The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-08-04
FROM THE "WHITE CITY"

We take the liberty of copying a few
extracts from a private letter, written
from Chicago to gentleman here by a
prominent BenningtOnian now at the
Worlds Fair. 1t gives the reader an
excellent idea Introductory of the great
show, and is one of the very best de-
scriptions that we have seen as far as it
goes. We hope our friend will favor the
BANNER with more like it, either now or
upon his return home. He says:
This is big world. l knew its cir
cumference and it's diameter before l
came here, but have received some new
notions of it by a week at the Fair.
The United States, too, is big country,
but an impartial observer will, indeed,
must say we do not own the whole earth.
The further l examine the more my
wonder grows that countries which we
always think of as little spot on map
can make such an astonishing exhibit
here. One lesson we can learn from
them is that of concentration of effort iii
certain direction. Men make exhibits
here whose great grandfathers were in
the same business hundred years ag
and through generations these firms
seem to have striven for perfection in
a single line, and the result is perfec-
ton of detail that increases our astonish-
ment in proportion to the close study we
b. stow upon it,
Everything here is upon a scale of
magnificence that was entirely beyond
my comprehension, until l saw it, and
| can now only look and wonder that
there is anywhere in the world the intel
lect and the audacity that would first
plan and then push to conclusion an
enterprise so stupendOus, so maguifi-
cent, so varied, so Theoretically rich,
and above all so complete in every de-
tail. One does not stop to ask where the
money came from-the wonder is that
such an enterprise could be completed
under any circumstances. One must
have great courage in eed who would
attempt to describe any of it. So far as
the buildings go the best features have
seen are but miserable caricatures.
They give no idea of the magnitude.
Think of single building covering an
area of A acres,-a building nearly 100
feet long by 800 wide. The central arch,
running the entire length, is so high that
the immense iron trusses look but a
hands BREADTH yet one that measured
was a plate of rolled iron AZ inches
wide and two inches thick; and that
ascends in one long graceful curve from
the base to the highest point in the
building some 200 feet above the floor,
where it meets it's mate from the other
side. The architecture alone is worth
a journey here to see.
The Art gallery receives more atten-
tion than any other single exhibit. 1t
does not have the attraction for me that
/ expected it would have. Everybody
praises it, but don't think it approach
es in interest that of 1915. The pictures
are of course beautiful and they repre-
sent uncounted millions in value, but so
few of them, so far as | can see, have
any historic interest. While the whole
collection is rich Indeed, still too many
of them need to be explained. A paint
ing or piece of sculpture to have great
value should tell It's own story. Cuii-
ously enough l never heard that they
paint pictures in Poland, yet the de-
partment of the Society of Polish Ar
lists" has had more interest for me than
all the rest of the pictures put together.
The fair is open to-day, Sunday, but
concluded that would stay at home and
rest.
have found Chicago almost as won
derful as the Fair-what little l have
seen of it. New York City has nothing
in the way of retail houses to approach
what we see here. l went down town
yesterday and took two hours stroll
through the retail house of-Cooper &
Co.
l shall be glad to tell you what 1. saw
when | return.