Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-30

would be useless to wait until all the par
Elephants in the affair have passed away be-
lore completing the great historical circle
in the rotunda. The committee felt con-
siderable embarrassment il is understood,
owing to the political deicacy of the situa-
ton with respect to President Cleveland,
but the matter has been viewed. 1t Is
thought, in Il Eon-partiSan light, and for
the sake of finishing the work all scruples
have been laid aside, and the artist Will be
commissioned to paint the President of
the United States in one of the most singu-
lar portraitureS ever attempted. Mr.. Cos
tagginis description of the sketch, which
Is marked "a in the official document, is
as follows:
THE object of the sketch marked "A" Is
10 commemorate the opening of the world
fair, held at Chicago in 1893 and the COM
pletlon OF the 4ooth anniversary of the dis
covery of America by Christopher Column
bus. My idea of the matter is to represent
the fair and the opening as an internation-
a. affair. The picture will show the leading
participants present, including representa-
tives of foreign nations. The figure in the
center Is President Cleveland in the act of
pressing the electric button which set the
machinery in motion. To the right of Pres
ident Cleveland and at the center of the
stand are the Duke of Neragua and his fam
lily, descendants of Columbus. consisting of
his wife, son, daughter and brother. To
the left of President Cleveland, standing
foremost, is the president of the fair, Hig
inbotham.
"A little further back of President Cleve-
land, also at his left, are Mr.. and Mrs
Potter Palmer, the latter president of the
board of lady managers of the fair. Chap
lam Mllbur1 is represented at the left ana
back of President HiSinbotham To the
right of the dukes family is Director Cen
eral Davis. The other figures consist of a
CoioniDlan guard and representatives of
foreign nations participating in the open
Lng. II necessary, other figures not in the
sketch can be placed in the fresco in order
10 make 1t historically accurate
The portraits are of course ideal in the
sketch, but in the si'esco they would be cor
rect likenesses in looks and style of dress
Ihere is no pretense that the sketch &C
curately represents the style of dress used
| by the participants at the time, since this
would only be material in the fresco AS
a matter of fact. L have clothed the par
uclpants In winter garments, though the
opening was held on May 1. l merely used
this style of dress because May | was a
very Indictment day; but this of course
VIII have to be verified, and the figures
snow accurately in what kind of garments
they were clothed. This proof merely gives
my Idea OF what the fresco should be in
order to properly convey to the beholder
what 1t is intended to commemorate. viz,
the opening of the worlds fair and the
| completion of the 4U0th anniversary of the
| discovery of this country
The Stars Account.
In The Evening Star of May /. 1873, the
scene at Chicago on that day was de-
|
account the following was the order in
| which the guests We're seated on the presi-
Dental platform. from which the electric
| hutton was touched starting the fair: In
| the center President Cleveland; to his
| right, Vice President Stevenson, Secretary
OF state Gresham, Secretary Carlisle,
Secretary Herbert, Secretary Smith, Sec
| rotary Morton, the Duke of Veragua,
! the Duchess of Veragua. MARQUIS De
Barboles, Christobel Colon of Aguilera.
Pedro Colon Bartenado; on the left Am
| bassador Bayard, Lambert Tree. Maj Gen.
| Miles, admiral Gherardi, Gov. Altgeld
| Mayor Harrison, Director General Davis
| Director of Works Burnham, President
Palmer, President IIiginbotham. Lyman
| Gage, William T.. Baker, Vice President
| Waller of the commission. Vice President
| Peck of the directory and Mrs. Potter
| Palmer. president Of the board of lady
| managers.
| After describing the prayer by Chaplain
| Milburn. the reading of the poems of dedi-
| cation and the address by Director Cen
| eral Davis and President Cleveland the
| account continues: LAS the President was
| concluding the final sentence his eyes wan
| dered to the table that was close at his left
| hand. Upon this was the button, the pres
| sure upon which was to start the mach
| cry and make the opening of the exposi-
| ton an accomplished fact. 1t was an or
| binary form of telegraph key, such as is
! now in use in most Offices. except that 1t
! was Of gold instead Of steel and a button
| Oh ivory instead or rubber. 1t rested upon
! a pedestal upholstered in navy blue and
! gold and yellow plush, and on the sides of
| the lower tier in silver letters were the sig
| nificant dates 1892 and 1893. AS the Ia at
| word fell from the Presidents lips he
| pressed his finger upon the button This
was the signal for demonstration diff
| cult Of imagination and infinitely more so
! of description. = The Columbian ey
| position was open to the nations of the
| world. 1t was precisely 1903 pm. when
| Grover Cleveland touched the button. and
| fact"