Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1893-08-19
A WEST VIRGINIAN
Visits the Worlds Colum-
bian Exposition
AND FAVORS THE HERALD
With a Graphic Description of
the Great Fair,

anu tue ldCcs Vi many luOuSdHuS are
turned every day toward, the youthful
city of the new world that has so sud
denly sprung up upon the southern shore
of one of the great inland seas. As it
was fitting that America should become
the scene of the ninth in the series of the
great worlds fairs, when held in cor =
nection with the commemoration of the
quadri-centennial of the discovery by
Columbus, so it was happy selection
that made Chicago "a city that so fully
illustrates the enterprise, push, and sub
stantial progress of the leading country
on the continent) the place of celebra-
| ton.
Of the number OF routes from the Cap
ital city to the city of white palaces !"
of the Worlds Columbian Exposition two
of the most attractive are through the
little mountain State of West Virginia,
and pilgrims who journey by these lines
may look with delight upon the most
wild, picturesque, and romantic scenery
east of the rockies. Though the b. &
O. passes over much historic ground and
through many thriving towns and cities,
chief among which is the home of theHER-
AID, the choice of your correspondent fell
upon the more southern scenic route of
the C.& O, by which he obtained fleeing
glimpse of the famous spring resorts, the
bold, rugged canyons of the New River,
and the undulating mountains and val
leys of the Greenbrier, as well as a view
of the pride Of the Kanawha, the vigorous
little state capital with its fine public
and private buildings, and the young and
rapidly-growing Huntington, on the
Ohio, Ashland, Portsmouth, Covington,
Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Lafayette, and
Kankakee are passed, and on the morn
ing of the second day out the first vision
Of the Fair city was had by the sight Of
dozen domes and beautiful towers and a
graceful minaret. Approaching one of
the entrances, ticket is purchased, de-
posted with the gate keeper, and with a
click of the turnstile the visitor is usher
ed within the immense Enclosure. Over
whelmed and bewidered, he pushes his
way to the Grand Plaza, where a match
less scene of splendor meets the enrap-
tured gaze. In every direction are ia
cades, statues, columns, fountains, arches,
and peristyles. The massive golden
statue of the Republic rises out of the
Grand Basin-a beautiful water way
crowded with electric launches and gen
doias-the facades of the four great
buildings stretch out one beyond the 9TH
er in the great vista, white and glisten-
ing, decked with flags, and at the ex-
IRENE end is an attractive fountain sur
mounted by the Administration Build
ing, with its white and golden dome, the
central and browning feature of the EX-
position. Never, perhaps, has there been
such grouping of architecture and stat
uary in the world. The scene so en-
trancing by day is far more beautiful by
night. Then ten thousand electric globes
flash forth their dazzling light, and the
! waters Of the lagoons, which are actual
4 ly bOrdered with these globes, reflect the
great white palaces which are illuminat-
ed to their very pinnacles. The grand
est view Of the exterior Of the EXPOSE
ton as whole is obtained by a boat. tour
/ through the lagoons. Another beautiful
/ view is had from the dome Of the Admin
istration' or roor-walk of the Manu-
| factures." A ride on the Intramural
| Railroad, cncrcling the grounds for six
and one half miles, affords bird 's-eye
view of changing and rapidly-varying
| splendor. The number of buildings
within the Enclosure is more than 400.
| The material used in the erection of the
main structures, termed staff" is mix
ture of plaster and hemp, having some
thing of the appearance and consistency
of plaster of Paris.
The visitor having long gazed with de
/ lightencd admiration upon the exterior
of these beautiful palaces will now look
at the interior. The Manufactures and
/ Liberal Arts Building, more than mile
/ in circumference, will be found to be fill
cd with the glories of the world. The
magnificent exhibit of Germany, France,
and England vie with those of Austria,
| Belgium, and Japan, while our own race
them for the prize. In Machinery Hall,
/ the second in size of the great buildings,
will be seen numberless flying wheels,
immense batteries of boilers, travelling
/ cranes, and machines of all kinds taught
/ to do the work of many human hands,
The amount of ingenuity that has been
expended in the graceful Agricultural
] Hall in the construction of booths and
pavilions and in the making of figures
and pictures out Of grains and grasses,
seeds and soils, is well calculated to cap
I tivate the farmer or anyone else. No Wis
/ itor should fail to see all the modes of
travelling and transportation ever known
| from the earliest times down to the pres
ent on exhibition in the terra-cotta col
ored Transportation Building with the
" Golden Door" Horticultural Hall, fill
ed with rare products of the several de-
partments of horticulture, etc; the Mines
and Mining building, exhibiting minerals
building stone, method of extracting
/ gold, silver, etc; the Forestry Building,
in which are all sorts of forest products,
both in a rough and manufactured state,
and the Electrical Building, apparatus IL
Illustrating the laws Of electricity, are all
intensely interesting In the Fisheries
Building are to be found all the known
devices for catching the finny denizens
Of the water and in large glass tanks
play the many specimens of fish TO be
found in our rivers, lakes, and seas.
Every woman, young and old, who
goes TO the fair should visit more than
once the Woman's Building and inspect
the wonders on exhibition there. A IA
vorite resort of many who have never had
the good fortune TO reside for time at
the capital is the United States Govern
ment Building. One of the most inter
esting places on the grounds is the mon
astery of La Rabida, a quaint, old-fash-
toned building, with red roofs and queer
weather-stained walls, being an exact re-
production of the old convent where CO.
lumbus and his son tarried while the
discoverer waited for "a response from
Ferdinand and Isabella. Within are to
be found many genuine and almost price,