Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-04-09
AZ Their Final Work,

AZ Their Final Work.
| Paris. April e.-Activity in and about
the position grounds increases daily.
4 The place reminds one of the docks of a
great ocean steamship line when YES
sci Is being loaded. There are the carts
| ny scores and hundreds, the droves of
Workmen, and more than a complement
LOT curious onlookers.
More will be done during this last
week. said NJ. Chardon, the secretary
\ general, to a correspondent Saturday
afternoon. than in any two months
heretofore. We must say frankly that
the majority OF exhibits Will be far
from ready on the opening day, but
there will be plenty for visitors to see.
\ Besides. it has been noticed at every
international exposition of recent years
that during the first month the serious
part of the exposition has received
scarcely any notice compared withsthat
given to the amusements, the theaters
and the sideshows within the grounds.
After the first fortnight everything
inside the building will be ready, and
by the middle of May there Will not be
thing left to be done. This. consider
I ing the difficulties of every kind which,
since the Very beginning, have delayed
us. will be a good record instead Of a
bad one. Really, it is remarkahle that
the situation is not worse. For. this the
pubic, we feel sure, has given US
credit.
We are bit disturbed over thepros-
poets for good weather which are not
of the brightest. The climate OF Paris
is so capricious that the dark, cloudy,
rainy season may continue even into
July. Such thing has been known,
land If 1t happens this year the exposi-
i ton viii suffer Seriously on its fnan-
cial side. But we have enough trouble
already not to bother about more,
which, in any case, is still in the flu
sture..
The assistant commissioner general
OF The United States, Mr.. Woodward,
said:
We shall he ready to open at noon
today week lneSt Saturday,, before the
inauguration. Except for little work
sthat is yet to be done. the national pa :
vilion remains with hardly a stick or
stone to be put in place But when ii
comes to what has not depended upon
5us--the arrangements for housing our
eShibits-that is another story. can
make no guess as to the date when all
this will be in ORDER nor can anybody
4 else.
4 In this respect confusion worse CON
founded reigns turnout the exposition.
i Nobody any longer denies 1t, but we
4 are not suffering from that any more
A than are the other exhibiting countries.
Herculean efforts are being put forth
A in the French bureaus to put an end q
things, and it is thought another week
4 Will work wonders.'
A Charles Simms, the energetic western
4 newspaper man whois the director OF
the liberal arts department, deserves
the highest praise in this connection
His special charge. the remarkable
4 publishing building. with its contents
lis sure to be one of the wonders OF this
american section. 1t has been pushed
to completion with rapidity and thor.
oughness that has fairly taken one's
4 breath away.
4 Raising Hotel Rates.
Paris, April 9.--The advance guard Of
] the army of foreigners invading Pari.
i for ne exposition has made its entry
and avery large proportion are Ameri.
cans. Every moment of the day on,
a now sees cabs flying about the boule.
wards loaded With Saratoga trunks
q while the familiar American accent i.
4 heard in restaurants and other place.
4 OF popular resort.
i The hotels are already filling up, ant
the prices of everything are rising. Ii
fact. these first arrivals form sort o.
forlorn hope on whom the hotel ant
q shopkeepers are experimenting with in.
4 creased charges. Not only the visitors
a but the permanent residents are begin
ming to feel the burden OF the advanced
4 rates. which most Of the hotels have 81
raised that the regular guests ar,
a obliged either to leave or to accep
4 poor, accommodations.
Il Those who are unfortunate enough t,
y have only monthly leases on thei
apartments have been notified tina
their rents will be doubled for 81,
i months after the opening of the exposi
4 ton. The cab drivers also have an ey,
on greater wealth and are trying to ar
range with the government for in
creased fares.
II AT the exposition itself everything Il
I hustle and confusion. Heavy draugtl
4 teams line the streets adjoining the ex
4 position buildings waiting to deposi
4 their loads Of exhibits. The American
n Exhibitors are finding themselves seri
ously handicapped in preparing for tn
d installation. owing to the unexpected
4 congestion on the railroads betwee,
i, Havre and Paris and also on tn,
Z Ia. "a 4 = -.