The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-10-18
THE WORLDS FAIR.
some Reflections After Visiting the
Great Exhibition.

Great Exhibition.
Editor II. L. C.-Sir: But a few days
more and the great Columbian exposition
and worlds fair will have come to an
end. when many will begin TO reflect
upon the greatest of exhibitions OF the
kind ever held on earth.
Some will say. Yes. most assuredly I
was there. but how little do 1 know or
comprehend the Importance OF the thou
sand things / saw" Others will wonder
whv so little is said by those who at
tended the fair or why did 1 not become
interested enough TO have gone for a
few days myself
II is significant fact quite noticeable
with the generality of the people that
but little interest is shown for the colos-
sal undertaking of gathering together
almost every conceivable product of sea
and land. art and industry and from
every cline OF the inhabitable globe.
or those who do visit the fair tens of
thousands seemingly wander about in
an aimless sort of way that reflects a
want of appreciation on their part; and
of others who say or write so little Of
what may have interested them most
the people and the whole matter passes
with little or no concern OF what the re-
suits will be or may have been.
The directors and managers apparently
are becoming tired OF the fair and will
ing TO close the exhibition at the time
set for winding up all contracts with the
exhibitors. and they. too, seem quite
anxious to get out and away so soon as
conditions will admit, and nothing less
than a liberal patronage of the public
and good weather would induce them to
remain longer than necessary. Hotel
people and lodging house keepers say
they are very much disguised with their
business the way things have gone.
light attendance during summer, with
general collapse of business, and later
efforts to meet the increased attendance,
but at improbable rates because of the
heavy expenses incurred from the start,
and rivalry i'm the hotel business. But
many of us who have been there will
doubtless take the latter with grain Of
salt to eliminate a choking sensation OF
sympathy for those who specialized upon
becoming mushroom millionaires.
Having just returned home for the
third time and perhaps last visit to the
fair. including the opening exercises of
buildings and Jackson park as they were
then. includes the best part of three
weeks taken in the aggregate, so that 1t
would seemingly appear / had pretty
thoroughly done the fair. But far from
IL. as my interest did not lessen or mind
become INSTRUCTED with sightseeing, as
i might have enjoyed many days more
before getting clogged or having ex-
hausted the list of novelties and inven-
lions to be seen. Yet to have undertaken
to examine each and every article on eX-
hibition would more than probably have
produced a surfeit unsupportable, as
some student OF mathematics claims that
if each visitor would occupy three min
utes OF his time in looking at every arti-
Gle to be seen there II would take twenty
six years to do IL. Consequently 1 con-
clude my visit by taking in Chicago day
lust to see the multitude of human be-
inRs massed together to the number of
nearly one million people. From differ
ent points OF observation at an altitude
commanding a view of the moving mass
going and coming produced a spectacular
panorama to the beholder never to be
forgotten.
The day was perfect and everything
contributed to make the time and place
a record breaker in the worlds history
Of colossal exhibitions. The going down
OF the sun. whose brilliant rays were not
unbroken in the least the entire day. be-
came the supreme moment of the hours
OF expectation, when mans genius
through the multiplied inventions burst
forth in all the glory of inimitable bril-
liancy that cause tens Of thousands of
voices with a momentary impulse to send
up a welcoming strain of JOY that echo
and re-echo throughout Jackson park.
From the gilded dome of the Admins
tratiOn building flashes the lightning that
flies from peak and spire to angle and
plane. sculptures panels and balustrade
electric fountains. and the statue of the
republic down at the further end of the
grand basin connecting the court Of
honor and peristyle; all Illuminated and
made gorgeous as gem by the dazzling
rays Of a number of powerful search
lights located on the surrounding build
ings company of Chicago hussars
make their appearance on horseback
around the court of honor, followed by
floats beautifully decorated and typical
of incidents connected with the history
of our country from it's discovery to date
Before the parade had fairly got under
way through the pressing throng of
sight-seers the fireworks were set going
and the whole place become a blazing
light of triumphant glory, completing the
celebration OF Chicago day and the TWEEN
ty-second anniversary Of her great fire.
"M1ELLO."