Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1893-06-08

While the EnGlishman is studiously sim
pie and almost plain, and the Continental
foreigner endeavors to mix architectural
effects. statuary and hangings with his
warrs-to show the products OF his factor
les in miniature palaces-the American
sticks much closer to The thing which he
has 10 show. Il i that and not some allied
art that he seeks To glorfy. The average
American does not pretend To a knowl-
edge Of architecture, or Of statuary. or az
paintings, or Of tapest ries; and he declines
u admit that his wares need any such en-
tei.ishment 10 make them attractive. On
Tie other hand he replaces the simplicity
81 ~ british cousins by deft mauipula-
ll"h OF ms goois. 50 that even the most
commonplace of exhibits are made scnsa
ii'ha4- some OF these efforts are surpris-
ing.
for instance, yuu would not think there
WAS anything attractive about a cook
stove, would yous 1t Is. though one of
the most useful ot man, fabrications. ono
Of the most commonplace. But the cas-.
wears n different aspect when the ex-
hihior-apparently saying TO himself,
the stoves the thing and the STOVE IL
shall b., makes stove of perfect detail
and proportions as big hs country school
house. puts electric lights in il To illunti-
nate the letters which denote is name.
ana asks visitors ~ step within the stove
which Is in Itself pavilion and see what
he has To show them. This j. sensational
ism, IL Is true, and IL sayurs Of advertising
methods, but IL IS distinctiyely American
Besides, what IL the exposition, ANYWAY
but an advertising show-window Of the
nationss
Another American manufacturer builds
an immense trunk, just like any over
grown trunk, except that its walls are Of
glass This Is his pavilion, and within it
he displays his wares. For n counter-par
to this method from foreign hands YOU
Will have TO 20 over to the Mining build
Ing, where German iron maker has
erected monster iowerpo Of steel rods,
beams and strips. 1t is graceful thing.
and OF the very few instances Of the EN-
ploynent of rich methods 10 he found in
the whole foreign display. The chances
are the idea was gathered from some
American exhibitor at Philadelphia or
Paris.
One American manufacturer of such ex-
ceedingly commonplace articles as enam-
eled iron arranges innumerable tea pots.
frying pans, dippers, cups, cans, buckets
and such things in pagoda-lik form that
passer-by. II the same ware was displayed
on shelves not one visitor in a thousand
would stop to look at 1t. 4 New England
maker OF razOrs has an installation here
that is thing of beauty He not only
shows something less than million STYLES
Of razors, but groups together the blades
with which our revolutionary frefathers
kept their faces clean, then shows the
type in use from 1880 to 1910. and by sue
cessiye chronological stages up to the pres
ent day. Another New England firm com
pels you to stop in admiration OF Its dis
play OF files. Perhaps you never used
file in your life. AT any rate, you never
supposed there were more than dozen or
two kinds Of files. He has his ware ar
ranged SO skillfully you see at glance
there are ten thousand kinds. Many OF them
are really beautiful because of such per
ect workmanship and adaptability to the
lrpose for which intended-the sort OF
utility that approaches the field of art.
One file is about three feet long and
strong man would be required to WELD it.
Lying upon it is another no bigger than
needle, yet just as perfect
How smar. these New Englanders arei
Here is still another who actually fasci-
mates you with display OF tacks A few
Ieet lartner ana a case OF hammers and
sledges forces you to stop. Next an ex-
hibit Of hoes, rakes, pitchforks and shovels
is so artfully contrived that you pause in
smaZement. The Yankee lock maker ar
tests your attention with paddock as big
As the end of street car. 1t is a perfect
paddock, except that its sides are trans
parent, making it a mere show case in
which are a thousand types Of locks.
Another stove manufacturer has erected
pavilion which is as pretty as picture,
and what tint do you suppose it wass
Stove polish gray. The most noted firm
Of wire-rope and cable manufacturers in
the world-an American house-charms
you with display of steel cables ranging
in size from the knitting needle to the
mammoth mass, thicker than a fat mans
body, which is one of the cables Of the
Brooklyn bridge. And for a sort of en-
phasis there is a handsome panorama Of
the Brooklyn bridge, with model of
ship in the foreground, every inch of its
rigging being composed of steel wire.
These are but few of thousand simi-
lar artful arrangements of the products of
American shops. There is not only solid
merit in all the wares, but an originality
and finish peculiarly American, and with
which the foreigners are unable to COM
pete. The general effect is to make the
visitor proud of his countrymen, of their
skill in manufacture and their ingenuity
in invention. ROBERT GRAVES.