Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-02
CAL IF OR MAS FAIR
The 4idwinter Exposition Informally
Opened.
Interesting Displays to Greet the
Public's Eye-The States's His
tory in Stone.

| Nature beamed her brightest yesterday
at San Francisco, and although the formal
| opening Of the midwlnter exposition has
been postponed for few days, owing to
| the delay in the arrival of many of the ex-
hibits. and although there were no exer-
| cises of any kind to mark the day, the
gates of the fair were besieged at O'Clock.
the opening hour. by crowds of visitors and
| during the whole day they poured into the
grounds in steady stream.
The scene was probably the most inter-
esting that has ever been witnessed in
| Golden Gate Park. The magic city that
has sprung into existence in the space of
! but five months teens with animation and
enthusiasm and admiration prevailed.
The stars and stripes float from the
fiagpole of every building on the ground
and bunting and banners were to be seen
| In all directions. The five main buildings
We're naturally the principal attraction
and the crowds went in and out evincing
great interest in all that was displayed.
The electric tower, nearing height of go
feet and the Firth wheel, with its sixteen
| cars, were also features Of attraction.
The German tavern ard several other
places of refreshment were open, and these
also Jared well. Informal as it was, the ex-
!
| success attending the opening.
Beginning the Undertaking.
On the oath of last August, in the presence
of fully $4,000 people, the enterprise was in
augurated by turning the first shovelful of
dirt, Immediately after which the work of
grading commenced, followed In few weeks
by the beginning Of work on the five main
structures.
These are the administration manufac-
lures and liberal arts. agricultural and hor-
ticultural. fine arts and mechanic arts
buildings. all Of which are grouped around
parailelogram, in the center of which is an
electric tower over 80 feet in height, sew
eral artisticaliy ornamental fountains, stat
uary and 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 diner
ent states, counties and concessions erected
at the cost of the states, counties or indi-
Viduais) Tor their exclusive exhibits.
The Manufactures Building.
The manufactures and liberal arts build
ing is the largest ip the grounds Its d.
mansions are 462x237 feet, covering IOl. 7s4
square feet Of ground. This building. is
Moorish in design, with picturesque effects
whicn that style of architecture readily
iends ITSELF There Is a long array of col
9 emns ana arches, forming the arcade of the
'front.' OF the building, which is deliberately
ornamented There are four great towers
one IN each corner, ornamented and with
projecting flower balconies, covered with a
low-domed, tiled roof. There is main
entrance in the center of the building and
one In each of the towers. The exterior of
the arcade across the front is decorated
with symbolic figures of the various arts
and sciences. Within the building there is
gallery covering thirty-five feet in width
and extending around all four sides.
Inc galleries are approached upon the
main moor by hve large stairways. The
mechanical arts building. second largest, is
a structure 400 feet long by 30 feet wide
1t Is nearly pure Indian in design and
mighty artistic in its rich oriental style
The grand entrance in the center of the
building, Is rectangular in FORM and is
covered with rich decorations. Immediately
IN the rear q the building and separated
from II by SIX feet of space is placed the
boiler house, containing thirty boilers of
100 horse power EACH which furnish power
TO operate the electric lights and the ma
chinery Of the exposition.
Horticultural Display.
The most striking architectural feature of
| the exposition is the horticultural and ag-
| ricultural building. 1t is in the Spanish
| mission style and is a low-roof design. so
| 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 out
side is roof garden. The extreme di-
mansions of the main building and annex
are 400 feet in length by 100 feet in width
This structure contains the greatest dis
play OF the products of the soil of Califor-
mia ever put together, and that is synony-
| nous with saying that it is such a display
OF agricultural and horticultural material
as the United States has never seen placed
on exhibition. Ii is typically and almost
exclusively Californian, and will afford WIS.,
itors an opportunity of judging of the vast
| ness and variety of California's resources
such as no amount of travel and obserya-
ton could give. The fine arts building is
intended for permanent structure, con-
n hr tnk orn1 ROD t. ii
plan. being a rectangle 10 feet long by 20
wide. The brick walls on the side are 40
feet high, and to the apex of the pyramid
1t is 81 feet. 1t is an example of Egyptian
architecture, and the sculpture and col
unns are In harmony with it.
The interior Is arranged in two stories
and representing the stepped" eonstruc-
ton of the pyramids. The administration
building which contains the Offices of the
exposition management the department of
publicity and promotion, the foreign de-
partnient, assembly rooms for foreign COM
missioners, president headquarters, the post
office and information bureau, is the small
est Of the five principal buildings, but the
form of structure is such that 1t is one of
the most imposing.
The design Is oriental in outline, and in
the detail of its ornamentations is undoubt-
eddy SiameSe. 1t consists of a central square
structure, covered with lofty and highly
ornamental dome, with four pavilions one
on each angle of the square. This building,
like it's namesake at the Columbian expo
sition which faced the grand basin, is d.
rectly in the rear of the allegorical foun-
tain.
The States History I'm Stone.
In this the sculptor has tried to tell the
whole history of the state, and much can
be plainly read from its design. The ia
nilar statue of California, crowned with a
wreath of poppies stands or a pedestal
whose rugged character suggested the
mountain region. The principal central fig
ure is the eagle, emblematic of the states
loyalty to the nation. The California re-
sources and industries are represented in
the statuary. The cherubic figures are
pressing Srares. Commerce and agricul-
ture are appropriately portrayed, and at
one side of the fountain is a group of min
erS.
The central figure of the grand court is
the electric tower. On the ground floor is
a pavilion for the use of the public, and
i thanking the open space there are four
Moorish pavilons, containing four stories,
and decorated in oriental colors. The base
Of the tower occupies a space nifty rect
square, while the first gallery, eighty feet
from the ground, has a seating capacity
of two hundred. There are three other gal
leres Of large seating capacity the top
most one being within six feet of the pin
nacle.
In this upper gallery is a great search
light. ana on the extreme top of the tower
a large gold ball bearing the emblem of the
state, grizzly bear. The counties of north
ern California and those of the southern
portion Of the state have their own dis