The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-08-14


tilIed with common place exhibits, OK
cept as regards the fiue arts. 1t must
be terrible let down 10 Chicago after
sill its brag aud bluster, but 1t may
teach her good lesson. /"
NOT A TRUE BILL,
can think Of no better comment to
make on this extract from my cores
poadeats letter than to inform him
thus publicly, as now do, that several
hundred people from tho city OF Wheel.
ing and vicinity have already attended
the fair, not ono OF whom has any per-
sonal interest in its outcome, save as
American citizens jealous oil their toun'
try's,good name, and not ono OF them,
Ii they were put upon their oaths,
would confirm this impression in re-
gard to 1t. Very far from 1t would be
their verdict, There were one or two
'dead flies in the ointment" such as
the suppressed Persian dancing Contor-
tionists of tho Plaisance, but even
these were not more 0ulre or double en-
tente than the we'll known Alhambra
theatriCRls Of London, which are patron'
lied by many English people whose re-
speciality my correspondent would
not call in question, nor for that mat
ter, not more SO than tho opera bonIte
generally, as performed in Europe and
America, with its ballet OF marching
soldier girls dressed as near to nature
as possible, such as haye been
sean many times by full HOUSES at
Wheeling aud everywhere else in
the land. OF course this is no argH.
ment, nor intended to be, on behalf OF
the female Persian contortionists OF the
Plaisance, but simply a statement Of
fact within the knowledge OF thousands
OF visitors to the lair. Another one OF
these "dead flies in the ointment" OF
the fair, to which aIlusion is made
above, Ia the suppressed gladitatorial
performances OF Prlze.aghter Corbett.
The performances were not real prize
fights, but simply exhibits OF how prize
fighting Is carried on. 1t was by no
means an ediiying exhibit but, giving
the devil his simple due, there was
really nothing horrible about 1t, The
late correct and fastidious ex-senator
Conkling did not hesitate TO be specta-
tor OF similar "object lessons" at the
Madison Square arena in the Fifth aven-
ue district OF New York City. 1t isper-
haps vol to strain at gnats here that
people swailow,with more or less aVility
at home, because this Ia a Worlds
Fair and as such ought not to give OF.
Tense to the best sentiment of our own
or any other country. A Worlds Fair
is, however, q very cosmopolitan sort OF
place. All these various tribes and
tongues have their peculiar customs
and amusements, including their dances,
and come OF these do not seem TO have
boen properly sifted through fine
enough screen before beingallowed space
in tho Plaisance. The oriental idea OF
amusement is not esthetical AS for
Corbett, he has to confne himself to
scientific athletics, but every body
knows how latitudinarian such license
as that could become in the keeping Of
a flexible adiuster like Sullivau's foe
II was therefore good thing to sup
press him.
A GREAT SUCCESS.
In conclusion, I presume it can be
said that the Worlds Fair has now had
its proper amount of sanitation and
that no rock of otEense OF, other stun
bling block exists on the Plaisance.
The Plaisance ia really no real part OF
the fair, any more than Buffalo Bills
Wild West show just outside the
grounds. 1t is situated on the tongue
OF land that connects the fair proper
tthe real exposition} with Washington
park, and resembles almost exactly the
side shows that follow Forepaugh or
Barnum & Baiiey's circuses aud ami.
NAL shows through the country, to all
OF which separate Abundance is
charged. There is about the same av.
erage OF the meretricious in them, and
we oil know how much the average
country cousin enjoys and patronizes
the side shows OF the great show.
Well, this great exposition cannot be
dwarfed down into any comparison
with any "greatest show on earth,"
however great it may be. 1t is SONIC.
thing sui generi& Something too COM
prehensive as an exhibit OF tho great
century in which we live, and OF mem
orable fragments of other centuries, to
be reduced to any petty standard OF
comparison, and no Engtishman nor
Frenchman, although there have been
two worlds fairs in ouch country, ever
looked on such u comprehensive eX-
hibit rs this. The fact that 1t is held
in the Untted States, aud away vest
ward in Chicago, instead OF on tho At
lantic seaboard, has appeared to dis
credit it from the start in Europe,
where Chicago is known. as q purveyor
OF cereals and meats fot the world, or
in other words, US Il huge "Philistine"
instead OF u dispenser OF "sweetness
and light" And yet here in this wild
west" metropolis, on the shores OF
Lake Michigan, where one life timo ago
no sound was heard save the dashing OF
these waters on the shore, can
be Witnessed q scene OF on
Chantmeut such as Europe, an
cient or modern, never presented to the
eye OF poet or painter, and such as
never could have been produced OH any
known spot in New York. or London or
Paris. Only some such city as Venice.
with one Of its islands, could give the
world an approximate to tho matChlcss
landscape Of water aud land that the
White City presents from tho heights
Of tho great Ferris wheel. II the artist
who wrote in u burst Of enthusiasm
those now historic words, "see Naples
and die" had first looked upon this en-.
chRnted sccno ut tho White City from
tho heights have named, no would
probably have added these supplement-
nry words, don't take my advice us
meant for all time to como, for there
will arise in the new world, in tho name
OF Columbus, n scene Of beauty rivaling
even this, OF tho Vosuvian bay, and 1t
will be known as tho Worlds Fair at
Dhirnyo in 1909 " w n