The morning call., 1893-01-30
OUR CACTUS ROOM.
Help Offered to Complete
1t at Chicago.
PRIDE OF THE WORLDS FAIR.
Mrs. Potter Palmer, Mrs. Stanford,
Mrs. Jessie Benton Fremont and
Others Write in Its Praise.

The sale of seats for the concert and
athletic entertainment with which the
Olympic Club has chosen to usher in the
festivities in its new house has renewed in
terest in the California room. which Mrs.
Fr0na Euhice Wait, alternate lady manager
on the National Commission for the Worlds
Fair. has so successfully designed and fur
nsbed.
New features, new ideas and fresh offers
of assistance keep coming in," said Mrs.
Wait yesterday. Zone Of the most artistic
suggestions comes from Mrs. John Vance
Cheney. president of the Century Club.
She thinks that the clasp for the album
of the donors should be a pair of golden
gates. and Miss Allies RideOut is making a
bust of Sybil Sanderson TO so into choice
collection of musical mementos character
istic of California which are to have place
in the room. The young ladies Of the
Ceramic Club are busy on their original de-
signs for the china. which will fill unique
cabinet, and l have letters from Chicago
and all over the State which show how
much pe0ple outside of San Francisco, as
well, appreciate the work going on"
Mrs. Potter Palmer, president OF sine
Board of Lady Managers. in letter from
Chicago says: I'VE feel that the geneT0s-
ity exhibited by The women of California
has been great aid to the Board of Lady
Managers in stimulating interest in other
States. and desire to express our sincere
thanks for the time and effort that you
have expended in securing these beautiful
results"
Another letter is from Mrs. Caudice
Wheeler, president of the Associated
Artists Of New York and the best anthor-
ty on decoration in the United States.
ha hos tgro N.or oF ba int Aaan
ton of the woman's building in Chicago.
ana she has approved the plans for the
California room without single sugges-
tion OF change. She says:
II have been looking over the plans and
sketches for the California room with Mrs.
Palmer and we agree in thinking that the
result viii be very satisfactory aud very
characteristic OF your State. | hope you
will meet with no difficulties in carrying out
this very chirming plan"
Mrs. Jessie Benton Fremont is fully
alive to the needs OF the hour and expresses
herself rs follows: I'm the numberless
beautiful things | think you have snOwn
great taste in selecting the redwood and the
| cactus for your California room at Chicago.
! You will bring combined beauties OF typi-
( cal California products in art and nature
| into your charming homelike California
room, and II every State has such repre-
| sentative lOcaiiZing one can easily make a
| tour Of cur grand country under the roof
OF the fair. Mr.. Ludiviei will, | am sure,
| give you faithful and fine embodiment Of
| the opening scene In the Birth OF the New
| Empire" most typical scene, immense in
| consequences and unpretendiug in its start.
| bat with no backward step"
The work referred to by Julius Ludlvici
| is the panel which he is painting for the
wall. which mas for its subject General FIRE.
mont in the act OF taking command OF the
bear flag party at Sonoma in July, 1876,
CHI ~ oft IN nj hau Ioala
California To be republic
Another letter is from Miss Alice Ride
out. tie talented young scnlptress, whose
work in the Woman's building has been SO
much praised. Miss Rideout says:
1T would have gratfed you, indeed, had
you heard the praises Of yourself that were
sounded on all sides. and am proud Of my
California friend who was described as the
best worker the commission possessed
The room eElbodes most original and
brilliant idea.
Despite the serious Illness Of the Senator.
Mrs. Stanford has found time to write Mrs.
Wait as follows: II feel State pride in
the room you are decorating in the Woman's
building az the Worlds Fair. and as you
have afforded me the privilege of examining
the details of the decorations which you
Yourself have planned, | have 10 fear but
il will he credit 10 our State and 10 you.
| am pleased to hear that the Olympic Club
will give you a reception and that il is to
be tie first given TO ladies IN their new
house. / am sure that tEey are all in SYM
pathy with you and viii cooperate heartily
in your good work. namely, that of placing
California before the world Mt large in its
very best light at the Worlds Colum ban
EXPOSITION"
"a letter from Mrs. Ex-Governor Water
man. whose spDOintee ] am, is especially
gratifying 10 me-" SAID Mrs. Wait, because
II was only alter she had urged NE strongly
that / accepted the nomination on the
national board. | am glad to know that she
is pleased with my work"
Mrs. Waterman says: The style of
decoration you have chosen has the triple
charm OF originality. appropriateness and
intrinsic beauty. When the coun tess womrn
who Will throng the Woman's building have
learned that not only CALIFORNIA; exquisite
room but the whole plan II representative
rooms for States originated in the inspira-
ton OF one Of themselves: | am sure You
will feel that in their cordial admiration and
natural pride In your success you will have
reaped n full reward for your many months
of arduouS labor"
Another interesting letter is from Clara
FslZ of this city. who was largely iustru-
mental in the formation of the part woman
was to take In the EXPOSITION. Ii was her
legal foresight which drafted the original
clause in the act of Congress which gave
women equal power with men, and also
secured her place on the juTes of award.
Mrs. F0ltz writes:
81 congratulate you upon the successful
adoption OF your IDEAS of woman's part in
the exhibit at the Worlds Fair. little
thought then that II would be the work of
another California lady to originate another
idea, that Of furnishing and decorating a
reception-rOom. REPRESENTATIVE of the art
and products OF our great State-an idea so
unique that it has met the approval of the
world. aud State after State, and even for
eign countrIes have siQnified their aDDrecia-
ton by adopting the idea"
Mrs. Susan Gale Cooke, secretary of the
Board al Lady Managers, writes from Chi
cage as follows: I'VE all agrees in thinking
that the room will be both characteristic
and attractive.
During a recent meeting or our Illinois
State Commission Mrs. Palmer and pre-
sented your plans for the qualification and
pleasure Of the ladies OF the comm ission.
and they were admired and praised beyond