Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-07-20
WORLDS F|AR LETTER.
From our Special Correspondent.)

Viking ship will come INTO the harbor a
the Fair on Wednesday afternoon
There is as much historic interest at
tached to the sturdy ship of the vikings
as to the carayals in which Columbu.
came from Spain to San Salvador. Ar
rangements are being made to give the
officers grand reception "Wednesday
evening. All the Scandinavians viii
turn out in full force. All day Sunday
visitors to the Fair watched the strange
craft from the shore just east of the
Manufactures building and was sure il
was the viking ship, but no, the ship Of
SO much interest had not come yet
1t was only the caraval of Columbus
feet which was anchored out in the
lake. 1t has not yet been decided
where they will be located for the in
spection of the public. The Santa
Maria is in the center and the Nina and
Pinta on the port and starboard sides
respectively. Captain Concas formed
his crew on the port side OF his ship,
and received the representatives of. the
United States Navy with all due formal
ity. After showing his visitors over the
ship they were saluted with six hearty
cheers when they left the vessel. In
the afternoon the officers of the cara
walls visited Buffalo's Wild West show
by special invitation and were highly
entertained by the exhibition. Buffalo
Bill never lets all opportunity to extend
his hospitality to all the notables that
visit the Fair 60 by. He strives to in
gratiate himself with all foreign powers
The visitor to the Fair this week will
hear nothing but the Columbus fleet
and the Viking ship. They will form
the SPECIAL feature of the weeks enter
tainment.
Sunday was Argentine's fourth of
July, and they celebrated the anni-
versary of the dawn of its freedom by
opening its exhibits in the NIanufac-
lures, Forestry, Agriculture, and Min
ing buildings at the Columbian Ex-
position. In every department the ex-
h1bits of the South American republic
are comprehensive and well arranged.
The native woods invite inspection, and
will stand comparison with any country
in the world. There are hundreds of
varieties of them and each is repre-
sented by a beautifully polished log.
Beautiful wood carving and fine musical
instruments are shown in the Manu-
factures building. Here, too, are
several fine paintings which represent
Argentine Republics contribution to
the fine arts. Everything in the ex-
hibit represents the highest civilization
which the republic has attained. There
is little spot way down by the anthro-
biological building at the southeast part
of the grounds that, if the visitor
would take the trouble to investigate
would prove of much interest to him.
This little green patch lying near the
east lagoon, in which are moored some
fanciful canoes, is to, be peopled this
coming week by representatives of
North American Indians from all
regions. The fleet footed Indian of the
primeval forests who roamed this broad
continent from shore to shore fixing
habitations and villages, will be repre-
sented by descendants not further re-
moved from their ancestors than the
Duke of Eeragua is from Columbus the
discoverer of America. They will re-
produce scenes from primitive life in
America. Among the first Indians to
arrive are the Pennobscots, next comes
the 1roquois and Mohawks. There will
be few Navajo Indians also. Those
Indians are famous for their wonderful
Navajo blankets. The last and most
tricky are the Apaches. They are very
seldom thoroughly civilized.
At noon Wednesday the South
Dakotas will dedicate their pretty
little home at the Fair. An informal
reception will be held by the Governor,
at which all South Dakota
people and those residing in this city
are invited to be present. This build
ing is the only one of the many state
buildings that is dark in coloring They
haye used the black stone of the Hills
to make their home with, and it looks
very odd alongside the other state
buildings which if not clear white are
painted cream and pale blue. The
State buildings form an important part
of the Exposition. Many of the states
preferred to exhibit their finest wares
in their own buildings, and net make
such extensive displays in the Manu-
factures building, so the visitor should
by all means visit each one Of them.
The New York building is declared
by all to be the finest in interior decor
alton of any on the grounds. Their
banquet hall surely could not be sur
passed. The finest chandeliers ever
exhibited IN this country are to be
seen glistening with myriads of lights,
while the soft pink and pale green tints
of the ceiling create halo over the
room that is very charming, Each slate
seems to have dQhf its very best to
make iss home at the Fair one long to
be remembered.