The true northerner., 1900-08-10

MABELLE PARMELEE sTEINMANN WRITES
ENTERTAINLy CONCERNING 1T.
Paris. July Is. 1900.

omanycontradictor things have been
written and said about the Paris exposi-
tion of 1900, one must need visit it him.
self TO get the truth of the matter. After
a two weeks stay in this more than ever
brilliant city, the writer unhesitatingly
pronounces the undertaking a grand
success as worlds exhibition, no mat
ter what the financial reports are.
No one who saw our white city of 1898
at Chicago ever hopes to see that spec
tacle as a tout ensemble surpassed Nor
is it at Paris this year; but in many
ways the ingenious Frenchmen have
gone us one better
The magnificent new bridge Alexander
III, which spans the Seine and leads
into the Esplanade des lnvalides, is con-
sidered by the Parisians to be the "clou"
to the exposition. Approaching this
grand structure on the avenue Nicholas
III, and lending added splendor to the
view, are the two art palaces on either
side, one redressed and remounted to
harmonize with the smaller new build
ing in all its virgin whiteness. a glance
across the bridge brings into the scene
4
braces at the farther end the gilded
dome of the Invalides itself, where the
bones of Napoleon /. repose In state. AS
a view this will probably live longest in
the minds of its beholders when the min
or effects have been forgotten. 1t gives
the effect of splendor which is so necessary
to the happiness of the Partisan and re-
calls the luxury of the era of Louis XIV.
The exposition begins in the heart of
Paris at the Place de la Concorde where,
over the principal entrance, is the much
criticised new art monumental gate, and
continues internationally on both sides
of the Seine up TO and including the
Champ de Mars.
In the street of nations, Italy has by
far the most elaborate building, as well
as being the first in the row.. Neverthe-
less one sometimes hears it facetiously
compared to wedding cake as it has so
so much exterior decorative detail work
and supports on its four sides the statues
and busts of Italy's immortals, Michael
Angelo, Raphael, Titan and others The
Ottoman empire follows next in line with
large substantial looking building in
pure Constantinople style and then
comes lie pavilion des Etats Unis United
States building) as it is called in the
guide books. Far be it from my intention
TO cast aspersion upon such able COM
missioners as had the deciding voice in
the matter, but the general opinion is
that the diminutive building resem
bling garden gloriette, with dome like
the capitol at Washington, and which
stands for S0,000,0OO of people, is an
inadequate representative and belittles
in the eyes of foreign nations the great
est of all republics. The interior is
meant to be simply rendezvous and
place of rest to weary Americans and
contains comfortable rockers and writing
desks, besides a postoffice, telegraph and
American bar. AL of the other foreign
buildings contain representative pro-
ducts of their countries and oftentimes
present the appearance of large bazaars
The country which has done least ac-
cording to its Importance is Great Britain,
and the English visitors at the exposi-
tion are as scarce as the proverbial hens
teeth. Anyone who witnessed the brutal
treatment of some unoffending Britons
by French mob at the Care st. LaZure
the other day upon the arrival of the
Boer delegates, will not wonder at their
absence. Their national building is in
Elizabethan style of architecture and is
a reproduction of the Kingston house-a
chateau situate at Bradford on Avon,
near Bath. The colonies, however, are
better represented, and Canada quite
covers herself with glory.
Little Belgium has embodied the best
type of Flemish art of the 10th century
in her national building, which
is copy of the granite city hall at
Audenarde. 1t presents rather an i'm
posing aspect and towers high above the
rather modest edifices of the two larger
powers, Great Britain and Norway
which support it on either side. The
interior is rather disappointing and only
contains few maps and cities in minia-
ture, while the floor is covered with a
pattern linoleum, the bette noir in Bel
GUM.
! The two structures in the popular
eye of the moment are the Transvaal pa
vilion and the Chinese building. The
former is a rather unpretentious wooden
building in the Dutch style of architec-
ture. The interior contains typical South
African products, different varieties of
stuffed birds and serpents and an assort-
ment of mineral specimens. There is
also a Boer farm in miniature, which
affords glimpse of real Boer life in all
its squalidness. Prominently placed in
the center of the interior is a bronze bust
of the venerable Dom Paul, before which
fresh flowers are placed each day by
sympathizing French people. a coal
mine in full operation in all its subter-
ranean darkness forms an interesting
adjunct to this unique exhibit. The
Chinese, always fantastic, have placed
monumental porte at the entrance to
their section, which is counterpart OF
the gate of Confucius at Pekin. At the
present writing this formidable barrier
Il