Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1894-04-27
TIE AMERICAN BUILDING.

oEeduy VI IdrlS Ill 1908, ana prODaDly no
other city of the world has so many foreign
establishments, if the various colonial
branches in London and Liverpool be ex-
cepted.
To the scholar, the artist and the ordi-
nary sightseeing tourist Antwerp is no
less interesting than to the merchant. The
archaologist must feel an interest in the
city which had it's beginning on the banks
Of the Scheldt two centuries before the
Trojan war. Thu historical student must
pay his respects to the city so closely
associated with Godfrey of B%oulogne,
Philip II, William of Orange and the
great struggle against Spanish domina-
ton. The artist must feel q reverence for
the city which Graded Rubens, Vandyke,
the two Teniers, Jordaens, Frans Floris
n Quentin Matsys and still guards their
masterpieces as her most precious posses
sions.
The ordinary tourist will feel or affect
an interest in the famous old cathedral,
with it's 400 foot tower and it's great altar
piece by Rubens, 1.-THE Descent From the
Cross" in the great artists equally fa-
NOUS "Holy Family" which hangs in the
Church of st. Jacques, or in some ono or
all of the hundred other examples of his
finest productions which the city has to
show, or perhaps they will grow cnthusi-
astic over the celebrated well cover Of deli
cate iron tracery forged by Quentin Matsys
or over his pictures or those of some of the
other great lights of the artistic world
They will find much to interest them, too,
In the Plantin museum, which includes
the famous sixteenth century printing Of
flee of Christopher Plantin, where the
great Polyglot Bible was printed, besides
n rrS1N1~-~ 20 -
manuscripts, etc.
The exposition is located in the southern
part of the city in a park covering over 200
acres, fronting on the Schcldt. Its mag
nitude can best be appreciated from q few
figures. The Hall Of Industries is 1850
feet long by 400 feet wide. The Electric
ity building measures 1856 by 262 feet and
; Machinery hall 1877 by 1852. The art exhibit
occupies a building 436 by 1888 feet, and
Festival hall covers q space 347 feet by 1863.
The main buildings are all constructed of
iron and steel and rooted with zinc and
cover collectively /, 1850, 900 square feet.
One of the most beautiful pieces of archi-
lecture on the grounds is the American
building, which faces the grand entrance
n occupies the most prominent site &C
corded to ar. foreign nationality. 1t meas
ures $40 feet by $50 and is Of the modern
renaissance architecture. It is approached
by a broad marble staircase, and the main
court is open to the dome and surrounded
by a gallery containing 1s exhibition
rooms for the various states. The largest
Of these, 40 by 80 feet, it devoted to the
United States government exhibit.
In an to the building is a COM
plete modern American shoe factory, which
will be in full operation during the fair.
Besides the 26, 500 square feet included in
the American building n it's annex co.
600 square feet of space have been allotted
to American exhibitors in the Hall of In
dustries, 80, 900 square feet in the Electric
ity building and 0 1000 square feet i Ma
chinery hall, making a grand total of 1885,
300 square feet of space devoted to the dis.
play of American products. France and
Germany have each been accorded only
100, 900 square feet, and Great Britain gets
but go, 900.
America has also been favored in other
respects. A Philadelphia syndicate has Sc
cured a concession of 16 acres, which will
be devoted to what is called the American
plaisance, with the idea of showing by
, practical illustrations many Of the most
picturesque phases of American life as it is
now and asst has existed in the past. The at
fractions here will be varied. Pawnee Bill,
the. leader of the Oklahoma boomers, will
have a wild west show, with a company Of
125 people, including Indians, cowboys,
Mexicans and soldiers, and any number Of
American wild animals, such as buffaloes,
elk, deer, bears, a pack train Of burros and
a troop of bucking bronchos.
Other features of the plaisance will be
an Aztec village, California ostrich farm,
a southern cotton plantation, with negroes
at work, and a Florida everglade, with real
live alligators. Then in alarge corrugated
iron auditorium, seating l, 500 people, there
will be delivered every day q series of lee
lures in French on picturesque tours in
America, illustrated by stereopticon views
of our best scenery, most notable buildings
and places of historic interest, as well as
some Of our principal manufactures, which
will undoubtedly give home staying for
eigners a fair idea Of our scenic attrac-
tions, vast resources and material prog
ress. Under the grand stand of the wild
west show is to be q typical American bar,
conducted on an unusually large scale, a
feature that is always very attractive to
foreigners. G. T. BAXTER.