The Portland daily press., 1893-04-10
THE BIG WORLDS FAIR.
Niagara of Noise, an Avalanche of Work
and Babel of Confusion.
TSDeciaI fyorraspond aooo I.

fair. The highest legislative body of the
republic has decreed that the enterprise
must and shall be inaugurated upon the
first day of the month of flowers, and in
asmuch as that body is not now in ses-
sion its enactments, like those of the
Modes and Persians, are for the time be-
ing beyond the possibility Of appeal or
amendment. And so three weeks and
four days hence Grover Cleveland, with
the members of the august diplomatic
corps on his right, the Columbian COM
missioners from foreign countries on his
left, and the dignifed justices of the
supreme court, the senators and repre-
sentatives, the state lawmakers and the
officials of the exposition standing in his
rear or grouped about him, will speak
the word and touch the button that
opens the gates of the great white
City" to the people of the civilized world.
Yet how short the time between now
and the first of May seems in comparison
with the months and years that have
gone since the first spadeful of earth
was thrown up in Jackson parkl And
yet how much remains to be done in
these few fieeting days, what an ocean,
what an avalanche, Of finishing touches
will be needed to the end that the fair
may be in presentable appearance on
the opening dayl There isn't a single
one of the distinguished gentlemen that
have been named by their respective
countries as royal and imperial commits
sioners that believes for moment that
the fair can be put in shape to be seen
in the little time remaining. They know
all about American pluck and persever-
ance and energy, and they are enthusi-
astic over these national traits They
have seen big depot structures go
up as if by magic, they have cast
their eyes skyward and looked at the
top stories of skyscraping structures
standing upon ground occupied but
few months before by little cafe, in
which, perchance, they had cracked a
bottle Of wine Or enjoyed some of the
toothsome delicacies of their native land,
and they have been piloted through our
Office palaces where 5000 or 1000 souls
labor day by day, and they have mar
veled thereat But the white City" is
small Chicago in itself-not 10 buildings
or 90, but 100 or more of them-all still
in the hands of the workmen, all more
or less incomplete in the matter of ex-
hibits, some still lacking giant machin-
cry, some monster paintings, some yet
to be transformed into bijous and fairy
land, some yet lacking the very floors
upon which the exhibits are eventually
to stand.
To the thinking American it is in one
respect worth twice the price of admis-
sion that has been fixed for the COM
pleted fair to get inside the gates at the
present time. What hustle and confu-
sion, what a hurrying and skurrying to
and fro, what Niagara of noise, for it
reminds you of nothing so much as the
distant roar of that famous waterfall!
Here two monster engines are creaking
and groaning 1--WE employed only one
of these engines in raising the Orders for
the last river bridge we put up" the en-
to do the work in half the time" Here
we strike monster hosting machine.
ssIt is the biggest in the country" says
the contractor, ssbut we couldn't get
along without it unless we lost time"
Over there across the lagoon powerful
steam rollers are going up and down the
broad roadway, for even the walks are
not yet in shape for pedestrians. A gate
behind us opens, and we move quickly
away as we hear warning shout, for
freight train of dozen cars, loaded to
the last foot, has been shunted in over
the temporary track. If we stay long
enough, we will see the unloading force
descend upon it like a swarm Of locusts.
every consignment will be in its re-
spective building within few hours"
So the master of transportation tells us,
and when we smile incredulously he tells
us that he can handle 1900 carloads a
day with ease.
Pursuing our way to the south, we
come upon a groupof buildings intended
for the different purposes of the admin
istration. Not one of them is above tho
first story, but on eachso many carpen-
ters are at work that they seem to fall
over one another. All the same, we won
der how long it would be before they
would be ready for occupancy if we our
selves were to be the occupants. We
are not long left in doubt, for the boss
carpenter tells us that they will be de-
livered over to the department. in 10
days, and. that in FIVE days thereafter
every partition and counter and ticket
window and desk and chair will be in
place. And thereat, knowing something
ourselves of the usual days work of the
average carpenter and joiner and painter
and glazier and plumber, especially the
plumber, we marvel exceedingly.
And out here on the Midway plat
sance, where countless side shows are to
crowd each other for the spare half dol
lars of the Worlds fair visitors is
more confusion COMPOUNDED. Our senses
are bewildered. We pinch ourselves and
wonder whether we are in dreamland.s
What funny looking folk, what funny
sounds, what a babel it is! What
world of novelty has been gathered upon
this one broad thoroughfare-Arabs and
Cingalese. Eskimo and Chinese, Per