The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1893-05-06
The Worlds Fair Begun.

The Worlds Fair Begun.
The newspapers to hand this week are
filed with glowing descriptions Of the
opening of the great Columbian EXPOSE
ton at Chicago ON the LIST Of May.
The Electric Age was ushered into be-
ing in this last decade Of the nineteenth
century by the pressing Of q button!
No exhibit Of the great fair that is to
attract hundreds of thousands to Chica-
90 for the next six months can be more
marvellous than the magical effect which
followed the solemn opening Of the fair
at 1908 last Monday. 1t was known in
vague way th* President Cleveland
was to press golden key, and that cleo
trical communication with the machinery
was to start the fair, but no one realized
how infinite the ramifications Of that
electric spark until the great fountains
threw up their geysers seventy feet into
the air, and the rumble and hum Of
wheels and the clatter of machinery in
all parts of an area fully mile square
told the story Of the final contamination
of scientific thought and enterprise.
In previous expositions the possibili-
ties of electricity has been confined to
the mere starting of the engines in ma
cLinery hall In this it made thousand
servants do it's bidding, and from the
great engines and the mammoth foun-
tains down to the minutest acts, where
power and touch we're requisite, the mag
ical power of electricity was made to do
the duty of the hour.
The multitude on the fair grounds was
greater than had been anticipated, con-
sidering the inauspicious condition Of
the weather. Probably 100000 people
we're assembled when at II O'Clock the
advance guard signaled the approach Of
President Cleveland and the dignitaries
of the day. The journey to tho admins
tration building was made with all posi-
BILE dispatch, the Presidential party not
stopping to acknowledge any Of the pop
ular ovations extended. OF course the
cheering was tremendous when Presi-
dent Cleveland faced the assembled null
titude, the largest audience ever faced by
an American citizen. The 200 Columbian
Guards who surrounded the administra-
ton building made futile effort to keep
back the crowds, but were swept forward
by the resistless wave and jammed next
to the railing until they themselves were
an unacceptable part of the inooherent
and struggling, but cheering and good
natured mass of humanity.
AT 1l:3O to the minute the programme
opened with blast from the orchestra.
which lasted for fifteen minutes, and al
it's close Director General Davis stepped
to the front OF the platform, waived his
hand supplicatingly two or three times
and announced that the chaplain would
pronounce the invocation. The blind
chaplain of the U. 3 House Of Represen.
tatives, Rev. Mr.. Milburu, guided by the
hand of his beautiful adopted daughter,
Miss Louise Gently, stepped to the front
and faced the multitude. Mr.. Milburn
is one Of the historic characters Of Ameri.
can politics, He is popular with Demo.
Gratis and Republicans, being eloquent
and Cody, and has been retained at his
post for three or four succeeding admin
istrations. After brief pause, and the
murmur of voices had subsidized, the blind
preacher uttered this beautiful prayer:
"An glory be TO Thee, Lord God oI
Hosts, that Thou has hast put it into thu
hearts of all tongues, peoples and nations
to keep q feast of tabernacles in thu
place, in commemorati0n Of the most mo
mentous Of all voyages, in which Colum
bus lifted the veil which hid the New
World from the Old, and opened thu
gateway of the future for mankind
Thy servants have builded these pala
ces, many chambered and many Raleried
more than imperial in their splendor, il
which to store and show the victories o
man over air, water, fire and earth. En-
gines of usefulness, treasures OF beauty
are significant az illustrating the world
advance within these 400 years. Woman
too. the shackles falling from her hands
throbbing with the pulse Of the new
time, joyously treading the path OF
larger freedom, and of responsible sell
helping life that is opened before hel
woman, nearer to God by reason OF tn
htuitions of the heart and the grandeu
6f her self-sacrifice, brings the inspirs
ton OF her genius, the products Of he
brain and sensibility, to shed over thi
spot loneliness and charm OF her OWL
thus making the house beautiful.
ITO the Hottest among the mighty, tn
Mightiest among the holy, Whose wound
ed hand has lifted the gates Of great en-
pires from their hinges and turned tn
stream Of history into new channels, t
the risen and assembled Lord, we dedicat
these trophies Of the past. achievmen'
Of the present, prophecies Of the futur'
, reverently and with humility.
xxHy n A. L. DH<A