The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1894-02-01
WINTER FAIR OPENS
The Greatest Holiday in the History
Of San Francisco.
THE GROUNDS CROWDED
Ia Come Respects 1t Surpasses the Wold's
Columbian Esposition-Great Winter
In san Francisco.

MIA International Midwinter Exposition
opened at noon, and San Francisco cele-
brated the greatest holiday In her his
tory. The streets were gaily decorated
flags and banners were flying from
thousands of fiagstaffs; the ships in the
harbor were decorated with the stand
ards of many nations, and business was
at standstill. Every road leading to
Golden Gate Park and the fair grounds
was Gro wded with visitors. Many
crossed the continent to be here and
thousands arrived from all parts OF Cal
ifornIa and the Pacific coast.
A great procession made its way
through the crowded streets TO the
park this morning. Every car line was
packed TO the utmost capacity The
official programme, which included the
great street parade, followed by dedica-
tory exercises at the fair grounds, was
carried out in detail.
AT daybreak a heavy fog hung over
the city, but it gradually lif e aud
parade, which iucluded four reg iu.ents
of National Guards, the regular army
troops from the Preside, Governor
Markham and staff, the fair Officials,
civic societies ard many conces iopal
features to be seen at the fair, arrived
at the fair grounds at | oclucN. The
order of exercises was as foilN~s:
Introductory address by the president Of ,lc
day, James q. Phclan
Prayer by Bishop Nichols.
America" sung by the Midwinter Chorus OF
Three Hundred Voices.
Address by Governor Markham.
Address by Director General NJ. H. DeYoung
Opening Exercises Of the Exposition.
Grafton by General W. II. l.. Barnes.
The midwinter fair, which formally
opened on Saturday, presents many
features that are like some that distln-
guished the Worlds Columbian EXPOSE
tion at Chicago. All great fairs have
necessarily phases, as they have OBJ
jects, In common. 1t has been, how
ever, the aim of the director general
and the managers Of the mid winter fair
to dIffercntiate even the commonest
things pertaining to all vast enterprises
of this nature. AS regards the build
ings, 1t Is manifest for what purposes
they were erected, otherwise they
would not be suitable; and here and
there. upon one and another, is seen
something that suggests "reminiscences
scarcely more--of other buildings,
photographs and prints of which are
scattered over the entire world The
provision made fer exhibits Is not novel
and the exhibits themselves are not so
entirely unlike those the millions have
before examined os to claim superiority
of interest. But when this is said, 1t
should not hence be inferred that the
midwinter fair is not so different from
other affairs of the kind.
1t is-let this be smphasized--a CON
trast to any exposition that the people
of America have yet seen. This con.
ings and In the exhibits both. And
then the situation. 1t is between one
of the finest parks in the world and the
commanding cliff that overlooks a great
expanse of the Pacific ocean, and at
whose base are countless seals dis
porting on their native rocks. Along.
side the fair grounds the ocean alter
nately murmurs and roars, and at all
hours beats worlds music-time on the
beautiful shore. Three miles off Is the
famed city, the most cosmopolitan, per
haps, of apy In the country. The park
through W. ich you may 60 to reach the
fair is filed with verdure and flowers
as though the season were midsummer
The climate is heavenly. No; the scenes
here presented are not like others that
have been witnessed elsewhere on this
globe. Objects all told, the world, It Is
certain, never saw a sight much re
sembling 1t, nor any excelling 1t in Its
own special intei est.
On how grand scale It all Isl A,
first 1t was San Francisco enterprise,
but soon the whole state, county after
county, was drawn into it from mo-
tives OF emulation and pride. The
fever did not stop here. Oregon, Wash
ington, Idaho, Mantana and all the
mountain states were seized with 1t,
and all are worthily represented here
In appropriate exhibits a number of
them by commodious and pretty build
ings of their own. Deferring to future
occasions attempts al detailed descrio-
tion, 1t is in order now TO prcsent lust
enough of the midwlnter fair scheme as
will give an idea Of its comprehensive
ness and grandeur.
Thought of by It's projectors as early
as May last In Chicago. actual prepare
lions for the winter fair (as It is now
generally called, the prefix midi hav-
ing been dropped by the officials in their
announce ments) were not begun till a
month later.
Comparisons in size and style Of build
ings, as In most cases, are odious. Only
for the purpose OF clearness shall they
be made. Buildings that cover 100
acres are numerous, and some of them
grandly extensive, and each reader for
himself can estimate their number, size
and grandeur by reference to what he
remembers or has before him In picture
of the like structures in Jackson Park.
Half dozen of the buildings in Golden