The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-04-22
Exhibits I'm the Buildings Have Not
Been Installed and Sightseers
swarm to the French Midway.
LARGE ATTENDANCE DAILY
NEARLY ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND,
HALF OF WHOM PAY.
Lafayette Monument Plans-Commfs-
sioner General Peck Denies
Charges of Extravagance.
copyright. 1900. by the Associated press.)

PARIS, April 21.-Though work goes on
necessarily, night and day, the installa-
ton of exhibits at Frances colossal ex-
position is still greatly retarded. The gates
are closed to visitors at 6 o'clock in the
evening, when freight cars and wagons
loaded with exhibits are allowed to enter
the grounds, and, from that time on, the
exhibition resembles a vast workshop,
with its changing hammers and swarms of
French workmen busily engaged on the
completion of the interior of the buildings
and in arranging the exhibits. Even dur
ing visiting hours the work inside the
palaces goes steadily forward.
The immense crowds present on the open
ing two days-Easter Sunday and Monday
have now dropped to about half their
number but the exposition authorities de-
clare themselves thoroughly satisfied, as
the figures still exceed those OF the opening
days of the exposition of 1889. The attend
ance now averages about 100000 daily,
about one half of whom pay for admission.
The emptiness of the real exhibition
buildings has been a source of increased
revenue to the numberless Midway
shows, the managers of many of which
were smart enough TO have their spectacles
ready last Sunday and are already reaping
satisfactory harvest. Many of these
side shows are extremely attractive and
realistically mounted, such as the Swiss
village, which exhibition is an education in
itself. The Colonial section is especially
fruitful in these lively places of amuse-
ment, in which the figure and Oriental
dances are even more risque than the now
famous danse du ventre. Whatever may
be the name eventually given to this side
Of the exposition, it will undoubtedly prove
as great an attraction the similar quar-
ter known as 1.-The Midway at Chicago,
judging from its popularity up TO this time.
The rolling sidewalk, copied from the orig
inal of the Chicago worlds fair, promises
TO be a great feature, taking the place of
the Eifel tower of 1889. 1t is crowded all
day long by Parisians, who regard 1t is
much a source of amusement as a means
OF locomotion.
President Loubet next week will begin a
series of visits to the exposition, section by
section, as they are completed, and he will
accept all Invitations to attend the in
auguration of the various foreign exhibits
Installation day, May 10, has been for
mally designated for the American pa
vilion. which is nearing completion, though
work on the interior still continues. After
the opening of the American national
buildings the other structures erected by
the United States will be inaugurated in
the following order at brief intervals: The
Publishers. Agricultural. Forestry, Mer-
chant Marine and Machinery.
Arrangements for the unwilling of the
Lafayette statue on the Fourth of July are
progressing rapidly. President Loubet, M.
Delcasse, minister of foreign affairs, and
other French dignitaries are expected to
be present at the ceremonies. The idea to
have young ladies representing each State
in the Union pull simultaneously upon
cords which will cause the unwilling is a
popular one, and there is some rivalry to
secure this honor. Among the selections
thus far made are Miss Porter daughter
OF the United States ambassador, for New
York; Miss Truman, for California: Miss
Peck, for Illinois, and Miss Jones' daugh-
ter of United States Senator Jones' for Ne
vada. The committee is DESTROYS of having
names suggested for this honor by the citi-
zens from each State from those attending
Paris the date of the unwilling Frank
j. Thompson, secretary of the Lafayette
monument commission, can be addressed
on the subject.
The wrath of pedestrians in Paris and
the suburbs. backed by indignant protests
from various points in the country against
the furious and reckless driving of auto
mobile scorchers, has resulted in police ac-
ton. The project of the department of the
Seine, in which Paris is located has de-
cided to tolerate no further automobile
racing over the roads in his territory The
minister OF the interior, NJ. Waldeck-Rous-
seau, acquesced in this action and has
sent a request to projects throughout
France to prohibit all such racing This
Will put a stop to many newly-created
long-distance contests, which have recent
ly become the craze. including interna-
tional runs. The measure is generally ap-
proved by the press, in view of the alarm
ing frequency Of avoidable accidents due
to the illegal rate of speed of the automo-
bileists, who dash through country villages
travelling forty miles an hour. without
thought of slackening their speed