Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-13
THE MIDWAY PLAlSANCE
$4,000 Persons Fooled BY the Blarney
Stone.
1t Was n Common LimestOne Paving
Block Dug Up From =
Chicago Street,

An interesting aftermath OF the gay Mid
way Plaisance at the worlds fair is con-
tanned in the report to the Treasury De-
partment just made by Collector of Gus
toms Clark. This part of the great expo
sition was under the direct charge Of Dep
uty Collector j. E. Ralph, who makes pub
lie some curious facts as to how the peo-
pie were fooled by the so-called "Blarney
stone" throws out warning about the
growth Of the hasheesh habit, and Incl
dentally refers to various tricks Of the for
eign fakirs to draw out the money Of the
gullible Americans. Mr.. Ralph says:
AT the opening of the Irish village there
was one essential thing lacking to make
the 'Blarney castles counterpart Of the
original structure in Ireland, and that was
the Biarney stone The manager DESTROYS
or endowing the visitors with an opportun-
lty for becoming famous spouters, took in
10 MS confidence James Riley contractor.
and requested that he produce Barney
stone Mr.. Riley secured the services Of
CHARLES Thompson. an employee of the viii
lage, and these two men, on a dark night
In June, repaired to the corner of 5Ith
street and Portland avenue in the city Of
Chicago. and there dug from the street a
limestone paving block about IS inches by
inches by ~ inches in dimensions. They
carried 1t to the village and placed 1t in a
case which had been received that day in
bond-Case No. %, serial 4,099-addressed
to Thomas Baker, Irish Industrial Village.
This case contained a model of The Bells
or Shandon. Invitations were issued to
the representatives Of the Chicago papers
and to Mayor Harrison, the latter accept
ing the invitation to officiate at the OPEN
ing OF the case containing the famous
'Blarney stone
Formally Opened.
"On the day set aside for the ceremonies
Mayor Harrison could not be present. and
Customs Inspector Z. w. Matlock was sent
for 70 open the case. The inspector arrived
with the invoice for case No. 81, serial 4,UYy,
which stated that the case contained
model of the Bells of Shandon,' valued at
40. He opened the case and found 1t cheek
ed One stone over After properly labelling
both model and stone, he made his return
on the invoice: One stone over, estimated
value $500 This stone was then placed in
the walls of the castle, where II remained
during the balance of the fair, and was kiss
ed by at least 5000 people, fee of ~ cents
apiece being charged. At the close of the
lair the manager OF the village desired to
take the stone and exhibit it in a store IN
the city of Chicago, but was informed that
he could not do so unless he made a con-
sumption entry on same and paid the duty.
This was done, and on November "a. 1893, l
delivered the stone on a duty-paid permit.
Both the inspector in charge of the village
and myself remained in ignorance of the
history of the 'Blarney stone until January
% 1894 believing up to thst time that 1t
was imported in Case No. %, serial 4,Uy3.'
The invoice on which consumption entry
was paid read as follows: One piece of
stone from Blarney, County Cork, Ireland,
value $780,"
Treasury Profits.
In another part of the report Mr.. Ralph
says: "There were consumed in the German
village and old Vinenna 5000 cases of i'm
ported wine and 5000 kegs of beer and 100
cases of merchandise, for all Of which con-
sumption entry was made in the city.
Hence. you will see that the Midway Plat
sance was a large source of revenue for the
Treasury Department. Goods received and
accepted as exhibits in the Midway COM
comprising wild and domestic animals. an
tfquities rugs, jewelry, fancy embroiderieS
bric-a-brac, works OF art in statuary and
paintings. In addition to conc assionaries
there were $50 foreigners who took part IN
the concessions, as natives. saleSm an, or
musicians. 1t has been estimated by sew
eral of the most important concessiona ries
that over NWo,oU was spent by the public
in the attractions of the Midway. Nearly
If not all OF the exhibitors in Midway were
loud in their condemnation of the existing
tarinS on wooden goods, rugs and manu-
featured glass The largest consumer Of
foreign goods was Robert Levy, concession
airy of the Turkish village, who at the close
OF the fair received over SO. 900 refund for
goods re-exported. The second largest was
the Irish Industrial Association, of which
the Countess of Aberdeen was concession
airy. This village has opened a large store
in the city of Chicago, and promises to be a
large factor IN the importation of Irish
wooens, laces and jewelry. To one enc
connected with this village should be cred
trated on the customs force, If not on the
public"