The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-04-21
Nanlails Of tho " est.

|
Wo.lds Columbian Fair. The actual los
In money caused by these incendiaries al
ready reaches an enormous figure aside
| from the irrepaiable loss TO all lovers OF
beauty and grandeur. Building after
building has been furtiyely set on fire
and, although the flames have finally beer
eXtinguished. still. several Of the great
palaces, the delight Of the whole world
nave already been utterly destroyed, and
the renowned Court Of Honor is thanked
by many a mournful ruin, more pathetic
than those Of Baalbek or Palmyra.
At first, this destruction was attributed
20 tramps; but the evident system show
ed, ard the continuing pertinacity Of the
attacks clearly pointed TO. a deep purpose
OF humiliation planned out and carried
forward with "a definite purpose. IL y,
! therefore. supposed BY many that a con-
| federation Of the lowest junk-dealers OF
Chicago has been formed. with the design
Of reducing the Exposition buildings to
heaps of ruins. where. from the ashes OF
! priceless exhibits. consumed in their cas-
es. these degraded robbers may get ont
| fragments of old iron for their stocks In
trade. II is hard TO conceive Of anything
more nefarious than this wholesale sacr-
fee of the browning beauty OF the nine
tenth century TO the demsnds NJ the
junk-hCap. The men who have been de-
tccted IN this Infamous work have been
treated far too tenderly by the Coiunl-
bian Guards. They have been arrested.
They should have been shot. first. Their
names indicate that they are of the pois-
OF Gus scum which Europe has OF late
poured upon our shores, ard from VIII
come the robbers. murderers. and revoiu-
tionists Of the future. devils brood, IN
deed. Even the rude barbar.ans % the
axes before the white temples OF Athens,
the Huns spared the august Forum ~
Rome and the bitterly fanatical Puf.tans
preserved the cathedrsls OF England. but
in the Dream City. millions Of dollars
worth Of property and even more than
that aesthetic monuments OF inesiimab.e
educative value are being swept away
In the most waltCn manner b. bands or
rapacious thieves. Out With your swords,
gentlemen Of the Columbian Guards, and
cut do~l this yCrmin,
The burning of these buildings is not
simply 2 raDid destruction Of priceless
properly: in many minds it appears hard
~ short of sacriege. The Court OF Honor
should have been preserved for years.
because ii was even In It's deserticn and
silence one OF the most impressive object
lessons in the world. Since The closing
OF the Fair, hundreds OF thousands or
visitors have been filed with admirins
awe while gazing upon these palaces,
grand even in their desolation. When ST.
lence had finally settled over the scene.
after the withdrawal of the last be-
lated exhibit. the White city would have
presented. In its lonely seclusion, some
thing Of the pathetic grandeur OF LuXur
or Versailles; ard the waves Of the great
inland sea, beating along the front Of the
Perisiyie. would have had the effect OF
memorial anthems This. then must pass
and the Lagoon Will flow dreariy be-
tween heaps Of blackened ruins. the burn
ed-out pvres of the artistic beauty when
so recently delighted the nations. The
Dream City Will have vanished IKE
1.-THE baseless fabric Of a vision
1t is, therefore. a consoling thought that
the GROWING glorieS Of the scene in It's
prime are preserved in the magnificent
Book OF the Builders" which is now be-
ing p.epared by the Columbian Memorial
Publ, alton Society Of Chicago In this
great work nothing IS left 10 chance' ana
10 detail has zen abandoned TO ineNperi-
enced bands Every department or the
Fair is described and recorded, as TO ITS
inception. history and triumph by the
man who directed and controlled II.
Nor IS the work weakened IN It's direct
ness DN the lUltFNtUliol "a +-'~t' '-NN'"f"
transcrbers writing for so much per |
thousand words Such method would |
have secured grace at the cost OF vifiilty. |
But these noble chapters breathe out u
an uneNampied degree the nervous energy |
Victorious decision. and all-including CON /
seclation OF the Builders, expressed IN |
their own burning words 1t Is q feature !
unique and unparalleled, aud gives a las
cinatlng interest TO these diversified cnap-
ters Since the Fair was uhquestohaoiy |
the most wonderful event Of its kind In |
the istory of the world. II is very lifting /
and very fortunate, With2l, that these ie-
remarkable annals have been prepared IN
its commemoration. Unique III It's design
and success, il is also unique In rs SELF
written story.
The treasures Of art have been exhaust
ed In supplying the vast panorama OF PIC
lures which illuminate ard complete the
rec ord. The sudden and intense splen-
doris Of the Fair dazzled hundreds OF thou
sands of visitors, so that they became
as il were. color-blind and iorm-Oiind'
In the safety Of their eyes ihe absolute
congestion OF the faculties OF observation
and appreciation. They may now AT
leisure and i'm comfort round out and
justify and correct their impressions, with
the help of unapproachable descriptions
and illustrations
The price Of the Book Of the Builders
IS one thousand dollars copy. But
THE RICHMOND TINES. watching with
idmira ton the advance or tEis supreme
book OF the century. has finally been able
10 effect an arrangement with the Co
lumbar Memorial Publication Society by
which a sumptuous Popular Edition OF
The work is offered to TINES readers
only, at the exact cost OF manufacture.
Full particulars may be found in our ad-
vertising columns. and especially IN the
Sunday edition.
III the vandals OF arson. among us. but
Tot OF Us. will wreak their unparalleled
nfamies upon our faIrest shrnes. IL Is
II least some consolation to know that a
worthy memorial Of the great Fair VIII
forever remain for our ediication and
Instruction I'm this beautiful and instruc-
i've Book OF the Builders" Nor Is It
eseryed for the rich alone. for every one
Who buys his daily TINES can. IN