The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-07-21
WORLDS FAIR LETTER

Eulalia snatched every possible moment
to enjoy the feast prepared, and was
the center Of attraction wherever she
appeared Nebraska, Indiana and
Massachusetts dedicated their beauti-
full buildings to the pride Of their sons
and daughters, and to tn pleasure cf
thousands upon thousands not natives
of those States, while governors, mill
tary men and State officials seemed
almost omnpresent. German day"
was fete day Of almost national i'm
portance, coming also upon the ami
versary of the accession of young
Emperor William to the throne, and
the attendance upon that Thursday was
over 100000. The new terminal
station in the grounds was used for the
first time and proved to be all that was
expected of that beautiful and useful
building.
Notwithstanding the fact that nearly
everything in the Government building
was brought here from Washington, yet
its contents appear to have a strong
attraction to the average visitor. The
gem of the entire building is'the ro-
tunda. Its mural decorations are
among the finest to be seen upon the
grounds, as Immediately beneath the
dome are views of various cities of the
United States, representing familiar
spots. Below this are large allegorlcal
pictures, which artists affirm are not
equaled in this country, with a possible
exception at Washington. In the
center of the rotunda is a section of
mammoth redwood tree, called the
General Noble" This tree was
originally three hundred feet high, with
a circumference at the base If nearly
eighty five feet and a diameter of
twenty-six feet. The mere cost Of trans
portation and setting up of this section
was $Io,475.85 and steady stream of
visitors pours in and out the opening at
the base.
In the Postofice Department the
transition from the crude and clumsy
methods of handling and transporting
the mail to the the present wonderfully
expeditions treatment is shown in the
dog team and horse pannier method
contrasted with the complete post Office
on wheels. An old-time Rocky Noun
tain mail stagecoach is seen, bearing
still the marks of bullets in dangerous
encounters with the Indians. Presl
dents Garfield and Arthur, General
Sherman and other notables have rid.
den over the mountains upon Its
leathern springs, and General Howard
only succeeded in reCapturing it from
the Indians after bloody struggle.
The Patent Office shows modern and
ancient plows used in Japan, Java,
Mexico, China and other countries,
strangely contrasting with the beautiful
specimen of an American pillow of
light construction and handsomely
nickeled. A thousand and one intricate
machines are in glass cases, showing
how perfection was reached by ingen-
ious inventors through years of study
and patient work
In the War Department machines
are briskly running, turning rifle and
gun stocks, filling cartridges, boring
barrels etc, while all about the room
are dummy figures dressed in the
uniform of the officers and men in every
department of the service. Many OF
them are so lifelike as to deceive even
the very elect in that line. Horses and
army mules, attached to the various We.
hicles in use in the army, are patted and
stroked as if indeed they were living
specimens. Here also are weapon,
taken from different battlehelds, anC
torn, shattered and penetrated with
bullets, many of them showing the
leaden missiles still embedded in the
piece A submarine torpedo, twenty
five feet long, and controlled by cleo
tricity, is an object of wonderment t.
many; and the genial attendant II
obliged to answer many curious ques
tions as to this somewhat experimental
destructive in modern warfare. Bu
perhaps the objects that attract the
most attention are the two missiles
which center around the firing upor
Fort Sumter, the identical ball wnicl
was first fired into the fort, as well a
the one that was returned. A nation
history turned upon these two COLI
pieces of metal, and veteran and civilian
view with noticeable reverence thes
tangible evidences of ''the shot tina
was heard around the world.
A large crowd is always gathere'
around polar scene, representing tina
gallant American explorer, Genera
Greedy, and his comrades, Lockwood
and Brainard, unfurling the Stars an
Stripes at their nearest point to tn
North Pole The Eskimo driver wit
his sledge and dogs, are seen, while /
the distance the hut of the eXplorin
party is described. White crags an
glistening snow are all about them, an
the visitor is almost deceived into be
leving that the scene he is gazing upo
is actually real, This is one of tn
largest "set pieces" in the entire Expo
sition, and is a marvel of reality.
The Smithsonian Institute has ais
sent its choicest treasures, the brc