Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1893-07-07
WORLDS FAIR LETTER
p;tbv Pencilings Prepared BY the
rr;buue's Worlds Fair Corre-
spondent At Chicago.
,.o,,s of Interest About Various
Things As They Appear TO
Him.
Various Items of Local News Gath
cred for Readers of the
Tribune.

JACKSON PARK, July Especial Cor
respoudence.- The official guide gives a
cut of the Ceylon building and speaks
Of the exhibit as one of "the richest,
most beautiful and most costly in the
pxposition." 1t is all that and the most
interesting too. The building itself is u
reproduction in wood of the ancient
buildings at Anuradhapura, in the in
terror of that beautiful island, which has
been out of use 1000 years. The ancient
buildings were of stone and are covered
with carvings and are reproduced in
wood. There are elaborate carvings
even On the steps leading into the
temple from either side and end and on
the slabs in front of the steps and on
both the exterior and interior of the
building. In the center of the building
there is an octagon tower extending
through the two stories up to the roof.
This is richly carved from top to bottom
and the numerous columns are also
carved deliberately and beautifully. The
carvings are richest at and about the
octagon which is supposed to have been
the holy of holies. In n end Of the
temple there are representations of
Vishnu standing and Buddha in his usual
sitting posture. The temple, originally
in stone, is reproduced in the hard woods
of that country of which there are
twenty-five varieties used in commerce.
The colamander, resembling second
growth hickory treated to the antique
process, except that the grain is 6rmer
and closer, appears to be in most CON-
mon use though satinwoodis freely used
as is also jack and ironwood.
The walls are handsomely decorated
with allegorical paintings illustrating
Incidents in the life of Budha. They
are exact reproductions of the ancient
pictures which were taken from a
temple which had remained sealed from
the touch of time and moisture for
twelve centuries. The colors are as
bright as it is possible for them to be
made in India lux to-day, and great
skill and fine taste was displayed in the
originals.
There are perhaps a dozen elephants
in ebony, with silver, ivory and gold
trapplngs, fully two feet in height and
elephants feet, beautifully mounted on
ebony and covers in ebony making useful
as we'll as ornamental cases. There are
elephant tusks, highly polished, mounted
on pedestals of ebony and colamander,
and other ornaments of ivory. The
cocanut tree it is claimed is put to 200
different uses and many of these are H.
Illustrated in articles manufactured
therefrom. The wood which resembles
somewhat antique oak and is nearly as
hard and heavy though the grain is not
to close, is made into walking sticks,
jugs, bottles, vases, castings, etc., and
the frbre into rope, mating and other
useful articles. Its use for food is we'll
known.
The coffee products of the island are
shown. but it is admitted that the glory
OF the island on that account has. de.
parted. The berry has withered like
wheat stricken by frost and tea has be-
come the staple product in it's stead.
The plant and it's growth and methods
OF manufacture are shown and the tea is
served free to those who wish to test it.
All are instructed that the deleterious
effects from tea come from boiling and
allowing it to stand on the leaves. They
urge that the tea should have boiling
water poured on it and be allowed to i'll
fuse 5 minutes or such q matter when it
is ready for use. If it stands long after
wards the tannin is extracted and has
the effect to ~irritate or constipate. The
various kinds of tea it is shown comes
from the same plant and vary in quality
and appearance according to the part of
the tree taken from or the treatment re-
celved. In Ceylon the teas are rolled by
machinery and the different sized leaves
are separated, giving the different
grasses, much as coal is separated by
passing yer screens. The process in
shown by q working model of a tea
factory.
The commissioner from Ceylon, Hon.
I'D. Grinlinton, responded to the card
OF the Pioneer Press and found and gave
pleasure in his clear explanations as to
the various things Of interest. Starting
In with your correspondent and COM
panion the way was soon blocked by the
Interested crowd which had gathered
about to listen. The jewelry, rich,
rare and costly. he remarked, has not
yet been placed in the cases designated
Tor its exhibition. Greater protection
must be had-not from the crowds who
gather to Q the exposition, but from
the sneak thieves who follow and mingle
with them. II admire you Americana"
ne continued, mot only for the intelli.
R0QC0 and i~ntourifv uhOwp ~ ,,o,,r Poooc