The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-10-17
MAIN ENTRANCE AND ADMINISTRA7
BUILDING.


BUILDING.
planned bitterly of the climate the first
week. The managers had some difficulty
in compelling the men to wear enough
clothing for public appearance, and lady
visitors who peered into the straw huts
for study Of African domestic life
found one glance enough and retreated
rosy red
Just the same neGrO-that IS.
miscegene--was the hero of opening
day. 1t is taken by common consent,
but all things considered the speech Of
Professor Booker T. Washington was
the ncltest and most appropriate OF the
day. and beyond that the mere fact that
he was Oh the platform, that the eight
negro commissioners were in the pro-
cession with the rest. and that the Ne
gro building is enc of those most sought
for en- the grounds are of telling signiti-
canoe. OF equal interest is the fact that
the ladies' have managed their depart
ments without jar. and the wits will
net have SO much fun with them as at
Chicago. And as to the rest we now
realize the great gain in constructing
the main buildings around the natural
amphitheater and appreciate the merits
Of construction, and his assistants.
The main entrance is at Fourteenth
street, middle Of the west side of the
park, where the Administration build
ing frOnts the outside space. It is said
to be a combination Of six or seven old
castles anG looks as if it might be all
that and more. Inside an advance of a
few rods between the Auditorium and
H. Ia
to the brow of a considerable hill, from
which he looks down into the great oval
basin which adds so greatly to the
beauty and general effectiveness of the
plan. In the deepest part Of this basin,
On the cast and south sides, is the SO
called Clara mere, two crystal lakes
Joined by broad neck, over which there
is a bridge. A third Or moro cf the floor
/ Of the basin is taken up by the grand
plaza, in Tic center of which is the f0un-
tain, ard all the space left vacant by
mere and plaza is dotted with state and
| foreign buildings and minor attractions
/ In the mere is apparently low con-
/ ical island, but it is an illusion, mere
shell, and in the immense space under
/ it is the electrical machinery which is
to produce tho marvellous colored fOun-
tains, more marvellous, the engineers
say, than anything heretofore seen On
this earth.
On the commanding points of the
terrace around this central basin are the
principal structures. Boldly cOnspicu-
Gus ON the northeast is the largest,
Manufactures and Liberal Arts, 260 by
35I feet, with floor area Of 1913, 600
square feet. Straight north is the Gov
eminent building, the first to be ready
for visitors, and on the slope back of it
is tho camp of United States soldiers
Northwest is the Fine Arts hall, at the
best point of all for an imposing effect
rs seen from the plaza. And it is we'll,
indeed, that it is SO, for one cannot
help contrasting its size with that of the
marvellous palace OF art at Chicago
That was indeed imposing as seen across
the lagoon, but as ono goes up to this
cite by tie three long flights of steps an
illusion CT size is produced, and, seen
from the plaza, it allows like q great
whi1o temple set on g hill. This ar
ranGement was one of the happiest con
ceits Of wilkins & Co On the east is
the Electrical building, 50 placed az to
throw Il food Of light into the basin.
All the wonderful arrangements by
which the effects are to exceed all here
t0fore known have had explained TO
me three times, and therefore know
enough about it to know I had better
rot try to describe it. On the extreme
south is Machinery hall. nanked on one
side by Minerals and Forestry and on
the other By the California building,
while on the southwest is Agriculture,
and on the southeast Transportation,
, and this ends tho list Of large structures.
In all the corners and otherwise va
cant spaces ere state buildings and for
eign buildings, a Mexican village and a
forty mining camp. " scenic dis
plays and many minor attractions, and
last, but far from least, there are the
, Midway heights, with their ostriches
and oriental dancing girls, congress of
beauties, German village, Cairo streets
and lot more too tedious to mention.
And through it all and over it all, SO
to speak, one sees tendency to boast.
Perhaps it is not fair to contrast this