The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-05-14
A CITY OF LIGHT.
Beautiful i'm Flashes of
Flame.
CROWDS FLOCK TO THE FAIR.
And the Managers Continue to Wran-
gle About the Question of Sum
day Closing.
Special to THE MORNING CALL

CHICAGO. May 13.-Despite the chilly
wind and the leaden sky visitors were NOT
frightened from the fair grounds this
morning, but came in hordes till at
noon. when the wind died away and the
sun came cut. 1t was estimated there were
some 60,000 visitors on the grounds.
noticeable feature was the number of
school children who were taking advantage
OF the weekly holiday to pay visit to the
fair. The curiosity aroused as to the COM
parailye attendance of the commencement
of ths Centennial and the exposition was
eratihed to-day by the publication OF the
official figures which show that the attend
ance at the Worlds Fair during the first
eleven days was nearly 219.000 greater than
at the Centennial at corresponding
period.
The White City was transformed tonight
into city OF rainbow tint. The plans for
the first complete illumination were all
perfected. and the spectacle far surpassed
anything of the sort ever attempted.
Nearly all who came out during tie day
remained for the evening display, and so
many more came in the evening that the
attendance of the day was nearly dou ubled.
At 8 o'clock the electric lights were turned
on, and lightning flashes swept along the
caves Of the grand buildings that line the
main basin. the fountains threw faint rib
bons OF spray through mist of rainbow
tints, and the cascade from the main
fountain was transformed into a restless
stairway of amethyst and gold. Viewed
from the west front of the peristyle the
whole was as gorgeous as an oriental
dream.
The National Commissioners had lively
discussion to-day over the action of tie
local directors in ordering the fair opened
on Sundays. When the commissioners
met, President Higin bOtham submitted
report of the action of the local directors,
and after dozen or more of the commits
sioners had expressed their views the mat
tier was referred to the committee on ju-
dietary.
Charles w. Clingman. an attorney and n
stockholder in the Columbian Exposition,
took the first legal steps in the matter of
Sunday closing this afternoon. He filed
bill ia the Superior Court praying for an
injunction restraining the Directory and
Park Commissioners from closing the gates
of the fair on Sunday. A hearing on the
appl cation for an injunction is exueeted
in the early part of next week.
A practice alarm for the fire department
on the grounds was turned in this morning,
creating considerable excitement among
the SPECTATORS, who did not know the ma
ture Of the call. Within one minute after
the a5arm was sounded the last engine to
reacfthe spot was throwing water.
Commissioner White of New Mexico
said to-day that the committee on build
ings and grounds, of which he is q member,
had been making the rounds Of the build
ings lately. and that so far the exhibits
in tbeIJnited States Government building
were the nearest complete OF any on tne
grounds. and that the whole committee
was pleased with the display. The fisher
les display, too, was far advanced, but
when the committeeman looked into some
of the buildings it was rather discourage
ing. 1t looked as If work had but just be-
NM