The herald., 1893-12-12
THE M|DW|NTER FAIR SHOW.
A Prospect of a Tremendous
Influx of Visitors.
The List of Attractions Continues to
Daily Expand.
Railroad Rates Satisfactorily Adjusted.
DRnte's Inferno TO be Pro-
ducsd-The Various
FeatuIes.
Special correspondence to the HERALD.


SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 10.
The best news of the week in connec-
tion with the coming exposition has
been the extension of the time limit of
excursion tickets from the east to 80
days. This means that those who come
to California to see the midwinter expo
sition will have menth in which to
visit other parts of the state besides
those contiguous to San Francisco, and
that the benefits to be derived by the
entire Pacific coast will be correspond
ingly multiplied. And just here there
ought to be a word said about the num-
Der of visitors that may reasonably be
expected to come out of the frozen east
to hibernate in the country.
Where the leaf never fades ia the still bloom
ing bowers
And the bee banquets on through whole year
OF flowers"
Those who have already arrived at
San Francisco as the advance guard OF
the grand army OF midwnter continent
crossers, say that the influx of visitors
will exceed the most eanguine expecta-
tions of the friends of the exposition.
Eastern railway managers are constantly
sending to the department of publicity
and promotion for advertising matter in
connection with the fair. Their patrons
are hungry for information on the sub
ject. Some OF them are so hungry that
more than one of the great trunk lines
have deemed it necessary to prepare
vast quantities of matter, based on the
material furnished by this department,
with which to satisfy the popular de-
mands. All this means that thousands
OF people in the east are going to take
advantage OF cheap rates, and the spe-
cial attractions OF the exposition as an
excuse for making long-promised trip
to the 'land OF sunshine, fruit and
flowers"
Meanwhile the list of attractions con-
tinues to grow, and there will be lively
times during the next three weeks get
ting all the concessions in readiness for
the opening day, There is one feature
of the contemplated attractions, how
ever. for which no elaborate building
has to be erected, and yet it is one in
which a very widespread interest CEN
ters, and that is the grand athletic
tournament. This tournament is to
cover the entire term OF the exposition.
The contests will not be on each sue
ceeding days programme, but there Will
be several events each week and every
Saturday will be largely devoted to this
feature. There will be games OF lacrosse
between British Columbian and Amer
ican teams; there will be polo matches
between swell society riders; there will
be football games between college and
university teams; there will be races
and all sorts of contests on the cinder
path and last, though by no means least.
nF haSa aholl H. III tnl, h.
entire Pacific coast is invited to take
part.
With view to facilitating arrange
ments for the last mentioned feature in
this connection Col. L. p. Robinson, of
San Francisco. has been selected to
arrange the games on the diamond field,
and in order to have the largest possible
number OF clubs participate, that gen.
tleman desires the addresses OF every
uniformed baseball club not only in the
state OF California, but in all OF the
states of the Pacific coast. These ad-
dresses should be sent to him at room
80, second floor, Mills building, San
Francisco, and, based upon the number
of addresses of intending participants
which may be received, there will be
arranged such baseball tournament as
has never before been seen anywhere in
the world.
In the long list OF other attractions it
is difficult to select one that 10 worthy OF
more special mention than the rest, but
perhaps the latest added features may
be the most interesting. The very
latest and the most startling of all the
suggestions that have been forthcoming
in the form of confessional features OF
the fair is that which ia to represent
Dante's Inferno, and which has already
begun to be spoken of about town as
"Hell on earth" This concession ia to
be located in very prominent part of
the exposition grounds, and the charac-
ter OF the entrance TO the building con-
tanning the exhibit is one that will at
traca inevitable attention. A great
dragons head, Is feet in height, with
bat-like wings protruding from either
side, stems to crouch against the ground
and grin Welcome to the passing
crowds. The bat-like wings, and entire
front in fact, are gilded to look like
FURNISHED gold. and, when the gun is
reflected from it, it presents g. brilliant
an exterior as ono can easily imagine.
Out of the center of the lower part OF
this figure-head, 30 to speak, projects
long, red tongue of the dragon, and on
to this, those who cafe to venture in
must step and walk between the teeth of
the Dragons lower jaw into the very
body OF the beaet.
The interior arrangements of these
''infernal regions" are rendered remark
ably effective by the highly coored
stalsctites which hang rom the walls
and which seem to extend for miles.
almost, away in the distance. This
perspective is produced by means OF
mirrors. There are mirrors on every
hand, and never before has there been
better utilization OF the looking glass
for illusionary purposes. Hidden
lights are made use OF to add to the
effects OF the scene and intricacies OF
passage are also brought into plsy.
In one large grotto stage is erected,
and half dozen skeletons dancing gro
tesquely in the foreground are 80 re-
1ected by mirrors that their numbers
seem to be legion. At another point,
after traversing several tortuous ave.
nues, the visitor comes upon clever
construction with mirrors above and