New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-01-28
MIDWINTER FAIR OPENED.
4 REp-LErTER DAY FOR THE PACIFIC
SLOPE.
WONDERFUL RESULTS OF FIVE MONTHS WORK
y. BY ENTERPRIsING CALIFoRNIANs-THE DAY
LEGAL HOLIDAY AND VAST CROWDS
fey TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBrSE.l

TELEGRAPH TO The 1RlBtNkI
San Francisco Jan. Eff cloudess skies the
warm sun Of a New-York June day, great
crowd and genuine enthusiasm can assure the
success of an exhibition. then the Midwh'er
Fair may be regarded guaranteed against
failure. No such crowd has been seen here since
General Grant returned from China Only a
week before the heaviest rain of the season oc-
CURED vet to-day all the walks in the Fair were
dry, and the city of Moorish palaces and waving
palms looked like bit Of the orient nan ot
San Francisco seemed bent on an outing me
Governor had declared a legal holiday. ana the
result was a crowd which taxed all the capie
roads Visitors by tens of thousands come from
Oakland and all surrounding cities. and the pro-
cession moved out to the park between soild INES
of spectators The parade was one of the best
military spectacles ever seen on this coast Tor
all the regulars as we'll militia and foreign
comnanies turned out The Governor and his
staff were present. The feature Of the process
sion was the display Of early mining days. the
old stage coach In which Hank Monk the famous
pioneer whip. drove Horace Greeley out or
Yosemite Valley filed with red-shirted
miners armed TO the teeth. and after them came
a train Of pack mules, loaded with bacon, flour
and other supplies After these came wagon
gay with the red and yellow dresses OF the Next
can fandango dancers from the 40 mining camps.
After reaching the Fair the procession marched
TO the recreation grounds. where several thou
sand people were gathered on the grand stand
to listen TO the opening exercises Speeches
were made by James D. Phean. president of the
day; Governor Markham Drector-General NJ
II. De Young and w. II. L. Barnes. Mrs.
De Young after her husband had declared the
Exposition OPEN pressed the electric button
which set the big machinery going and the
Fair opened
1t is difficult TO put into words the effect pro-
duced by the novel architecture and decora-
lions of the Fair Perhaps the prettiest feature
was furnished by the sharp contrasts OF color
which were lacking at Chicago The vivid reds
blues and yelloWs which would have been crude
and glazing amid the shrubbery at Chicago are
here in keeping with the deep tropical green OF
na,ns magnolias and orange trees and the
cloudess blue Of the SKY. The Oriental effect Is
also heightened by the presence of so many pig
tailed Chinese and curiOusly dressed Japanese
East Indians and South Sea Islanders. The
crowd to-day was enormous. II seriously
clogged some Of the entrances, but good nature
abounded and there We're no accidents or dis
turbances Many of the exhibits are not IN
place Many roads and walks are in poor con-
diton. but the exhibition is in better shape than
the Worlds Fair was on the opening day. ana
fortnight will see every trace Of litter and con-
fusion disappear Tonight there was big dis
NAV Of fireworks which will fittingly round out
a memorable day in San Francisco annals.
THE WORK OF ONLY FIVE MONTHS.
The great fair in the Sunset City has been in
preparation since August a. when. to the cheer
ing and plaudits Of $4,000 people. the ground was
first broken. 1t has cost about S45OO.0OV, ana is
second in extent only to the Paris and Chicago
VT Golden
have been devoted to the Exposition. This
space Is covered by five main buildings grouped
about central Concert Valley" from the
centre Of which arises an electric tower 26o feet
in height. This tower is covered by mean
descent lamps and surrounded by searchghts
which throw their beams on the fountains and
banks Of flowers about its base. or light up with
silvery rays the cascade on Strawberry Hill
toward the ocean. and bring into halo Of light
the merry boating parties on the lake at It's
base spanned by picturesque bridges. or show
the Coliseum-like observatory on the summit
The principal buildings may be described in
brief as follows:
Manufactures and Liberal Arts. AGO feet long
and 225 feet wide: Manufactures and Liberal
Arts annex $40 feet long and 60 feet wide-toal
area of building including annex and galleries
177.0O0 square feet; total cost $4,000.
Mechanic Arts $50 feet long and 100 feet wide
total area of building. including galleries, 3d.,
D41 square feet; total cost. s,20OH
Horticulture and Agriculture, 400 feet long
and 100 feet wide; total Of building, includ-
ing hall floors. 1927 square feet; total cost,
$4,000
Building Of Fine Arts. total space in running
feet of exhibit Of paintings, 1000; total cost,
$64, 0O0
Administration Building 20 feet square; total
floor area 16 400 square feet: total cost 10000
Festival Hall. 141 by 133 feet; total cost, $4,000
The five buildings around the terraced quad
rangle leading TO Concert Valley are but the
nucleus of great number Of county and con-
cessionaires' structures selected from great
number Of applicants. Santa Barbara County
has erected a handsome building wherein
exhibited her amphibia principally the sea
lion. San Mateo brings her log cabin from
Chicago. The Chinese Six Companies. Of San
Francisco have an Oriental building OF their
own. fully $50 feet long and 80 feet wide with
a central courtyard, be filed with rare
Chinese fora At one end there Will be a Chi
nese theatre. and about the courtyard there are
booths exemplifying the manufacture OF i'm
portant Chinese productions The structure
Is Enthusiastically Ornamented with carved dragons.
and brilliant red, yellow and blue flags futter
above tiled roofs. from which Chinese pagoda,
copied from the celebrated tower at Nankin.
rises some twenty feet.
FEATURES OF THE FAMOUS MIDWAY THERE
The Fair lacks Midway Plaisance, but there
ire some two-score side shows scattered through
he grounds, that IN the aggregate duplicate
The attractions OF that once famous thorough
fare There are the same Turkish. French and
German restaurants, the same Old Vienna the
German tavern. the same rolling chairs. Cairo
Street Chinese Theatre, ostrich farm captive
balloon. Hawaiian cycorama. and in fact, dupli-
Gates of most of the attractions that gave the
Midway Plasance name and fame.
The Director General of the Fair is NJ II.
de Young, and the honorary National Commits
sion comprises. among others. Nice-President
Adlai f.. Stevenson. Whtelaw Reid w. J.
Arkell. Thomas w. Palmer. George w Chds,
Of Philadelphia; Colonel f. O. Meier, Of st.
Louis; General Horace Porter, of New York;
John A Cockerlll. James w. Scott Joseph
Medill William Penn Nixon. William Preston
Harrison. of Chicago; Moses u. Handy Chief Of
the Department Of Publicity and Promotion
Worlds Fair. and General X. A. Alger Of
Michigan.
The first speaker to-day, James d. Phelan
president OF the day. spoke of the great enter
prise in honor Of which the celebration was
being held and congratulated the people Of San
Francisco and California on what has thus far