Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-10-12
CHICAGO DAY At THE FAIR
Greatest in the History of the
Exposition.
FULLY 100000 ON THE GROUNDS
Splendid Financial Success
of the Big Fair.


thousand people--uOuDtleSS the greatest
crowd that ever congregated-visited
the Worlds Fair to-day, breaking the
greatest one.day record at Paris by an
overwhelming majority; completely
smothering the "big day" figures of any
other exposition ever held, and estab-
fishing mark which, IL is safe to pre-
dict, the present generation will never
see attained.
When the morning sun, looking
through a light mist, peeped over the
white peristyle, at 5 o'clock, many peo.
pie were nearing the different entrances
to the ground, and by the time the gates
opened $3.50 fully 1000 people besieged
each passage eager for admission. From
that hour until late in the afternoon
there was q constant jam at every gate.
The Department of Admissions had
an extra folce on duty and every turn
stile was kept registering at its highest
speed. Yet these facilities were made
quate. About o'clock Superintendent
Tucker ordered every wagon gate opened
and stationed corps of men at each
to take tickets, relieving the pressure
from without to u marked degree.
About 4 o'clock, when 1t was seen that
the crowds had diminished sufficiently
to permit of their successful handling
by the regular entrances, the wagon
gates were closed after 100000 people
had been admitted. To this vast army
$4,000 were added in the next three
hours.
The glorious October weather and the
grandness of Chicago Day at the Fair
kept the crowds coming all afternoon
and evening, A conservative estimate
at midnight places the attendance for
the day at 100000. The official figures
will not be given out before tomorrow,
as the great mass of tickets has nearly
swamped the department of admissions.
Previous to this ever-memorable day
the palm for large attendance rested
with Independence Day, July 4Lh, when
the attendance was aS3,273. Other days
notable for great crowds are Illinois
Day, 243, 951; Transportation Day, 231,-
622; Polish Day Qast Saturday,, 49,, 176;
knights of Honor Day, 5,643; Penn
sylvania Day, 203,460, and Railroad
Day, 202,376.
The total number of paid admissions
since the opening Of the Fair is
16,402,070. The greatest day at Paris
was 1917 $50, and at Philadelphia 217 1926.
THE FAIR ENTIRELY OUT OF DEBT.
To many, the greatest triumph of
Chicago was the clearing Of the Fairs
financial skies. The last dollar of a
threatening debt that hung like pail
over the Fair was swept away to-day.
Treasurer Seeberger signed a check In
the morning for 65,310.76-repre-
senting the last payment of the
$4,5O0,O00 issue of bonds, including
Interest, that had been piling up zee
last February. Tomorrow the 3h
men who put up money to finish the
Fair when II was staggering under a
debt that threatened to crush il will be
paid back in full. All other creditors
were satisfied last week.
The crowd began to flow into the city
on Saturday, and continued without
cessation yesterday and last night I'm.
able to find lodgings, thousands slept in
doorways and in the station houses dur
ing the night, and other thousands
camped out under the domes and turrets
of the White City, The hotels were
packed, and the facilities for handling a
crowd were taxed to the utmost.
IMPRESSIVE RECEPTION BY SINGERS.
The sky was clear, 1t was day that
man alone might mar, and man was too
joyous and loyal to Chicago. AT noon,
when the days celebration began there,
the great plazas east and west of the
Administration Building were living
masses OF humanity, which cheered and
shouted when the cannon of Battery d
Numbered its salute to the nations. A
silence fell on the multitude when the
"Hearlds of Peace, 'attred in their gaudy
costumes, began their fanfare of pace.
These were stationed on the Peristyle,
Administration Building, Manufactures
Building, Agricultural Building. All
turned toward the Goddess Of Liberty
and played on their brazen instruments
the motto peace on Earth, Good Will
Toward Men," When from the plat
form on the west plazas 2 900 voices sang
the "Ssar Spangled Banner" the multi.
tude took up the refrain, and dull roar
of harmony mounted to the heavens. Ii
was magnificent, and each person waved
q hand nag in tune with the music. Fol.
lowing this great burst of song the
united bands of the Exposition Joined
in playing the music of the Southern
States, and the chorus orchestra and
band Joined in "Columbia."
If the morning festivities were grand,
those OF the afternoon outdid them.
Visitors had been pouring in contlnu-
ously, and by 3 O'clock fully 100000
people were gathered in the grounds.
The plaza facing the Court Of Honor
was black with spectators. The "union
of States" was the spectacle which they
Dad assembled to witness. AS the States
passed in review around the Court of
Honor, represented by 5000 school
children, cheer after cheer attested the
OF the vast audience, The
review was divided into five sections.
The affair lasted until late in the after
noon.
WONDERFUL PAGEANT BY NIGHT.
Tonight ono of the most gorgeous
pageants ever produced took place, and
1t was followed by the most wonderful
display of fireworks. twenty-five great
floats illustrated the arts, science, peace,
war, Chicago, and the nations. Each
was a magnificent and costly produc-
ton, and the spectacular effect was
gorgeous in the extreme. "Chicago in
War and "Sheridan's Famous Charge
at the Front" were followed by "Chi-
cago In Peace" "Chicago PROSTATE"
Commerce" and "Columbus at the
Court of Isabella" This was the most
expensive float in the procession. Then
came the floats of foreign nations, the
final piece being Electra" showing the
genius. Of electricity, represented by an
enormous dragon, the color of which
changed at intervals from green to red,
flaming breath Of steaming nostrils
making it realistic, while dazzling lights
extended along the wings. The entire
DOdN of the minister WAS . Hand of Hnht