Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1894-04-05
THE MIDWINTER EXPOSITION

truthful statement to the effect that the
exposition is perfectly complete and
ready for the inspection of the public.
So it has been in the case OF the MID
winter Exposition. When it was for
nally opened on the eth of January 1t
was nearer ready than any large exposi-
ton ever was in the history. OF the
world, and great haste was made IN
pushing the preparations forward. In
two big buildings, however, vacant
spaces remained for long time unoccu-
pied, and it is only during the past week
that these have been open to the public.
The largest of all the spaces set aside
for any one nation was that assigned TO
Russia, in the department of Manutac-
lures and Liberal Arts, and it was this
space the filling of which was so long
delayed. The canvas screens wmch
separated it from the completed and
busy portions Of this great building
were cherries to look upon, and had
dampening effect on the rest OF the ex-
hibitors. But now all that is thing OF
the past, and on this grand space under
the Liberal Arts roof is perhaps the
finest of all the national exhibits.
So it was also under the big glass
dome of the Horticultural and Agricul-
tural building. The largest of all loca-
tions had been reserved fer Fresno
county, one of the leading counties of
the state of California. For some reason
the good people of Fresno county were
unable to complete their exhibit until
within few days past. And here, too,
the best wine, so to speak, had been
kept until the last. The great Fresno
county's exhibit is placed in fac simile
to the Fresno county courthouse. This
architectural counterpart has been made
very beautiful, and in it has been placed
such heaps of oranges and raisins and
prunes and every other conceivable
product of some of the richest soil of
California that the display is voted on
every hand to have been worth waiting
for. II may be truthfully said, there
fore, that the Midwinter Exposition is
now complete, and for four months
more this remarkable display of the
wonderful things from all over the
world in general, and the products Of
the empire state of California in partic-
ular, will attract worldwide attention.
That the attention thus far paid to
this exposition may be advisedly re-
ferred to as worldwide is made evident
by the registers which are kept in many
of the exposition buildings, and in con-
cessional structures. Visitors are asked
to register on the top of the great cleo
trio tower, which continues to be per-
haps the most attractive architectural
feature of the exposition. They may
register also in the Southern California
building and in other California county
buildings. There is also public reg
lister at what has come to be known as
"the corner OF the road" From all
these registers an idea of the number of
people who come to the exposition from
abroad can be accurately obtained, and
it is surprising. even to the Exposition
management, now many strangers are
continually coming to the city. Parties
of 10 and 20 have been made up in the
far eastern sections of the United States,
and have come on here for stay of a
month or six weeks. One party of 80
was made up in Cheshire, England and
came across the Atlantic on purpose to
visit an exposition which seemed to
them all the more remarkable in that it
should he held out of doors in mid
winter Personally conducted parties
have arrived from France, from Ger
many and from Austria, and parties of
colonists of India and Australia also
register in groups. The influx of East
ern people has been large, as a matter of
course, since the railroad rate war has
been on, and for fear that truce would
be patched up, the number of those who
wish to take advantage of cheap rates
are multiplying every day.
Boone, the lion tanner is protecting a.
special feature in the form of a wrest-
ling match between the great man-eat-
ing lion Parnell and a grizzly bear.
Tickets for this entertainment are read
lily selling at $50 each.
The greatest of all the recently added
attractions to the exposition is the an
pearance of Sousa's great band. This
band has been secured by the exposition
management for period of five weeks.
1t could not be secured for longer time
owing to its engagements in the East
but it bids fair to be one of the sensations
of the exposition during its STAY here,
Its first concert was given on Sunday
evening in the music pavilion near the
Administration building, and an i'm
mense crowd stood within earshot of tba
bandstand during the entire programme
The experiment of a % cent admission
was tried on st. Patrick's day, but nm.
der circumstances which can hardly
be accepted as fair test. The ST. Pat
rick's day committee paid the exposition
management a bonus for the sake of
having the rate reduced to 25 cents IN
that occasion. 1t was Saturday, and II
was, perhaps, the most beautiful 81
Patricks day ever seen in America
Undoubtedly there would have been q
large crowd at the regular rate of IN
cents, or even at 81, Snd as il was tbo
crowd numbered almost 10000. On
Washington's Birthday there were 35.
700 in attendance at the 5O-cent rate
and the concessionaire's say they made
a great deal more money ON the national
holiday than they did on st. Patrick's
day. Their argument is that very
many of those who came to the expos;.
tion on 25-cent day have little or
nothing beyond the bare price Uf-aSmis.
sions, or at least, not much more than
enough to pay their way into one or two
concessions. The result is, that while
there is great crowd on the grounds