The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1894-02-10
THE MIDWINTER EXPOSITION.
CALIFORNIA MIDwINrER lxrERxA. !
IioSAL ExPosITIoN.-DEPARTNENr ;
OF PUBLICITY AND PROMOTION.

CALIFORNIA 4IDwINTER lNTERxA.l
TioNAL ExPosITIoN.-
OF PUBLICITY AND PROMOTION.
Weekly Circular Lstter-Eo. tal
BAN FRAScIsco. Jan. 81, 1894.
Nothing WAS lacking TO make the of{ic.
ial opening Of the California Midwinter
International Exposition . success in
every sense Of the word. In the first
place. the sun came up gloriously, in .
sky as clear ~ bell, and all day long it
shone down upon happy San Francisco.
Happy was she in the thought that It
was her lot to be Graded in the lap OF
land where such weather is . midwinter
possibility, and proud was she that she
had TO place before the thousands Of
people who visited her fair on that day
program OF such incontrovertsble ex-
cellence and Of such unimpeachxble At
Effectiveness.
The opening exercises took place on
grand stand especially erected for this
occasion, with seating capacity Of 900.
The seats were all taken and tens of
thousands Of visitors gathered on the
greensward in front Of the speakers
platform. The total number Of people
who passed through the turnstiles was
72.24s. Nearly ten Thousand Of these
were in the procession which marched
IN triumph TO the exposition grounds.
There were more bands in this street
pageant than were ever before seen in
San Francisco. halt . dozen of these
musical organizations, occupying place
on the grand stand, joined IN unison in
the patriotic features Of the musical
program.
When the opening overtures had been
played. James d. Phelan. the president
OF the day, made his address. introduc-
ing at its close the Ri Rev. Bishop
Nichols, who offered up the invocation.
The asseIrblage stood with uncovered
heads in the warm midwinter sun. with
the green hills towering above them, and
not harsh element in the air blew
across their brows. People from the
East took of their top coats, on this 27th
Of January. and made Of them cushions
for their seats As the bishop called
upon the Almighty TO make glad the
heart Of everyone present in this land of
sunshine, fruit and flowers. each visitor
from the snowbound districts undoubt-
eddy said Amen"
The scene was one that no stranger
could fail 10 be impressed with, and so
Ii was also when the governor of Cali
fornia. Hon. II. IL Markham, came to
ektol the managers of the exposition for
the wonderful things they had accom-
plished within the FIVE short months
which had passed since the original con-
cep,ion of the idea On every hand
were material evidences Of the beauty
and power of this great Empire State Of
the Pacific, and when Director General
NJ H. de Young, TO whose fertile brain
and untiring energy California owes this
eIposition-when he arose to deliver his
address a mighty shout went up and
honor was there accorded 10 whom
was due. Mr. de Young bore his hcnors
modesily. Best Of all. his speech was
short. and when Mrs de Young was
asked 70 press the button which shor'
Get the machinery in motion, she did D
gracefully, and this was all there was (.
the formal ceremonies of the openin,
the great Midwinter Fair.
The act of starting the machinery wa
signalizcd by the shrek of every whistl
In The exposition grounds, by the blair
and fanfare Of artillery within full sigh
Of the assembled multitudes. On tn
sainc spot. when evening fell, there wa
q grad display of fireworks, but in tn
interim the recreation ground was de
serted. for everybody made . gran
rush as soon as the opening exercise
were over 10 visit the main buildings c
the exposition and to patronize the cor
ccss,onal features. II mattered not tina
some of the exhibits were incomplete q
yet, for there was enough TO keep q
eyes and all thoughts busy during whs
was left of that short afternoon. an
everything. finished or unfinished, wa
novel and unique TO everybody.
Ii was in the concessions, howeve
that the holiday spirit of the crowd Wa
made more prominently manifest. II
40 Mining camp Immediately establishe
itself as one of the most popular instit1
lions in the exposition. Seven thousau
people pad their way into this conce
sion on opening day. The Firth whe
carried nearly six thousand, the Seen
railway WAS loaded down all day an
far into the night: the Wild Amin
Arena. the Ostrich Farm, the lndis
Enca.npments. the Hawaiian villag
the Vienna Prater. Heidelberg Castl
the Aquarium. the Sea Lions. the Col
RADIO Gold Mine. and the scores Of 9th
concessions did a big business, al
everybody seemed satisfied with the pa
ronsge they received.
All this established beyond q dou
the popularity of the Midwinter Expos
ton. Since the opening day there h
been an average daily attendance
5000 people. OF as many rs paid adm
sion so the great Worlds Columbi
Exposition during the first few da
after the official opening. Visitors a
loud in their praise Of what they ha
seen and are freely predicting that t
exposition will he an immense succe
The exposition management begin
feel as if they could take time for
good nights rest now and again,
their undertaking has now been fail
; launched, and they are willing to tr,
its drawing powers to prove sufficient
its satisfactory continuance for the ,
entire term of six months.
The great glory of California win
Is Just now at its height. People ridi
In the open street cars read OF the bl
yards and snow blockades that har
their eastern friends. and once more
word of welcome passes along every 1
: OF eastern railroad: Come to Califoru
see the great Midwinter Fair, and
: warm