St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1898-03-12

division is represented in congress save
the territories of New Mexico and Ari
iona, and so rapid has been the devel.
opment of the west that the term
frontier" has become misnomer and
the arts and industries of civilization
have pushed out to the Rockies and be.
yond.
There has been no fit illustration oil
the marvellous progress made by the
states west of the Mississippi river dur
ing the past 25 years. True the Column
bian fair gave evidence in slight meas
ure Of western development. but many
of the states and territories were repre-
scented there only by buildings for the
entertainment of visitors from the sew
eral states, and an inadequate repre-
sentation of the wealth, products. re-
sources and civilization of the vast re-
gion west of the Mississippi has yet
TO be made.
l had been told that the Transmits
sissippi International exposition, which
is billed to open its gates at Omaha
next June promises to be second only
to the Worlds fair. but l must con-
fess was somewhat skeptical On this
point. took a trolley car to the
grounds, which are about ~ miles
north Of the center of the city, but
within the corporate limits. found
some of the large buildings nearing
completion. They are ranged east and
west along either side of basin
nearly half mile long and about $50
feet wide. At the west end this
basin spreads out into three-lobed
lake. facing which is the United States
government building, which the con-
tractor is rearing with all possible dis
patch, the winter weather being favor
able. This building. by the way, is
to be 500 feet long and the height to
pinnacle will be 17s feet. Its cost is
estimated at $4,000. At the east end
of the basin there is an immense hemi-
cycle stairway leading to viaduc.
across Sherman avenue, which divides
the main tract of the exposition from
a beautiful plat of about 60 acres.
wherein are being erected the various
state buildings. the horticulture, apiary
and other buildings of lesser degree.
This tract overlooks the river and, be-
ing high and slightly, affords a mag
nificent view of the river and the Iowa
bluffs beyond. At the northern extremi-
ty begins the section devoted to amuse-
ments of concessionaires and over to the
west, being north of the rectangle
where stand the large buildings, is the
main section devoted to concession
aires. Beyond this will be the railroad
terminal station and the Transports
ton building, the vast array of farm i'm
plements, the irrigation and sugar beet
farms, the horticultural section and the
up-to-date farm, together with athletic
fields, a racing course, fine stock stables,
etc. There are 200 acres under fence.
At this time, however, the most in
teresting point on the exposition
grounds is the main tract upon which
the great buildings are under construc-
ton. One point to be noticed is the sue
cess of the designers in keeping free
from the influence of other expositions.
The plan of grounds. the grouping and
design of buildings, and the scheme of
color, am told, are all wholly different
from any former achievement. The
are to be given the tint Of old
ivory. the staff work being colored to
produce that effect. Imposing columns
of long colonnades, beautiful porticos
facing the main court, bas-relief sculp-
ture adjoining the pedimcnts of great
all wrought in staff, will con-
tribute to the splendor of the completed
Visitors going by boat
the length of the basin, from the United
States Government building on the west
to Sherman avenue on the east, will pass
all the main buildings, to-wit: On the
south line, the Fine Arts, Liberal Arts,
Arch of States, Manufactures and Audi
forum buildings, and on the north side
the Agriculture, Administration build
ing, Mines and Mining building. and the
and Electricity building.
The canal is to be spanned by four
graceful bridges, one of which II to
after the exposition closes.
As l stood on the great viaduct con-
Meeting the two main tracts OF the ex-
position, this query naturally forced
itself upon my mind: What will this
vast display Of architecture cost. and
how is it possible that funds sufficient
10 complete the work laid ont can be
raised 10 section Of couptry which but
I've years ago. ! MAS told DOVE east.