Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-07-11

I ~Ns>~
that the first day of their visit they were
SO overcome by this feeling of human in
ability 10 cope with the magnitude Of the
fair that they were tempted to enjoy one
| good look about the grounds, noting the
| beauty Of the fairy-like scene and the
| grandeur of the architecture, and then &C
| home without ever entering one of the
| buildings.
OF course they did nothing of the sort.
| This feeling wears off after the first day,
| and when one has entered building and
become fascinated with the things TO be
| seen there--it doesn't matter much which
| building you first 20 into, the effect is the
| same-there follows a desire TO stay until
everything can be seen. Then begins the
bard work. Then comes the determine
| ton to take it all in or die in the attempt.
| 1t would never do TO 60 back home, one
| thinks. and be forced to confess that he
| had not seen this or that which some one
| is sure 10 ask about. Hence people are
| driven into overtaxipg themselves. They
| walk and walk and look and look until
| they are utterly worn out. One of the
]
| that of men and women looping down on
| the benches or the grass thoroughly IA
,ieued and appearing rs if they had not
| the energy to stir another step. But after
| a short rest, and sometimes cat-nap, they
| get up and go mt it again.
| The managers of the exposition have
done fairly we'll in providing for the pub
| lie comfort, though not as much as they
should have done There Is complaint,
well-founded. that there are not seats
enough on the grounds, and that there Is
| not enough shade to protect the people
| from the driving rays of the sun that
| plisten almost blistering hot from the
white buildings which surround the land
| scaue Here is where the structures
erected by the states show their great
value Nearly all of these buildings have
| corlmodious pazzas, well furnished with
| easy chairs Ii doesn't matter whether
| one is from Pennsylvania, or New York,
or.Massachusetts or Wisconsin. if he hap
pens at the Pennsylvania, or the New
| York, or the Massachusetts,, or the Wis
eonsin building when fatigue overtakes
| him he walks boldly in and helps himself
| to the first seat he comes to- he may do
| more. The parlors, The lavatories, the
lounges and rocking chairs are at the dis
posal Of himself and the ladies of his
party. II is one of the good features of
American national and state life that we
are all brothers, no matter whence we hail
The western man Is as welcome at the
club-houses of the eastern commonwealths
| as he is in his own, and so it is every
where, There is no narrowness, no sec
tionalism, no north, south, east or west in
this fine array of state conveniences. The
| welcome is hearty in them all, and one is
| not asked whence he halls.
III it were not for these state buildings
and their comforts great many people
would fall by thv wayside. There would
be more cases Of heat prostrations, or OF
fatigue prostrations, for the terms are
often interchangeable, than the exposition
| hospital could take care of. There is
great number of such cases as it is. Again
feel like warning people who come to the
fair against the error OF OVERRIDING. IL II
| for your own good and greater enjoyment
Do not try to see the whole fair in three
or four days. If you have but few days
| to spend here select the features of most
interest to Won, and Contine the most OF
your efforts in those directions. 1t is the
easiest place in the world to be mistaken
in the amount of ground one is covering
The distances are all deceptive. Often
when you have walked three miles you
think vou have covered no more than
mile You are so preoeeuped that you do
not even notice your own fatigue, not un'
til it is too late and the mischief is done.
Every day see women, and men, too,
stretched out on the sofas and in the easy
chairs which the state buildings have so
beneticently provided. asleep, utterly
worn out. A curious scene was that
which met my eyes today as walked into
The elegant and Injurious headquarters OF
New York In the ladies' reception room
I woman was playing piano, and play
ing it we'll and loudly. Not twenty feet
from the instrument were no fewer than
five men and women asleep in their chairs.
In hallway in the Pennsylvania build
ing saw "a whole family, father, mother,
two girls and boy, all strstched ont on
two sofas, and all asleep. They literally
lay upon each other, or Topped upon each
other, and the father WAS snoring as con
fiiently as if it we're in his own domiclie,
which may be in Oregon or Texas, for
aught know. instead of in public place
in the beautiful palace which the Key
stone state has erected here for the con
yenience of its sons and all who may come
to its doors.
The management Of the exposition is
open to criticism in one very important
particular They built a great city OF pal
aces, some of them mile and hall
apart, aud then provided but indifferent
and rather expensive means OF getting
nom one to the other. There are three
methods of transit about the grounds.
One il by the intramural railway, an ele-
waited electric road, which runs numerous
trims at good speed, and the ears are com
Portable and at night brilliantly lighted.
The trouble IS that they only skirt the
edge Of the grounds and except in rare in
stances do not take the people where thev
want to go. To reach the cars it is neces-
sary not only 10 walk some distance, but
to climb pretty long flight of stairs. Tha
fare is 10 cents, which is just 100 per cent.
too much for a ride of mile and half
! Then on alighting one finds it necessary
to walk saale distance again. usually, be-
| fore arriYi4,S at his destination
Then there are the wheel-chairs. These
are very comfortable and convenient foi
| those who can afford the luxury which
| they provide. But the tolls are excessive
-15 cents an hour or 80 cents for half
hour Many people do not feel like paying
this sum for ride. 1t costs but 80 cent?
! for admission to the whole exposition, and
| it does lock like imposition to be com
PEELED to pay one-half as much more for
| cheap chair and young man to push It
about for one hour. A hanson cab In
| Chicago, with horse and driver, costs no
more By the hour. The best way to do il
I to hire chair at 50 cents an hour without
guide, and push it yourself with youi
wife or sister as the passenger. By occa
sienaIIy sitting in the chair yourself for
short rest you will. if strong, be able to dc
this for two or three hours without tirine
| yourself very much. There has been
| great deal of agitation here In favor OF re
/ duced prices for these chairs, but mas
much as the management made contract
when they let the concession it seems they
( are powerless TO make any change.
The third method of getting to and fre
| is by far the most pleasant OF all, but it.
too, Is rather costly. ! speak now OF the
I electric launches which ply up and down
the lagoons. There are fifty of these, and
( they make pretty good speed Each boat
I will hold thirty-five passengers when fully
loaded. and fifty minutes are consumed in