The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-01-02
The California Exposition Grounds at
San Francisco Opened to
the Public.
An Immense Crowd of Enthusiastic
Spectators Thronged the
Grounds.
A Brief Description Of the Buildings.
An Exhibition of Which Coasters
Can Be Proud.


have been opened to the public. The
rainy weather and the delay in the arri-
val of the exhibits necessitated the post
ponement of the formal opening of the
fair, which was set for New Years, for a
fortnight. but there was nevertheless an
immense crowd In attendance, full
Of enthusiasm and individually and
collectively proud of the marvels
which it was their good fortune to
gaze upon. Here in this Western
metropolis, at the extreme edge of the
Western hemisphere with the placid
waters of the great Pacific in view. the
hand of man has created city neither
so beautiful, so wonderful nor so extern
sive as the now quietly fading great
White City by Lake Michigan, but one
that is truly grand and which the people
of California and the other Pacific
states
May Justly he Proud OF
It was only in the latter part of last
May when the end of the Chicago fair
was in view that some Californians in
Chicago conceived the idea of having a
fair in San Francisco. Shortly after
wards it was decided to go ahead in the
matter, and Golden Gate park was Sc
lected az location for the great fair, con-
ceded by all to be the prettiest spot on
the face Of the earth. On the 23d of
August, in the presence of fully 10000
people, the enterprise was inaugurated
by turning the first shovelful
of dirt, Immediately after which
work of grading was COM
menced, followed in few weeks by the
inauguration of work on the five main
structures. These are the administra-
ton, manufactures and liberal arts, ag-
riculture and horticultural, fine arts and
mechanic arts buildings, all of which
are grouped around parallelogram in
the center of which is an electric tower
$50 feet in height, several
ArtisticaIly Ornamented Fountains,
statuary and a wealth of palms, flowers
and shrubs. This is known as the grand
court. Many buildings surrounding the
court and scattered in every direction
over 100 acres, are special buildings
erected by the different states, counties
and concessions erected at the cost of
the states, counties and Individually for
their exclusive exhibits. The manufac-
lures and liberal arts building is the
largest ON the grounds. It's dimensions
are 462 by 237 feet, covering 101, ,7S4
square feet of ground. This building is
Moorish in design.
MechAnicaI Arts Building
;n <x,o anc<~v.S 1o~xvor< t. +, /. .xu..4-a
450 feet long by 300 feet wide. It is
nearly pure Indian in design and highly
artistic in its rich oriental style.
BY FAR the most striking architectural
feature. OF the exposition ID the horticul-
tural building. tits In the Spanish mis-
slon style, and is low roof design 90
much In favor on this coast The great
dome is 100 feet in diameter by 100 feet
in height, and around this dome on the
outside Il roof garden. The extreme
dimensions Of the main building and
annex are 400 feet in length by 1870 feet
in width.
This structure contains the greatest
display of the products of the soil of
California ever put together, and that ia
synonomous with saying that such dis
play of agricultural and horticultural
material of the United States has never
been placed on exhibition.
Fine Arts Building.
The fine arts building is intended for a
permanent structure, constructed of
brick and iron. 1t is simple in plan, be-
ing rectangle, 1870 feet long by go feet
wide. The brick walls on the side are
40 feet high, and to the apex Of the pyra-
mid it Ia 81 feet. II is an example of
Egyptian architecture, and the sculpture
and columns are in harmony with it.
The administration building, which
4 contains the offices of the exposition
management, the department Of pub.
licity and promotion, the foreign de-
psrtment. assembly rooms for foreign
commissioners, press headquarters, the
postoffice and information bureau, il the
smallest OF the FIVE principal buildings,
bnt the form Of structure Is such that II
h one of the most imposing. The dc.
sign ID oriental in outline and in the de.
tail Of IT'D ornamentations il undoubt.
edly Hiamsse.
The California resources and In,
duStri0s are represented IN the statuary,
Pomona and Flora, apart from the main
grouping. The cherubic figures an
pressing grapes. Commerce and agri
culture are appropriately portrayed and
at one side Of the fountain IS q group d
miners. The central feature Of thu
grand court is the electric tower. or
& the ground floor Is o pavilion for thu
use Of the public, and thanking ths
open space there are four Moorish
pavilions, containing four stories and
decorated in oriental colors. The has.
Of the tower occupies space so fee
square while the first gallery, 30 fee
from the ground, has seating capacity
of 200. There are three other gallerie,
ct large seating capacity. the topmos'