St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1893-05-06


The gates are ajar and the great ex-
position is in motion.
To make history truthfully, it must
be stated that President Cleveland did
it with his thumb. The so-ca|led but
ton was not one of the "push " electric
affairs with which everyone is familiar
but more in the form of telegraph key
which the telegraph operator presses
with bis thumb and foretinger.
OF course the president did the act
with the skill of an expert. That is the
way it is recorded and that makes his
tory. 1t is not nearly go material how
a thing is actually done, or how an event
occurs as how it is told to the world
The record, not the fact, does the busl-
ness.
NOT IN READINESS.
The very event of to-day lends force
to my point relative to making history
The telegraph and daily papers an
nounce that the great exhibit began to-
day. AS a matter of fact it did not
The buildings are for the most part
completed and in readiness. Some OF
them have been go for weeks, but the
exhibitors are far from ready.
The result is that the visitor is fairly
bewildered by the incompleteness OF the
exhibits. Thousands of men are busily
engaged in putting the exhibits in place,
and other thousands putting the finish
ing touches on the grounds and some of
the buildings. The progress which has
been made in the past week is almost
like a theatrical transformation scene.
And now that the fair has actually be-
gun, men and money will not be spared
to hasten the completion.
1t is peither fair or honest to say that
all is now in readiness or to predict that
it will be before the firsC of June. 1t is
entirely truthful, however, to say that
there is enough to be seen now to repay
visit, If you choose to make one at
this time. But il you come in May it
would be well to call again, later in the
season, and see the rest. Every day
sees an enormous amount accomplish
ed, but the task is more stupendOus than
ever before attempted in similar line.
But it will pay you to come now rather
than not at all.
THE LIBERTY BELL.
While the Exposition did not formally
open until Monday. it might almost have
been said to have begun between and
10 O'Clock Friday. That was the hour
when the famous" Liberty bell, from Iu-
dependence Hall at Philadelphia arrived.
1t had been showered with honors all
the way from Philadelphia, three state
legislatures adjourning in body to pay
this symbol of liberty visit as it passed
through their respective capitals.
HOW TO REACH JACKSON PARK.
Que of your first problems after arriv-
ing in the city and locating will be how
best to reach jackson park, where the
fair is being held. 1t is a tract of 500
acres of land, six miles south of the CEN
ter of the city. Three years ago it was
largely swamp with scrub trees scat
tered at intervals. Now it is city with
100 buildings, with walks and drives
and all the cOnveniences of modern civ
liZation.
Jackson Park fronts on Stoney Island
avenue, and along that avenue are To-
Gated the main entrance gates. They
ire the intersection of Fifty-seventh,
Fifty-ninth, Sixtietb, Sixty second, Six
y-third, Sixty fourth and Sixty-seventh
streets with the avenue. All the gates
Is far south as Sixty-third street are
reached by the Illinois
Central trains leaving the city from the
axe front at the foot of Van Buren,
treet. The fare is 10 cents one way or
70 cents round trip. This is for through
air trains in fifteen minutes. If you
axe suburban train the fare will be rs
ents round trip 90 cents one way.
The Waba Sd avenue cable line lands
Gu near the Fitty-seventh street en-
rance for five cents, while the elevated
uts you absolutely within the park at
'ixty-second for the same price. The
ity terminal station of the elevated is |
q Congress street, between State and |
Wabash avenue.
There will also be numerous boats |
naving the lake front at the foot of |
ackson and Van Buren, streets at IS |
ents round trip fare.
BUILDINGS BY THE ACRE.
There are 400 buildings of all kinds in
ackson park, but of this number only
Orty-six have been erected for the Ex-
osition proper. The others are state
uildings and those erected by conces-
Ionaires for business purposes. By
Measuring in acres the amount of
round covered, some idea of the i'm
lensity Of the affair can be formed. The
lrgest building is the Manufacturers
all, which covers thirty acres. The
hole forty-six buildings cover $50 acres
nd the remainder occupy fifty acres.
here is, therefore, 200 of the 900 acres
! the park actually under roof. 1t ia
OF surprising in thus covering "all out
oors" that there are leaky spots in the
)of.
It Pays to Advertise. i