Huntsville gazette., 1893-11-04
AND THE END CAME.

Ihe Columbian Exposition as Officially
Recognized Thing OF the Past-At
Sunset on Monday October 80, the Flags
were Lowered simultaneously While
looming Cannon Sounded the Parting
knelI and the Bands Played National
Airs-An Impressive and Sad Scene
When 1t is Remembered that the Beauti-
full White City is to BE Dismantled.
WORLDS FAIR GROUNDS. CHICAGO,
Oct. 30.-In harmony with the Worlds
fair city's sorrow came the closing of
the Worlds Columbian exposition this
day as directed by the United States
congress. At 4:45 o'clock the colors of
all nations which have been flying at
half-mast since sunrise on Sunday
were lowered together, as they were
unfurled, in the presence of President
Cleveland, May /.
Six months, with the exception of
day, have passed, and the glory of the
exposition has been woven into the his
tory of the worlds progress. At the
word of command from artillery Of
ficers the guns of a battery facing the
blue waters of Lake Michigan belched
forth a signal in blank powder telling
the world the Worlds fair was dying
with the setting sun-dying while
dirgss were being sung and tears shed
and heads were bowed in grief over the
bier of Chicago's mayor. When the
sunset hour arrived hundred men,
stationed at every flagstaff of the ma
tion's colors on the departmental build
ings, stood ready to lower the flags and
bare the poles which should tell to the
visitors that the Columbian exposition
was at an end forever.
1t was an impressive and sad scene
when the cannon roared and the flags
of the nations were seen no more upon
the buildings of the White city. 1t
seemed like a dismantled fleet and the
thousands of visitors who viewed the
closing spectacle could not refrain
from signing and regretting that the
exposition was at an end. The only
banner that remained was that which
bore the name of Illinois, and fioated
at half-mast from the dome of the
state building. The only music which
was heard outside of Festival hall
came from the Innes Thirteenth Regi-
ment band, of New York city, which
played in the court of honor during
the afternoon. The programme which
the band rendered vas the same which
was intended to have been given in
Music hall after the closing of the ex-
position, beginning at o'clock. Sew
era1 thousand visitors assembled
around the band pavilion willie the
band played the closing selections. At
the sunset hour Conductor Innes
played on the trombone the "Seashell
Waltz" one Of his own compositions.
While the noise of the cannon was
heard on the lake front and the flags
on the palaces of the vanishing city,
the New York band waited to play the
farewell to the fair Conductor Innes
filled the gap by playing ''Oh, Dear,
What Can the Matter Be"
The last flag to be pulled down from
its staff was one of the three facing
the court of honor from Administra-
ton building The hands that pulled
it down from its staff were those of
the Worlds fair newspaper men, and
as Old Glory reached the ground a
great cheer and tiger rose on the
evening air, while the sun set slowly in
the west. While the last flag was be-
ing pulled to the ground from the court
of honor the New York band played
THE Star Spangled Banner" and con
cluded with America" A cheer went
up from the thousands assembled
within hearing of the musical strains,
and after the sound Of the bugle from
Administration building the Worlds
fair became a part of history