Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1893-06-15
WORLDS FAIR LETTER.
Agricultural Hall Scene of Won
der.
A Rare Display Of Diamonds from
South Africa.
From Our Special Correspondent.
CHICAGO, June Q, 1893.

the crowd away on Sunday. Over
thirty four thousand people were pick.
ing dry places and hurrying from one
building to another to see the exhibits.
More than one half the State build.
ings were closed. These were mostly
the eastern States. Nearly all the
'-sge buildings were opened to all.
The Michigan building was open only
to the Michigan people, as was the
Ohio building. They are talking OF
holding service in the State buildings
on Sundays. The plan is good one,
for the visitors from the different
States would much prefer going to
church among their own people than
sitting among strangers in any of our
city churches.
| The decorative work in Agricultural
Hall is q great surprise to many visi
tors, especially the people from the
East. Almost all of the State pavil
ions here are curious, and some of
them are very tasteful. The space of
South Dakota, for example, is inclosed
by round arched arcade and prefaced
by a kind of triumphal arch in three
parts, on the good old Roman plan.
The columns are tree trunks and their
capitals, which show much invention,
taste and variety, are done in corn
husks and rosettes of grains and grass
es. Much ingenuity is shown, further,
in the various applied patterns worked
in fine straw braiding. This is very
attractive booth.
Nebraska shows much ingenuity in
the arrangement of her booth. The
pavilion is Gothic outside and Reman-
esque inside, red without and blue
within. There are clustered columns
made of glass tubes that are filled with
wheat and sugar. Balls of grain are
attached to the walls in geometrical
figures, as well as brooms arrayed in
semicircles; and even the humble
milkweed pod has been put to good
use. Iowa repeats herself in the corn
palace style of decoration, and of
course looks very fanciful. No one
would realize without visit to these
booths how much that is truly artis.
tic can be made from simple grains
and grasses.
Kentucky accomplishes striking re-
suits in tobacco. Her pavilion is or.
namented with tassels and fringes
composed of cigars, and shows a por.
trait of Daniel Boone and the es.
cutcheon of the State, both done in to-
bocco leaves of varying shades.
One of ths finest things made of
grasses and grains, is picture ON the
] wall of the Illinois building. This
picture is 15x25 foot and represents u
stock farm. House, barn, windmill
corn crib, fields, farmer, horses and
cattle are all remembered. The linear
perspective whether of fences or
hedgerows, is unimpeachable. The
picture is considered the finest one of
the kind in the world, and the cost
near thousand dollars. 1t took four
men 1870 days I'd make 1t. At ten
o'clock Monday morning an install.
lation of valuable laces and tapestries
took place in Woman 3 building. The
laces are the property of Queen Mar.
guarite of Italy and are so valuable
that Exposition Company was reques
ted to insure their return by giving
bonds of 100000. The tapestries be
long to Queen Victoria, and a similar
bond of 100000 insures their keeping
A special guard is over the precious
exhibits.
At three o'clock this afternoon the
brawny Zulus from the Kimberly
mines in Africa will show visitors how
the precious blue earth is washed ant
the rough diamonds extracted from it,
cement like clods of clay. Then the
stones will be passed to the cutting
and polishing machinery worked b,
American experts and the finished
stones will be turned out in view o.
the spectators. The process of dia
mOnd washing is to be a regular ex
hibit during the Fair. Thousands Of
people will see for the first time IL
thir lives diamonds in the rough ston,
as they are found in the clay, made in
to the brilliant gems that can not b,
surpassed. The feature of the display
Is the massed collection of diamond
10000 carats in one group, worth NOR,
than 81, 100000 and making the mos
valuable single exhibit ever put OF
public at an exposition. There is
special guard Of ten officers that guart
the exhibit day and night.
In the Manufactures building is /,
rare display of diamonds from
Maiden Street, firm in NewYork. Amonj
the most attractive things ia shiI
about eighteen inches long, made o
the purest of diamonds. The mast
CLEAN with an oriental splendor, Will
the hull is half full of the rarest o
gems. One can see diamonds to thei
hearts content at the Fair, as man
jewellers have extensive show case
filed with them. EVELYN MINIS.