Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1893-10-30
OFFICIALLY CLOSED.
THE WORLDS FAIR A THING OF THE
PAST.
A Graphic Description of the Closing
Scenes of the Worlds Columbian
Exposition.


Wold's Columbian Exposition. AS
the sun sets in the West tonight the
flags innumerable that have proudly
floated in the breeze upon towering
stats, over buildings and entrance
gates, day in and day out, since that
memorable May day-it seems but
yesterday-when Grover Cleveland.
as President of the United States,
declared the Exposition an accom-
plished fact, will be furled for ever.
more-a token of surrender A few
hours later, when the moon is high
in the Heavens and the clocks are
Ginning the hour of midnight, each
passing stroke will be the death
knell of the greatest and grandest
and most glorious exposition of the
worlds art and science and manu-
facture that the universe has ever
seen, Or is likely to see for a century
to come. 1t is true that the gates
are MOTTO be locked and barred. that
tomorrow, and the next day, and
the day thereafter, and perhaps for
many weeks and months to come
there will be enough and more than
a sufficiency to tempt the wayfarer
into making the journey from the
business portion ofthe city to that
portion Of the sands of Lake Michi-
gan where for six month the White
Metropolis has reigned supreme. 1t
is nevertheless true that. ON the
stroke of the midnight hour, SO far
as it is officially concerned, the great
White City-the pride Of the Repub-
lie, 1.-THE admiration of millions of
strangers from every part of the
civilized globe, thecrowning triumph
OF Il century or more of American IN
dependence, of the years of the new
Republic planted on the earth OF the
new world-will cease to be a living,
breathing and animate thing,
Perhaps it was that sentimental
ity that induces nine people out
Of ten to be in at the death
and to mingle their tears with
the expiring breath. Perhaps it was
an exemplifieation of that spirit OF
patriotism that was made SO mani
fest on that bright May morning
when Grover Cleveland touched the
button AID Il quarter of a million
voices did the rest-a spirit OF pa
triotism that prompted as hearty a
farewell to the parting guest as
marked his first appearance on the
scene. Perhaps it was, but those
upon the grounds this morning might
perhaps forever. Let it go upon
record that the multitude was there,
and that the Worlds Columbian Ex-
position went out in blaze Of glory.
The booming of cannons ON the
lake front awakened the sleeping city
at daylight. and less than an hour
thereafter the exodus to the south
ward limits was in full swing. De
spite the fact that the day had not
been declared a general holiday, it
seemed as though the entire popula-
ton of the city, together with half
million OF transient guests, had
turned out to the obsequies of the
Exposition At { O'Clock the termi-
nails of the various steam, street rail
roads and elevated roads were be-
sieged by crowds. At o. clock it was
a simple ease of traffic congestion.
Men, women and children fought and
tore and struggled for a chance, not
merely to get inside of the cars, but
to stand on the platforms, or even
to sit on the roofs 1t was Chicago
Day over again, only that, for the
time being, the pressure was more
tremendous. Down at the Fair
grounds the forty-five entrance gates
were kept on an eternal click from
the moment that the ticket-takers
has reported for duty, and, although
crowds are deceptive, it was ealcu-
lated at noon that fully half mil
lion people had passed from Stony Isl
and avenue into the grounds OF the
White City. There was no formal
programme for the morning. AS the
noon hour was chimed the guns
doomed a greeting, and this was in
terpreted by the multitude as a pre-
lude to the formal exercises in Fes-
tival Hall, which were to mark the
final dissolution OF the great enter
prise. IL this direction, therefore,
the multitude wendell its way. A
hundredth part of it was more than
sufficient to packthe spacious interior,
even as coolies were wont to be
packed in the holds OF peninsular
steamers. The rest oyerfiowed over
the grassy lawns up and down the
broad promenades, across the la
eoon and the rural walks on the
other side Hundreds Of thousands
were fain to be content, even with a