Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1895-10-12
OUR ATLANTA LETTER.
A CITY OF WONDERFUL GROWTH.
A Rival of the Centennial in its Magni-
ficent Buildings and Exhibits-Lus-
cious Fruits and Brilliant Flow
ers-Cotton. Cotton, King
ofthe South--Don'ty you
miss Seeing It.

OF the South-Dontl you
miss Seeing It.
Special Correspondent 10 the Capital.
Atlanta. Ga, Oct. 8, 1885,
The city of the Exposition is itself
worthy of visit. While, Of course, no
one expects to find within its borders
many of the attractions which grace the
stronger and more 0pulent cities of the
North and West, and which their wealth
alone has served TO make possible, yet
none the less has it attractions of its
| own. Wlde-awake, pushing, and with
supreme confidence in its future, it re-
minds one of Chicago, while In its s0lidi-
| ty and steadiness it is not unlike Balti-
more. Like Chicago it has had its day
of destruction, when the relentless Sher
man, on his terrible, and now famous
march to the sea, with shell and fire
brand, swept it almost entirely from
the face of the earth. And like Chicago
again, it has risen from its ashes, more
comely and more vigorous than ever.
| Since its recovery from the ruin wrought
by the war, its growth has been phenOme-
nal, especially when its location is con-
sidered. In 1890 the population was
65, 900; in 1895, it is 10000. 1t has fifty
eight miles of paved streets, and $50
miles of electric street railway The
city is lighted throughout by electricity,
and it has an abundant supply of pure
water, sufficient, it is said, for popula-
tion of one million.
It was no light task for city of such
size and resources To undertake such an
exposition as 1T has advertised TO the
world. That it has succeeded so well is
most praiseworthy achievement. The
visitor to the Exposition must not, of
course, expect to find a second World s
| Fair. Such an expectation would be al
| together unreasonable. M one inter-
| eSted here has ever made the slightest
| claim that Atlanta Fair rivals, in any
sense, the greatest exposition that the
world has ever seen. The grounds and
| buildings are more attractive to the eye
than they are made to appear by the best
picture of them that the writer has seen.
| With the single exception of Memorial
! Hall, the buildings are fully equal, and,
| in some respects, superior to any that
graced Paramount Park, ON the occasion
of the great centennial. The unduat-
fig character of the grounds, the variety
| in the architecture and col0ring of the
buildings, the meer, dotted with grace
| full electric launches, the winding roads,
bOrdered by grass and flower-pots, to-
gether form scene most picturesqe and
pleasing.
Perhaps the finest exhibit of all is. that
made by our national government. 1t
has several times been pronounced SUI
periOr to the one made at Chicago, and
TO the writer this judgment seems per-
| fectly just. One sees more readily and
clearly here what. the various depart
ments of our government have done and
are doing than he could at Chicago. The
exhibits made by the Fish Commission
in the Aquaria are particularly fine and
would make the average Annapolitan
long for his hook and line, and, just
/ one chance at them. Georgia, too, has
distinguished himself One familiar
with her, is amazed as he walks through
the building, erected by the State, and
| behold the wealth and variety of her
| products and resources. Fruits as large
and as luscious as are produced III Cali
fornia, grain, cerials and vegetables tnat
would gladden. the farmer S heart, min
erals valuable in the arts, III great varie-
ty and abundance, while everywhere is
cotton, cotton, cotton. Here, at least,
"cotton is king" Cotton seed, cotton
| plant, bloom, raw cotton, cOtton-seed
oil, cotton thread, and cotton in the fin
ished fabric, ready for the wearer. One
| is forced to regret that the southern sis
tiers OF Georgia have not, in any marked
degree, emulated her worthy example.
The class exhibits, TO which special
buildings are devoted, are nearly all good,
the most meagre and unsatisfactory be-
| ing those in the Electrical Building and
in the Art Palace. Electricians evident
| ly do not regard the South as a field
v.Nfn Tn. he hatf
devoted to Mines and Miners, there is
ali exhibit by Tiffany of exceeding inter-
est. 1t shows, in their rough and finish
ed forms, the gems that are native to
| the Southern states. Their variety and
beauty are surprising. Pearls from the
| Florida coast, diamonds, rubies, sap
phires, amethysts, topez, moOnstones,
and many others are here. The Woman 8
Building is another feature. The build
ing itself is architecturally imposing.
and within woman Is grace. deftness and
capacity for creating beauty are as thor
Oughly, if not as largely, displayed as at
the Worlds Fair.
To one interested in the real well being
and progress of the South, the Negro
Building offers field for philosophic
study. The South has no more momen-
tous questions to answer to-day than
this: "What shall we do with the negroY"
The veal or woe of our whole beautiful
Southland is wrapped up in the answer.
One cannot help but be glad that the
exhibit shows that the negro has done
so well, and sorry that he has not done
even better. This much, at least, is ap-
parent. He is learning to be a work.
man. Crude and imperfect yet, bis pro-
duCtions are, but, let us hope, for his
sake, and for the sake Of the South, pro-
phetic of better things. The Midway.
with its numerous attractions, deserves
passing mention. Many of its shows
appear to he catch-penny affairs. One
or two are however praiseworthy, the
most characteristic being "Old Planta-
tiOn Life.
Taken as whole, the Exposition is
most commendable, and well deserves
the patronage Of all lovers of enterprise
and progress. May Atlanta's gates be
crowded, and may her indomitable pluck
and energy be rewarded by the increased
prosperity of herself. and the territory
of which she rightly claims to be the
metropolis. w.
Mr.. J. X. Fowler, secretary and
treasurer of the Corine Mill, Canal and