The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-05-29


on Deaf Ears-The Maine Building
Opens.
CHICAGO, May 2s.-An hundred and
twenty-five thousand people came to the
Worlds Fair grounds today, drank in
the inspiring music and feasted their
eyes upon the beauties of the White City
while their minds were improved by
studying the works of genius and indus
try. 1t was the first open Sunday, and it
was success.
The Sabbath sun was but two hours
old when people began to come into the
grounds. All modes of transportation
brought their quotas. The masses did
not begin to arrive until afternoon. Be-
ginning about 2 o'clock, multitudes
focked into the grounds at every gate.
By 4 o'clock 10000 people were inside
the enclosure. The people kept on COM
ing the entire afternoon, and overflowed
into the Midway Plaisance, whose every
show was crowded. After dark the
grounds were lighted up, and this at
tracted still more, until conservative
estimate placed the total number at 125,-
600. 1t was an orderly and well dressed
crowd
The music during the day was of an
elevating character, and the band stands
were surrounded by enthusiastic crowds.
The music, continuous from half-past 1
until IL, was furnished by Sousa's and
the Chicago and Cincinnati bands.
The Sunday opening was frowned up
tho L, ond Of @Io x,,l
the American state buildings were
grouped. The multitude of visitors did
not throng the state circle, and the few
thousands who passed that way were
not disappointed apparently to find many
OF the buildings closed. The great ma
jority of the state boards acted on their
own authority in refusing admission to
visitors. The doors oi Is state and terri
torial buildings were locked, the visitors
generally being informed to that effect
by cards. Missouri, Delaware, New
York, Virginia, West Virginia. Pennsyl-
vania, North Dakota, New Hampshire,
Rhode Island, New Jersey, Connecticut,
Maryland and Massachusetts were among
the buildings of which people only OBJ
tanned an outside view.
The. Maine commissioners had sign
outside the building which read, s'Open
10 MAINE vlSltOrS and their friends"
everybody who pleased ignoring the at
tempt at exclusiveness without absolute
closing. The buildings erected by Great
itain and her colonies were all closed
hit. Machinery hall, under whose
4ome the Sabbatarian acme of Sabbath
breaking is located, was remarkably
quiet. Two or three high speed and one
big engine ran during the day to furnish
power to the fair. The crowd in this
building was not very large, but all the
other buildings were crowded, the fine
arts building holding the greatest crowd.
With great difficulty one could force a
way through. All the structures which
form part of the United States exhibit
were closed. Visitors were stopped at
the North pier by the announcement that
the model of the battleship was closed.
Different fair officials were at their
rounds for few hours.
Seeking Reduced Railroad Rates.
The executive officers and commits
sioners Of the several states and terri
tories have issued an appeal to railroad
and steamboat corporations asking that
the fares on different lines to and from
Chicago be reduced Immediately to en-
courage large attendance at the Worlds
Fair. The appeal asks fares for single
passengers be reduced not to exceed the
regular fare one way from any noint