Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-06-06

publicity; Of Archie Butt, Washington cor
respondent Nashville Banner, and of Rep
resentative Washington of the Nashville
district. The train was in the hands of
Conductor Beck, who took out the Atlanta
party last year, and who is making repu-
tation In that line. Suffice 1t to say that
each and every one of these gentlemen
worked harder than the Southern railway
locomotives that pulled the party, AMI
Joe Washington was heard when he
thought nobody was near him. to sigh and
say: We'll, thank heaven, these centen-
NAL things come only once in hundred
years."
The travellers breakfasted at Roanoke,
enc or he Virginia cities that started with
a boom { nd kept 1t up, Which several hun
dred of others did net. At Bristol Tenn q
city which IL half in Virginia and half in
Tennessee, the band played in honor Of
crossing the state lire; at Rogersville juno
ton dinner of the good Old southern sort
was served: at Chattanooga supper was the
feature, and the next morning it rained.
Rainy Morning.
That was the morning we reached Nash
Vile, and everybody was so disappointed,
for the city had spent hundred thousand
dollars on having the finest parade ever
seen in the state, and that downpour of
rain actually squelched faith hope and
charity, for a lot of very nice Nashville
people spoke of the weather in the most
dlsrespectful manner, some even saying
ever, by l pm. the gray in the sky con-
cluded TO give the blue a show and 1t
wasn't long until the blue and the gray
were on amicable terms and the procession
was moving.
And such procession!
Standing, as we did, at a high point in
West End avenue, with the sweep Of the
valley for a mile before us, filled with an
ever-moving pageant resplendent in color
and gorgeous in decoration, the splendid
sight was one that could not fail to inspire
the beholder with the same enthusiasm
which has Inspired these Nashville people
to this superb effort
The rain had done the parade much in
jury, but 1t was well perhaps that It did
not show up to Its full standard of splen-
dor, because If It had visitors would have
concluded that there could he nothing finer,
and other things would have been a dlsap-
poiItment AS 1t was, 1t was the finest
parade ever seen in Tennessee.
The centennial exercises were continued
a the exposition grounds in the auditor
ium with orations, music, addresses-his-
torical and otherwise-and other ceremonies
by prominent and wel-known citizens.
The Exposition.
And here let me talk Of the exposition:
When 1t was proposed to celebrate Ten
nessee's completed century of statehood, 1t
was natural enough to feel that the most
fitting form of celebration was an exposi-
ton, for by that means better than by any
other could the progress of the state be
shown; so the exposition was determined
upon. 1t went bit slow at first, for Nash
vile people are conservative, but the spirit
grew, and within the past year an immense
amount of work has been done, rot only in
actual construction of park ana buildings
but in the development of :he idea among
the people and the dissemination Of infor-
nation concerning 1t.
The site of the exposition Is the West End
Driving Park, which comprises about 900
acres of land beautifully adapted to the
purpose, and already more than 100000
have been expended in improvements upon
it. The adm Illustration building has been
completed six others nearing compile
ton, six others have been designed for
completion during the summer, and when,
the entire complement Is done, there will
be twenty large buildings, with a vast colo
ny Of the smaller buildings necessary for
private exhibits, restaurants and that sort
of thing. All the usual exposition adorn-
ments and amusements are promised, and
the Midway of the Chicago show will be
the Vanity Fair at Nashville.
The buildings will be Of wood and staff.
and eolorless. making this the 'wnite city,"
as its predecessor Of 0S was The art
building, which is an exact COPY of the
Parthenon. is. Of course, handsoner than
any other. The woman's building is an
adaptation from the Hermitage, by wo-
man architect, Mrs. Conley. ind It is n
most credtable structure, not only In point
Of ornament, but of use.
The grounds lie near the western gates of
the CITY, with the great capitol building
looking down upon them; they are beauti-
full in location, and when the landscape
gardener has touched them with his magic
wand they will be transformed into a
scene of fairy splendor, of lakes and f,ow-
ers and terraces and walks and vistas. and
all that charms the eye and satisfies the
senses.
The exposition will be formally opened
May l, 1897, and will continue until Octo-
Der 81.
Now, to continue with the visitors from
Washington.
Mrs. kirkman's Reception.
Somehow, the exercises of oratory and
things like that were not so attractive as
reception, from 5 to Z, given by Mrs Van
Leer Kirkman, president of the woman's
board, at the handsome house of her sister
Mrs. Drouillard, and the Washington folks
were seen there in force, making their first
appearance, SO to speak, in Nashville So
ciety; and / am free to confess that some
Of the bachelors of the party forgot ali
about the . to limit Of the reception. and
overstayed their time dreadfulIy. But. of
course, 1t wasn't their fault If NashyiIIa
women are so extraordinarily attractive
surely the poor bachelors can do nothing
but surrender unconditionaily