Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1894-01-31
FRISCO'S FAIR OPENED.
The City GaIy Decorated with Bunting,
Flags and Banners.

Francisco celebrated the greatest hoii-
day In her existence. Streets were gay
ly decorated, flags and banners were fly
ing from thousands of stats, and the
ships in the harbor were adorned
with the standards of many nations
Public and private business was at a
standstill and every road leading to the
Golden Gate Park and the fair grounds
were crowded with visitors. Many had
crossed the continent to be here to-day
and thousands had arrived from all
parts of California and the Pacific Coast
at large.
Gov. Markham had declared January
q a legal holiday throughout the state
and the day was observed as such. In
San Francisco all the banks and bust
ness houses closed and everybody was
free to go out to the fair grounds
Thousands of people were here
from all parts of the Pacific
Coast, and the hotels and streets
were crowded with strangers. The
buildings were profusely decorated
with flags and bunting, and every body
was in gala attire. Most of the street
railways of San Francisco terminate at
Golden Gate Park, and their entire roll
ing stock was inadequate to accommo-
date the people who flocked out to the
park to witness the triumphal opening
of their pet project. At 10 A. NJ the
parade, under command of Gen. Dick
inson started for the fair grounds. In
the procession were four regiments of
the National Guard, regular army troops
from Preside, Gov. Markham and
staff, fair officials, civic societies and
many of the confessional features to be
seen at the fair. Golden Gate Avenue.
the main drive to the park, was thronged
Vh n list 70 hn cti
ring music of numerous bands and
cheered as the long line of men marched
by. Shortly after II o'clock the process
sion reached the fair grounds and as
sembled on the recreation grounds
where a huge grand stand had been
erected near Festival Hall.
The order of the exercises be-
gan with a medley Of airs all
nations by the Midwinter Fair Band,
followed by an Introductory adj
dress by the president of the day,
James ID. Phelan. Prayer was offered
by Bishop Nichols, after which grand
chorus, America" Was sung bv the
Midwinter Fair Chorus Of 800 voices
Markham, music by the Iowa State
Band, an address by Director-General
NJ. ii. De Young, declaring the exposi-
ton open, and an grafton on the gen
eral benefits and permanent results of
the MidWinter Exposition by Gen. II.
L. Barnes. Music by the Austrian
Band and a chorus of national airs end
ed the programme.
Gov. Markham, in his speech, well
coined the people to the fair and eX-
tended to the strangers from other Sec
lions of the country the freedom of the
entire state. The Governor said al
though California was the first state in
the Union to appropriate money for an
exhibit at the Worlds Fair in Chicago,
and although her exhibit there was
wonderful and complete, yet many
Californians who visited the Co
lumbar Exposition were forcibly
impressed with the fact that it
was utterly impossible to transplant Cal
ifornia to Chicago; and while our build
ing and its contents and our various eX-
hibits in many departments excited adj
miration and congratulation, Caiforni-
ans knew that the real California was
not there. 1t was then and there de-
termined that California should have an
international exposition.
The MidWinter Fair is direct result |
Of the Chicago Columbian Exposition. |
NJ. H. DeYoung, national commissioner
to the World Fair, last June conceived |
Francisco. The suggestion was re-
ceived here with enthusiasm and i'm
mediately committees of citizens were
appointed to make the necessary ar
engagements. On July 10, 1898, Golden |
Gate Park was selected as site for the |
fair, and on August "a ground was
broken for the enterprise in the pres
ence Of nearly 1000 people, the larg-
est crowd ever gathered together on the |
Pacific Coast The citizens of San Fran |
cisco and California at large sub
scribed literally the necessary funds |
and over S500,OOO was raised in
this manner. At first only six
ty acres Of land was set
aside by the park commissioners for |
the fair, but the magnitude Of the enter
prise began to dawn on the people here,
and the space was soon increased to 100 |
acres. The half-dozen buildings at first |
contemplated have increased in number |
to nearly 100, all large, substantial
structures.
The tract is covered with massive
buildings and alive with semi-tropical
verdure Hundreds of palm trees,
Towering plants and vines make beau |
tiful setting for the structures, which |
are largely of oriental design. Grouped
on the terraces surrounding the eX~ |
tensive open place called the Grand
Court are the exposition buildings
proper. At the eastern end OF the
court is the building of manufacturers
and liberal arts, the largest structure
on the grounds. It measures 1852
feet in length by 225 in width with an
annex in the rear 370x60 feet. At the
opposite end of the court is the admin
istration building, beautiful structure
with a big golden dome. On north side !
of the court is the mechanical (
building, 330xl60 feet, Opposite
are the fine arts palace and the b
ing of horticulture and agricul \
The fine arts building is EgyI a
in style with huge sphinxs gu
ing the entrance. The hortit Il
tural and agricultural building 8
of old Spanish Californian archl-
lecture. Its area 266x190 feet crowded
with the products of California orchards
and farms. Festival hall, another large
structure where meetings and con-
crosses will be held, is at the extreme
end of the fair grounds and does not
front on the grand court. These struc-