since daylight number far in ex-
cess of the most sanguine expectations. To
take care of such a multitude with only
enc accident that could be called serious
for all the other casualties of the day were
trivial-was therefore a matter for con-
graduation among the officers of the ex-
position.
After dinner the president wearily took
up the line of march for the Manufac-
lures building, where he did the courte-
sizes to throng of foreigners and officials.
Then he was hurried to the Women's
building, where he listened to the dedica-
tion speeches of Mrs. Potter Palmer and
others. The Irish village next claimed his
attention, and after that he boarded
naphtha launch and made flying trip
through the lagoons. Having thus made
the grand tour of the exposition he was
thoroughly tired out and the rest of the
time until his special train started for
Washington was spent in his car chatting
with friends and visitors.
Meanwhile the great American public
was having the full run of the grounds
for the first time and was enjoying itself
thoroughly. 1t was cloudy all afternoon,
but no rain fell, and the sidewalks and
streets, while they were by no means
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