Omaha daily bee., 1899-07-23

to such gorgeous fetes as we never
see today. Across the bridge. with
the gilded dome Of the Hotel
des 1nvalides as its climax, the
great avenue continues between buildings
which will doubtless be beautiful when the
time comes. but witch at this stage look
Enthusiastically cheap and towdry. Flapplng
muslin, partially applied stucco, gaping win
dows-all the fimsy details of temporary
structures show now unpleasantly. But
amazing as it seems to the visitor, the COM
mitteo in charge has formally announced
to the American commission that these
buildings will be the fret to be ready for
occupancy, and that exhibitors may plan on
beginning to move in by the latter part Of
next month. The Paris exposition will, it
is promised, be that unique thing among
shows Of its kind-an exhibition when Will
be ready at the moment advertised.
Slightly beyond and TO the right of the
Hotel des Invalides is the old Eiftel tower,
not less majestic in its skeleton tracCry Of
iron than it was in the gay days Of the great
show of 80. Around 1t will be clustered the
many curios which the ingenious Frenchman
has devised for the entertainment OF his
guests in 1900. Here will be the great tele-
scope which of itself deserves an entire arti-
Gle. Here. also, win be the only artificial
body of water which the exposition will have
to show--a little lake and waterfall, in sad
contrast to the great lagoons and twisting
waterways of the Chicago exposition. Not far
way the Electric Palace will CLEAN ger
geously with its colored glass and running
water. What will bear an exaggerated re-
semblance to the wild hilarity of Cticago's
Midway will also be located in this neigh
borhood.
Handling the Crowds.
The most elaborate preparations are being
made by the Partisan authorities for hand
ling the crowds. An electric underground
railway is in course of construction, and
indeed nearly completed. 1t will consist of
a tunnel lined with white tile, and will, of
course, because of its modern motive power,
be entirely free from smoke and other dis
agreeable features. This, in connection with
the already existing street car lines and
omnibus routes, will furnish ample street
transportation The Partisan cab system
is well nigh perfect, also, and will be greatly
improved one way and another for the expo
sition year. The rate is fixed. a trip, long
or short, in a Paris cab costs 80 cents. The
rate by the hour is 40 cents.
One of the important problems which con-
fronts the authorities concerns the handling
Of street traffic by the police. During the
last exposition the work or the gendarmeS
was extremely incompetent and unsatis-
factory. Street blockades and accidents
were very common. The work of the London
police in controlling the enormous traffic
which passes through the narrow streets of
the English metropolis is almost ideal, and
a squad of gendarmes was sent over from
here to study the calm, impressive methods
of the British bobby. But the study availed
little. Within a week after the Frenchmen
had returned to Paris they had gone back
to their old eXcitable ways. which in times
in any way approaching emergency become
almost frenzied. Next year it is probable
that better work will be done by the French
police. A certain proportion of the gen-
darmes here have already had their swords
taken way and have substituted for them
little white billies like the day clubs carried
by the force in New York City. Under the
direction Of their chief these men are al
ready being taught the secret of controlling
traffic and stringent prosecutions are teach
ing the ebullient French cabmen the ad-
visibility of not only obeying the verbal
orders of the gendarmerie, but their slight
est gesture as well.
Taken all in all, it is doubtful il any one
visiting the Paris exposition from America
will be disappointed. Even at this stage of
its preparation it is easy to see that it will
be a great and marvellous show.
EDWARD MARSHALL.