Birmingham state herald., 1896-01-01
T CAME ON LIKE A LION, But the Atlanta Exposition
 Closed Like a Lamb. LAST DAY WELL ATTENDED. All Exhibits Were Kipt Intact Until the
 Show Closed.
EXHIBITS ARE BEING DISPOSED or
The Piedmont Driving Club Will Be Pre- sented, With the Pennsylvania and the New York Buildngs-$5, ,oo0-
 900 Left in Atlanta.

Atlanta, Dec .31. 1.-The final day of the
 exposition opened with d clear sky. Dur
 ing the early morning1the temperature
 was very low, but after the sun rose the
 weather moderated very rapidly, and the
 cars to the exposition were all filled. The grounds were thronged with people,
 and the buildings. were full Many of the
 exhibitors had small harvest in the
 sale of souvenirs, while the Chinese vfl-
 lage auctioned off all its bric-a- brac.
 The exhibits were all in good shape, and
 were not disturbed until after dark. During the afternoon the camels and
 donkeys of Cairo street were driven out,
 but most of the places on the midway
 were wide open and doing a good busi-
 ness. Although the crowd was one of
 the largest during December, there was
 no ceremonial. There had been so much
 of ceremony heretofore that it was de- termined to let the last day be a free and easy affair, so that the visitors might
 make the best of their time in seeing the exhibits. This evening, as dark came on,
 the beautiful illumination was given, and
 the electric-feuntain for the last hour dis played it's charms. far,h Although there was a large crowd, the best of order prevailed, and everybody seemed to be in a good humor.
 The directors held meeting at 4 o'clock, and transacted business of some importance, mainly directed toward fire and police protection for the grounds and buildings.
 Tonight at 615 a force of experts be- gan packing up. the pictures in the art gallery. and at the same time a similar work was begun on the, government ex- hibits in the mines and forestry build- ing. It Is expected that the work of packing and shipping exhibits in the gov ernment building will proceed rapidly. In the manufactures building the foreign exhibitors will attempt to dispose of their wares as far as possible before packing up. In the transportation building Capt. F. l.. Tyler, chief of transportation, will have an office, and look after the removal of exhibits By a resolution of the board of directors all salaries and wages cease tonight, but the president Is em- powered to make new contracts for such
 limited help as may be necessary to wind up the affairs of the company. One turnstile at the main entrance will left turnstile at the main entrance will be left charged to keep out stragglers, who would interfere with the exhibitors in packing their goods.
 The Pennsylvania building will be formally turned over to the Piedmont Driving club by Commissioner Keenan very soon. The New York state build ing will also pass into the hands of the club, both of these structures having been erected on the grounds of that or ganization. sr
 The Illinois building has not been dis posed of, but will probably be sold The Massachusetts building has already been presented by the commissioners to the Atlanta chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. The property agent of the exposition company has all ready begun to gather scattered furniture and miscellaneous movable property to places of safety and salvage company has been organized with MT T. B. Neal, president of one of the Atlanta banks, at it's head.
 MT. Inman, chairman of the finance committee, said the exposition. when all l the debts are paid, will have cost the city | of Atlanta about $200, GOO, or less than 10 per cent expended on the fair. This in- 1 cludes the original stock subscription and the appropriation of the city. This result is regarded as very satisfactory. It is estimated that the immediate bene- | fit to Atlanta in money expended here by exposition visitors amounts to $5,000.000, and that the ultimate benefits to the city an dthe cotton states are immeasurably beyond this or any other conservative a thok ho