New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-05-20

1T WAS INCOMPLETE WHEN OPENED
NOW READY TO RECEIVE THE WORLD.

H. and amid loud savos changing bells, Shrek !
Ing whistles and music from blaring bands and
monster choruses the great show was declared
OPEN and the President of the Republic of
France told the civilized world through its rep
resentatives that Paris was ready to play the
part of host. Then the various representatives
from afar congrat ulated the President and the
Director General the advanced condition of
the great structures. sent kilograms to their
friends at home conveying the news that the Ex-
position of 1900 had been opened, wrote long let
ters describing the imposing ceremonies. and
when it all over they wondered when the
Buildings would be finished and when one would
be able to wander through the Exposition
grounds without being compelled to walk around
plaster beds piles of lumber and structural iron
and when the monster buildings would assume
the shape and aspect shown in the architects
plans. If the people who made up the crowd on
the opening day knew the history of former
Paris EXpositons the unfinished condition of
the buildings and the general unpreparedness
did not surprise them They knew that in 1880
the last installation was not finished until June
30 that in 1861 the grounds and buildings were
sot finished until the end of May. two months
after the Inauguration; that in 1878 the final
3,uches were made on May 20, and that in 1889
Abe builders were at work constantly until a
month after the opening day. The Exposition OF
1900 will eclipse all prior efforts in that d:rec-
ton, and it is reasonably certain that the build
ings will not be completed and the placing of
the exhibits will not be accomplished until next
month, and that the record for punctuality will
not be broken. For these reasons those people
who not in Paris at the start, and who are
still far removed from the exhibition city, need
have no regrets They have avoided the hustle
and the hustle of the first and incomplete stages,
they have been spared journeys of miles in
chPerleSS
halls and have escaped all the Inconvenience
and temper destroying experiences that fall to
the lot of those people who occupy a house
jointly with the carpenter. the plumber and the
rlastarer.
But work has been going on steadily since the
opening day. Thousands of Workmen nave
labored day and night to perfect the plans which
We're agreed upon months before; other thou
sands have been kept busy unpacking and in
stang the exhibits from all parts of the world,
and steadily the monster workshops and lumber
yards have been converted into a picture of
transcendeat beauty which will. when completed,
become the rival for the place which was held
by the White City on the shore of Lake Michi-
gan
Six hundred thousand men, it is said, have
worked upon the Exposition. and they have pro-
duced collection of buildings, avenues, bridges,
gardens and drives which will eclipse all that
Paris has ever undertaken. and will, according
to the Paris authorities. put into the shade all
past rivals and make them appear insignificant.
4 visitor who wandered through the EXPOSE
ton grounds month ago wrote:
If your mind cannot realize the meaning of the
word million your becomes accustomed
to the sound of it, Those buildings" says your
conductor pointing to of the many groups
Of palaces that rising, are to cost - oGtbtb
francs" Those galleries" he says. half
mile further on. will cost 1oNN0D francs.
Those paViions over there. they Will cost
100000 francs" The entire outlay the EX-
poStion-the outlay which will have to be re
couped the turnstiles-Wu be 1O000OWO
francs, of which loOObttD francs going for
buildings alone, and those only the official
buildings of the Exposition proper. without
terpriscs. And the side shows appear to be en-
deavOIng to make the Exposition buildings
seem insignificant.
There is picturesque "Old Paris SideshoW-
a solidy built up town alongside the river.
which looks as though thousand Kiralfys al
with unlimited means. had combined make it.
The EifIel Tower has been picked out in gold
from top to bottom at fabulous cost. There are
the official payiions of the foreign nations each
of them representative of whatever is most !
picturesque and costly in the national arch-
lecture
The buildings within Paris viii cover an area |
Of 40 acres supplemented by a large annex in |
the Bots de Nincennes of three hundred acres |
Here will be found exhibition of railway and |
tramway rolling stock, automobiles cycles en- !
gnes windmiils United States and Canadian |
agricultural machinery, and military and naval !
displays. Here. also, the gymnastic and athletic