Huntsville gazette., 1893-05-06


wheels afying. the innumerable engines and
mechanisms and the labyrinth Of betting
and gearing which make up the ma
chinery of the Worlds Columbian exposi-
ton At the same moment national
salute belched forth from the guns of the An
drew Johnson, lying off the exposition grounds
in Lake Michigan 700 flags, released from
their stops" at a concerted signal, swung loose
and streamed out under the Sky in scarlet, yel-
low and blue; over in machinery hall great
roar arose. and the turrets of the building
nodded as the wheels began to turn, and q
greater volume OF sound arose from the throats
ot the great concourse OF people, who thus ac
claimed the opening of the grandest achieve
mpnt of American pluck, enterprise and gener
osity.
Nnaly arranged Sunday night. The distin-
rrished descendant of the great admiral in
whose honor the days spectacle was inaugu-
rated was escorted from the Auditorium hotel
tothe lexington where President Cleveland
and his suite were in waiting, and the two par
ties combined were taken in procession through
miles Of streets lined with cheering thousands,
to the grounds Of the exposition. There the
formal exercises we're gone through with.
The blind chaplain of the national congress
invoked the blessing OF God upon the under
taking atout to be consummated; a poem cele-
bratlng the voyage of Columbus was read in a
manner fitting the time and place. Director
General Davis. upon whose shoulders the atlas
like load of the enterprise had rested for
months presented the completed work to the
president of the United States, aud that officer,
representing the power and majesty of 500O0
GJ citizens, after Singularly happy speech,
declared the Worlds Columbian exposition
fully opened. Then the cannon doomed the
flags iuttered in mid air, the fountains spouted.
and the people shouted.
The greeting to the president was hearty 1t
came first when his genial face was seen above
the heads Of the diplomats and commissioners
on The grand stand. 1t was repeated when he
stepped forward to make his modest address,
and for the third time it rose when the signal
was sent and the great achievement of the CEN
tury was inaugurated
But only part of this honor was Clevelands 8,
tne rest was in acknowledgment of the event
NAlch that roar from machinery hall, that sud
ueh Outflow CT flags, as if a rainbow had been
splllered above the buildings, that braying of
ualloh and that triumphal chorus signalized.
ihsre was nothing inadequate about this. The
dol the nation received his due need OF
lonor' but the completed Worlds fair, the
triumph OF new world industry and genius, was
tae ooect upon which the multitude expended
~ nedruest cheers and upon which it lavished
Us loudest acclaim
y was unfortunate that this part OF the days
Noteedlngs should have been marred by what
Llaht nave been serious panic, but which
proved to he only momentary surge of the
tedI sea OF humanity which beat against the
pa'Iorm IN front of the administration build
u Always anxious to see and hear, as all
o"us are some OF those in the rear began to
s. 80 iol "drd IN hopes of gaining advantageous
l.,,'ionS from which to witness the goings-on
"' vac Platform, The pressure was almost un-
,".Veu al first, but as those in front began to
MI M IL they In turn swayed back to resist it.
ra.i ra.u Oegah one Of those peculiar pulse-like
Tbo.IS T.'la'S never seen except in great crowds.
"aS pendulum motion which attracted
ge,. ".Ieii'lon OF those on the platform and
rs we're given to the police to clear away the
fraraNl .ia' peSan to threaten the platform Or
rD;n. r.s Sprang INTO the crowd, but it was some
,-S uuS before their efforts were successful
in nneI 'he dense mass of people had been
toar ~, Ue9ree separated twenty persons had
tp,n.sIl ssAon CUT In fainting condition. For
Ar" - " however, no one was seriously hurt,
cl n. great calamity was averted
NJ .ourse II was a big crowd to handle. for
aINco c'ol ol Works Burnham declared that
Hsb+ people had passed the gates since day
sriao nulhoer far in excess of the most san
rrl,;.s Ap00tdllon. To take care of such
he 'Ae-A ouly one accident winch could
mna 49, Serious-for all the other casualties
a, uay were trival-was therefore, matter
sIfon foeo''uation among the officers of the expo
,,a,n.1 tiie crowd that had choked up the en-
atart ~ administration place had dispersed
nors ~ NeI IeHonles and there was more room to
cbsr aooQl Any! with freedom, the president and
ts,r,,;olS lStingulshed guests entered the admin
res,ss building. The president himself
feo ~, lor while in the director generals Of
men lie .t the foreign diplomats the congress
nore @ 7 legislators and other notables of
tunda IL less magnitude, gathered in the ro-
ther ny agreed that while it was all very fine
we're glad it was over.
az one began hunting something to
liz s,an ne Ngnltaries were accommoda ted in
sion ~ a. uinlnsroom fixed up for the occa-
! thsr i. ne administration building. where
the res.oI ,.eu n state The vast crowds besieged
vile aiI@,aarants n,o1. throughout the grounds, and
saodriaSs iaest OF them succeeded in an nexing a
sbo Gu 90. OF piece of pie, there were MANY
~ got nothing at all '''''iS
The lino Inner az the presidents party took nm
iag III ol march for the manufactnres hnild.
torsr7arree lie ald the courteous to a throng Of
oyerfo,tsana tto ana officials Then he was hurried
he aa5ia ltg Wonens building where he listened
Aer ana orr o,baINoh uoh speeches by Mrs. Potter Pal
Gad afta, ,lllage next claimed his attention
'H"' ne loaded his 80 pounds Of