San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-05-23
FROM NASHVILLE.

Letter Descriptive of the Great Cen
tennial in Progress There.
Special Correspondence to Sunday
Light.
Nashville. Tenn, May 21.-General
interest in the Centennial exposition
broadens and deepens with the passing
of each day. Much work has been
done since the opening day to complete
and perfect the buildings, grounds and
displays-and while the U. S. govern
ment building and display is just COM
pleted and opened to the public the
first of the week there still remains
some incomplete buildings WHICH will
be finished and opened within the next
few days. Of course these facts, the
cool weather and some rainy days have
prevented a very heavy flow OF visitors
from a distance, but the management
feels highly gratified with the atten-
dance so far, and on several days the
large crowds made jam quite I'M
comfortable to get into. The many
amusement features attract the crowds
the Streets Of Cairo, the Cuban VII
lage, the Moorish palace, the Chinese
and Japenese quarters and EXHIBITS,
the California big tree, and the num-
berless and varied attractions, aside
from the exhibits proper, all come in
for their full share of attention. At
ter the fireworks display at night the
Vanity Fair section becomes the spe-
cial center of good natured hilarity.
Much stuff has numbered the news
papers of the country for some time
past in referen<e to alleged airships.
OF course a great deal of this matter
was written without any excuse for 1t
except to cater to public interest. The
New White City" can boast OF real
seure-enough airship-the invention OF
Prof. Barnard of Nashville. Those
who have examined Prof. Barnard5
invention say 1t is sure to be success,
and the exposition management have
induced the professor to make a num-
Der of trips with his wonderful ma
chine-and thousands here are ready
to testify to having seen him in mid
air operating the continuance as it as
cended or descended subject to his will.
I saw it fly over the city the other ev-
ening Just as tho dusk of night was
coming on, and owing to the altitude
reached) and the gathering gloom was
unable to tell much about it. 1t is
very remarkable machine, even If half
Of what is claimed for it should prove
true.
have made special effort to get
candid and unprejudiced opinion of the
exposition from many who have been
here, and 1t is gratifying to note the
unanimity of favorable expression.
Even residents of Atlanta, whose pride
in their home affairs would naturally
bias their judgment, unhesitatingly
confess that the Nashville exposition
is far ahead of that at Atlanta, and
1t is not an uncommon remark to hear
people (non-residents of Nashville) say
that in some respects the exposition
SURPRISES the Worlds Fair at Chica-
go. OF course there is no COMPARE
son when it comes to the one point Of
magnitude. The history building, the
minerals and forestry building-not to
speak of the magnificent displays made
by some of the great railway lines
which really come in touch with the
ideas for which those two buildings
stand-both those buildings come in for
a share of merited praise from men
who have Travelled a great deal, and
one gentleman remarked in my hear
ing that "the history building sur
passes anything Of the kind ever
saw. The woman's building is per-
feet drecm Of beauty. Its delicately
frescoed walls, electrical fountain, dra-
peries, tapestries, etc, etc, makes one
feel that he has drifted into an en-
chanted realm. Thes Parthenon-the
fire proof building in which the lovers
Of pictures and statuary will spend
much time-is an exact reproduction
to an inch Of its ancient namesake.
The immense futed columns on all
sides Of this building the statue Of
Paras Athene at a little distance I'M