Catoctin clarion., 1899-12-21
MECCA OF MILLIONS.
SOME AUTHENTIC MARveLS OF THE
PARIS EXHIBITION.

Features Both Novel and Striking.
The Castle of Waters-Objects of
Interest for tbs Frivolous, the
Scientific and the Studious.
There has been so much wild specu-
lation as to the features of attraction
at the forthcoming Paris Exhibition,
that 1t is relief to know from authen-
tic sources what marvels will be dis
closed to us in May of next year. AS
might have been anticipated, all the
wild, hair-brained schemes of which
the papers have been so full are
doomed to end, as they began, in the
clouds; but the exhibition will not lack
many features, both novel and strlk-
ing.
One charming centre of attraction
will be the Castle Of Waters" which
Is now being erected in front of the
"palace of Electricity" From the sum-
init of the castle, which is in reality
huge grotto, a miniature Niagara or
water will fall in series of imposing
cascades from one basin to another,
until it forms lake in which mighty
geysers will rise. At night these tiers
Of cascades will flash forth in all the
colors of the rainbow, projected electr1-
cally from inside, and will form one OF
the most brilliant spectacles on which
the eye of man has ever gazed.
In another part of the exhibition
grounds the Paris of the Middle Ages
will live again in maze of buildings
and narrow, tOrtuous streets, which
will carry one back five centuries. Here
the medieval student will quaff his
wine and tiirt with the tavern maids;
housewives will barter and hagglc with
shopkeepers of the days of Louis Al.;
minstrels will sing old-time ballads.
and. in short, the Paris Of the fifteenth
century will be transplanted with all
its quaint costumes, characters and
modes of life into the Paris of the
end of the nineteenth century.
On the Seine will be mooIed boats
smothered in beautiful decoration of
flowers, where the LondOner or Paris
ian can sip his tea to the singing and
dancing of Geishas and fancy himself
translated to sunny Japan. In an
other part Of the ground the visitor can
wander into an Egyptian village, and
witness performance in an Egyptian
theatre. and a few steps more will take
him to Morocco and the many -colored
life of Algiers.
French India, too, will be transported
to the exhibition grounds, with all the
quaint modes and costumes Of the
East; and the visitor can explore at his
leisure the fomous pagodas of Nishnu,
with 1t mysterious priests and its
sacred dancing girls.
No exhibition nowadays is complete
without its water-chute; but the chute
that is being prepared on the Champ
de Mars is the longest. steepest and
most tortuous ever designed, and is
warranted to crowd more sensations
and risks into few seconds than will
satisfy the most adventurous. There
will also be large wheel, in compari-
son with which existing wheels will he
on all its pristine glories, with new
paint and decorations.
At the Champ de Mars the studiously
inclined can revel i'll all the commercial
marvels of mines and metallurgy,
chemical industries and civil engineer
ing, foodstuffs and electricity, letters
and sciences; and at the lnvalideS there
will pc palaces devoted to industries,
French and foreign.
For the frivolous, there will be open
air cafes chantantS, booths and kiosks;
and everywhere delightful cool corners.
rich in flowers and foliage, and illumin-
ated at night by garlands and festoons
of manycolored electric lights.
The Trocadero will be there to revive
memories of past exhibitions; and in
the beautiful gardens that surround It,
and slope gently to the river, will be
buildings and villages to represent all
the colonies Of the world.
A novel feature, which it will be both
costly and difficult to realize, will be
a large lake Of sea water, with a slop-
ing and sandy beach, in which the
thousands of visitors can enjoy all the
delights of the seaside. The lake will
be eXcavated at Longchamps, and the
water will he pumped from the chan
mel, 125 miles away, through a series Of
three pipes.
Although the exhibition. which will
open on May 1st. contains no features
remarkable in novely ag sensation, 1t
promises to be at ltast as full Of at
fractions and delight rs any of its pre-
decessors. and will. no doubt, be the
'Mecca" of millions hfXt wear