The herald., 1894-02-19

the Office OF the department of publicity
and promotion the other day and told
The following story: 81 could hardly
get to the railway station in my town
for the snow drifts. The street cars
were not running, and the horses of
hack on wheels could scarcely plunge
along fast enough for me to make my
train. Once on board the train | read
in daily paper, for this was January
28th, that the California midwinter ex-
position had been formally opened on
the preceding day with thousands OF
people seated on a grand stand in the
open air with heads uncovered under
broiling sun, and with the green foliage
of a beautiful park forming q back
ground to the scene. At different places
along the railway where we stopped for
few moments, | noticed bulletins OF
'midwinter exposition weather, and the
thought struck me that this was about
the most striking piece OF advertising
that could be done in connection with
California'a exposition. When one
stands in an atmosphere in the neigh
borhood OF zero, and reads that the
thermometer registers rs degrees in San
Francisco, one wishes to be there, and
as for myself l was glad to feel that
was on my way. At Chicago l was de-
layed several hours waiting for it to be-
come possible for trains to start on west
ward, and we dragged along acros5 the
plains, but when we began to descend
the slopes OF the Sierras we left the
SHOWS behind us and found the green
fields at our feet, for we were, indeed,
in the land of sunshine, fruit and flow
ers, and l intend to etay here just as
long as | feel can afford to-"
This has been the experience of many
west-bound travellers during the present
midwinter season, and every effort ie
being made on the part of the exposi-
ton management to impress the eastern
visitors with the fact that, aside from
the climatic advantages. it is good for
them to be here.
During the past week there has been
succession of interesting things at the
fair. First came the unwilling of the
Harriet Hosmer statue of Isabella, in
which host of ladies well-known in
social and literary circles on the Pacific
coast took an interesting part, and in
which the palace OF art was dedicated.
The formal opening OF the Vienna prater
introduced to San Francisco the I'M
perial Vienna orchestra, one OF the finest
musical organizations of the world.
A series of days which are to be cele-
brated under the auspices of the differ
ent fraternal organizations was inaugu-
rated on February 18th by the Inde-
pendent Order of Good Templars. On
this occasion Festival hall was fret
brought into service, and large audi
ence assem- bled there to witness the ex-
ercises OF the annual convention and
anniversary of the organization of that
body. A pleasing feature OF the day
wac the parade through the grounds of
the orphans from the Good Templars'
home for orphans, whose enjoyment of
the confessional features to which they
were made welcome was accepted as the
forerunner of many similarly joyful oc-
cesions in the nea. future. There ia to
be general orphans day" before long,
when every child from the charitable in
situations in San Francisco and vicinity
will be given the run of the exposition.
TIL ere is also to be q public school chill
dren's day, for which the people OF San
Francisco are now making great prepar-
ations, and such day the school chill
dren of San Francisco have never seen
before. This school children's day has
been set for February 23d, and coming
az it does between the national holiday
and Saturday, it is school holiday of
itself, but it will be made in this con-
nection an exposition holiday in which
every person connected with the man
agement or with the exposition in any
way will vie with every other amuse-
ment maker to sadd to the children g
pleasure. nN
The Transmississippi congress has been
in session IN San francisco during the
present week, and on Wednesday even
ing its delegates were made the guests of
the exposition. There was grand dis
play OF fireworks and general illumiu-
alton of the buildings. Even the cleo
trio tower was Illuminated, though this
great structure is not quite complete,
and there were band concerts at the fire.
works and on the great central court as
well. The arrangements for Washing
toms birthday include more fireworks,
more illuminatione, the opening of the
electric tower and the Inauguration OF
the electric prismatic fountain.