Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-07-12
Hotel de Calais, Paris,

June 70, 800.
Dear Courier: You have probably
read from the pen of one more compe-
tent to describe than mine, of the many
wonders at this exposition, but will
give you my impressions after few
weeks visiting here. All expositions
are similar, and when you witnessed
the Columbian fair at Chicago you will
probably never see the like again. The
lessons we learn from these world S fairs
are many, for they are the mountain
tops from which the observer and stu
cent views the progress of the nations
on their journey of civilization and adj
yancement. The first impressions
formed by the American of this expo
sition are not favorable, but as he
learns the grounds and finds out how
to get around and becomes acquainted
with The manners and customs of the
people, in other words, is more at
home with the fair, he then knows
to ate it. The United States was slow
in getting on the ground, and the space
on the Avenue of Nations was all talk
en- and when we asked for space other
nations had to move along and let us
in, and the result was we are crowded
in between Turkey and Austria, with
about one-half the Tpace our building
deserves. The United States national
pavilion is beautiful structure, with
the dome of the capitol at Washington
reproduced and is in all respects cred
it to our nation. There is a public
comfort building containing United
States postoffice, custodians' office, in
formation bureau and beautiful reeep-
ton rooms, furnished by the states of
New York, Massachusetts, and Califor-
mia. The building is four stories high
and forms a square in the center and
as you look up to the center of the
dome i'll the interior you see the stars
and stripes waving out, and as I have
remarked before, the flag always looks
good to the American and especially SO
when 5000 miles from home. Two
Crane elevators are in the building and
from the ratings around the galleries
you can see the whole interior of the
building. The American chamber of
commerce has fitted out the fourth
floor in good style and is distributing
valuable statistics and American litera-
ture to all that come. A shield, on
name of all our presidents forms pro-
minent part OF the decoration on the
interior. The building is built of staff
and is cream white and beautified in
appearance with an equestrian statue
of George Washington in the front be-
tween the great arches. In the center
space is a colossal figure of Horses
on the Plains in a Panic" and is the
work of an American sculptor, and
around this are easy seats which are
appreciated by the tired sight-seer. At
each corner are winding stairs, and af-
ter study of the building pronounce
it a success. 1t is not bazar, or trad
ing place, but is dignifed and like the
English building is resting and meet
ing place for Americans. Turkey,
the bankrupt country that owes US
money we may have to collect at the
point of the bayonet, or by the Ameri-
can man of war, sold out her
right to make an exhibit to a
home corporation. and that private cor
porafion came here and built their
building and run it as a private enter
prise and fill it with novelties and a lot
of cheap side shows and low and vul-
gar dancing theatres which would dis
grace the Midway of any exhibition.
This private company was allowed by
The French authorities of this exposi-
ton to build the Turkish building some
thirty feet out of the line and in that
way they have taken away the fine
show our United States national paw
lion would have made from the Alex
andria bridge and the Invalides, which
is the most prominent approach from
two of the main entrances Champs
Elysee and Place de la Concorde. Our
commissioner general fought this for
two months and went so far as to en-
join them from building but was over
ruled by the French and he had to
submit to really what was an indignity.
This is the only feature that mars our
pavilion. have gone into details upon
this subject for have heard the Amer
leans criticize the building and | re
gard this explanation as just to our
commissioner general. The American