St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1900-07-25
LETTER FROM PARIS.
Exposition Inangurated four Years
agO-The Grounds and BuiIdings-
The Annex at Vincennes-VIvid De-
sCripIion of the Exhibits.

!, scriPtion of the Exhibits.
: Continental Hote
q Paris, June 10, 1900.
). Editor CALIFORNIAN:
S This Exposition was Brilliant
] launched four years ago, when tn
Gar of Russia, with his amiabl
spouse, assisted in laying the founda
ton stone of the most beautiful
bridge, which today spans the Seine
"The bridge Alexander ILL.," Thos,
Russian fetes in France, commencin&
with the landing of the Royal guest.
at Cherburg and ending with Their
departure for Germany after the re
view at Chabons, none who witness
ed will ever forget. Paris was wild
with hysterical Joy over the visit Of
the Emperor, from whom France
vas expecting such political advan-
tage, and she honored him with pro.
cessions by day and Examinations by
night. The most brilliant ceremony
OF all, the one to which | have re-
ferred, was October 7th, 1896. From
these same windows we could over
look the various pageants, and the
memory of those days is wildly re-
called as we now see the whole world
gathered in Paris to witness the
completion of the great Exposition
then inaugurated. At that time
there were three landmarks in sight
recalling other international exposi-
tlons: The "Palais de pIndustrie,
that of 1853; the Trocadero that of
1873; the Effel Tower, that of 1889.
One of these landmarks, the "Palais
de Plndustrie" has disappeared, and
on its site are the Grand PaIais de
Beaux Arts" and the "Petit Palais
de Beaux Arts" Both of these beau
tlful monuments of French architec-
tural taste are to remain permanent
as souvenirs Of these jubilee days.
Between them runs the broad avenue
Nicolas" 1t opens from the
Champs Eysees" between the
"Place de la Concorde" and the
"Rond Point" and connecting with
the "EspIanade des Invalides" by
the Bridge Alexander HIP; the long
vista is closed by the facade and the
gllded dome of the tomb of the great
Emperor. 1t is one of the finest
miles in Europe. If Rome was in
France, these artistic people would
have one finer avenue. They would
open wide boulevard direct from
the Plncian hill to the Piazza Saint
Peter, giving the Tiber a sufficient
twist to bring the bridge St. Angelo
in exact line, This would eclipse the
bit of Paris between Interesting place
OF Napoleon and the beautiful ave-
nue. which runs from the Place de la
COncorde to the Arc de Triomphe.
Paris has been a busy work shop
since the Gar was here. He gave
life to the inception of this great
work and later on, when he uttered
that magic word Alliance" a fresh
inspiration was given, and neither
the "Fashoda incident" or the
"Dreyfus affair."" and the resulting
hatred of all that was English, was
any check to French enthusiasm re-
garding the work they had under
taken.
Completed, this Exposition sur
passes anything this century has
seen. For a mile on both sides of the
Seine, on the Champs de Mars"
on the grounds fronting the "Troca-
dero," and from the Bridge Alexan-
der lll' to the Hotel des Invalides,"
have sprung up since that October
day in 1896, the buildings which
shelter the treasures the world has
gathered here. From our windows
we look out on forest of spires and |
graceful minarets and gided domes
and bewlldering diversity of fairy
like architecture, and in the center
towering over all to the height of a
thousand feet is the Eif1el Tower,
while the Trocadero Palace" crown
ing the heights of Passy on the north
side OF the Seine, commands the
whole exposition grounds. The
buildings alone cover ia acres
exclusive Of the buildings and grounds
at the "Vincennes Annex, nearly 800 |
acres more. There are nearly fifty
entrances to the grounds, and sever
alra1lways lines ofsteamers, and forty
lines OF busses and tram.cars deposit
their passengers close to the entrance
gates. In this exposition the states
contributing do not mass their exhi-