The sun., 1894-01-12
SAN FRANClSCO'S BIG FAIR.
IA7EEEsTISG IEATUREs or 7HE MID
HTE1EH SI7OU.
ssveuty.avs BuIl,drE., Go = rive 100 Aeres--
OrIsntsi Architcr,urs = r-vniis-Ths Days
4


tyrIsntsi ArehIt-cturs r-vnit--The Days
Sf 'ss ReeaIes--Vyhon Cost, ~ ySoo.oOo.
49, SAY FRANc1sco. Jan, I.-tmly seven months
ago tho idea oi n Mid dwintrr Fair in San Fran
. cisco originated. II took two months TO con-
vince the skeptics that the plan was foaslble
40 that less than five whoa months nave been
spent In preparing plans sad In putting them
into execution. Yet in thu, short time nearly
S5OO.OOo has been raised by popular sub
seription. FIVE large build fiRs and over sixty
small striictures have been erected, spacious
grounds comprising 100 acres. have been laid
- out ornamental trees planted-in nne. an ex-
.hlbition larger than that OF the Centennial at
Philadelphia has been pushed we'll on toward
/, com nlstion. The buildin9s. with one eXcep-
tlon. are Of wood. but. bI the skill
full use OF stan and ordinary plaster.
these wooden structures have been made
TO take on an appearance OF great
solidity The fair. as IL stands to-day. has
about sixty buildings in various stages OF
eomrletion; four main buildings are ready TO
receive the exhibits. which arr strung all along
~ on the overland road betweon hero and Chi
csgo many county and foreign buildings are
nearly ready for occupancy. and twoscoro
aide shows ranging from the Hawaiian vol
cano panorama to the forty-ntne mining camp.
are about rcady to receive visitors. The fair
will probably be formally opened about Feb. j.
but In the mean time the grounds afford an
Interesting spectacle OF tho evolution ot order
and beauty out OF u chaos that seems hopeless
to the uninitiated.
1t was on May 81 last that the idea Of start.
ing q Midwinter Fair In San Francisco was
first proposed by NJ IL. DE Young at Chicago.
lie had talked with number OF foreign visit
ors who were greatly disEusted by their treat.
ment at Chicago. and who saw way to re.
coup themselves for the large expense OF
brip cling their goods to this country. Manv oi
=. a l..t-
goods across the continent and shin them from
San Francisco: so they. rs well as European
exhibitors, gladly listened to the proposal to
atop on the way at tho Golden Cato and com-
Lino to mako a winter fair. 1t was shown that
Mt least 1000. 900 people from California and
the Pacific coast would visit the fair and
largo number OF Eastern tourists could be
D. counted on. The foreigners were told that
Calitornians spent their money Lberaliy. but
that the hard times this last year had pre-
vented ninc out OF ten from going to Chicago.
a. tho mere items Of railroad and hotel ex-
penses were enormous. These people who
y didn't SEQ the Chicago Fatr would be sure To
take in the San Francisco show,
I. When. it was urged that there was too little
tlmo before tho flrst of the new year for doing
more than merely tn BLOCK put a big show, Ds
Young ana others laughed and renlicd that
= the foreigners had no idea ot california push
.'- exhibits. then she far Western men would
gaaraItoe that they would b. handsomely
. housed. so the matter was quickly decided.
mass neetInss were held. s,fbscrlpiion raised.
y concession obtained Tor sixty acres III tho
prottiest part Of Golden tiaoc i.ark, aud by ATg.
"a tho work OF construction actually began
r. II WAS an in, pressire snectacle when ~. 900
:. people gathered in Concert Natley on this rne
day IN August to witness tho turning OF tho
y FIRST spad ciul OF earth for tho fair. The site
e. is very picturesque. 1t is about mid way OF tho
park, near the main north entrance AMI easily
reached by four main lines Ol cablo and steam
400 ioct high. the ioitlcst elevation in the
,ovl- .phi hi.h 10 al hv ,,f,a uANry.
6uiit in initiation nf the Roman Pantheon. al
- about tho grounds Is dense growth Q. nat,
urHl tive oak, intersncrscd with plantations OF
80 30 ioet above the grounds ono m ay sec straight
Ssyond @ tn the @ gotmins Tscillc. .anbrokcn by any any
island. stretching away {" tho misty point
. where sea and SKY meet. Turning to the nor'n
@ c"Spty W 70 the bold hssiirnI whiSh forms one i
II towers tho sentinel dome OF Mount Fsmat.-
49, pate, Between tho Observer and the sea are.
rolling sand dunes. covered IN places BY great
patches OF the lupin shrub, which in mid
winter Is gay with purple and yellow blossoms:
To tho east. showing more hills than anc ont
b ]ome could boast oi, strotchcs the young cty
OF fan frnneisco. looking. ,wi:h It's cleaning
wnits bnildings against the background ot
"" tawny yellow Mills and imstrons blue Sky. not
upSs Ss q fSisrs sf s1s
the lair buildings at ones teOt. Here are Ave
ns ~ f5"Issf s, w,s nSsut feTsGGS
- yarioas styies OF far Eastern arch:tocturs.
, Mith its % minsress mSny-eoIo5sd any, domes red;
ssng O. F6a e portSIS G
OF architecture prevails but variants of this
may DO seen in the spanish American fashion
p. intIoduced by the Mission Fathers In Cali
g Tho oriental aspect IS heightened, too. by tha
lack Of stiffness and Iormaity "a the arrange;
the date and fan palms, the palmetto and trop-
ifal plants that are associate % In me magina.
the muezEin's call 70 prayer, Nearly all the
A tu hur VI ST of
ture. China has an imposing nacoda which is
really well worth ~. study rs % nm arGhitsstnra!
q ;is noteworthy for its elaborate gateway.
Ths ,b main building is that Sl aHRGfsetnr.s
''y' brown. the architect OF the California State
building at Chicago. i faces the EASTERN end
2 Rnce when viewed from little distance The
s6srs pnr the Old Sa 1SFrnS. nS
cisean missions. The main building Is 4,i3 Dy
.pM.s q giving
a1-ioSt gallery around the main y NJ building giyeS
ns ns HSf Is % ases lsS
which extends along tho wh,de front rhs
SPHngS. sSSs@Ss ,n9S Ss ErG % IL. 's%w rs
shade o. the loggias. The tiles OF the rounded
sS 9, rs .GS sSa and aG%e
ISs s4. wSi { N ST ut ct .n
An Effective 1I. O. detail is SSontri6utsl
S' are s0rs % S.r fS "rsra &
towers OF many mission churches In this
state. On each corner OF tho bulItiing Is ~
large tower. With projecting lower balconies
b covered hy y low tiled dome; The pale yellow
tint oil this building gives II the mellow hp.
kearanes Of age. The Interior is arranged
Ike Homsn Dasllen. fhe roof Is in three d.
Z. visions, and nIty-four feet from tne ground Is
all additional floor under the dome which
opens upOn u roof carien lliied with palms
aud tropical plan's. which In this genial alr do
not need any urUteetiun lrum lrOst This
10 building cost only sl!UOOu. yet from its ar
pearanre IL seems 70 he OF solid material. In-
sido nns gets a good Idea OF the work lavishrd
on the structure. The main trussss arc OF
.- wood ana iron, aud the span betwern the gals
leries t. l5S feet From the loOr 10 the top of
the dome IL 1870 feet,
NoXt to this building on tho right is a
Structure which bears a striSlng Iesem-
hlAnce To some OF ths temples uf Luxor.
II Is the Fine Arts building. the only
permanent structure tho gFOunds
. 1ts framework Is iron ami brick. and