The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-10-31
SUCCESS OF
THE PARIS FAIR
Review Of the Exposition and the Fea-
lures That Will Live in History.

Il n
lures That Will Live in History.
BY Sunette Reirdon Reid
Now that the Paris Exposition Is SO
nearly at a close, it is time to look oach
upon it and review it for the benefit OF
future exh. bits AT first there was, as
in the case of the Chicago Fair, the same
hue and cry about the unfinished state Oh
tbs Exposition. Visitors rebelied at pc
ing asked 10 pay admission to SO 1ncor1i-.
7plete show; and on every hand there
we're walls from exhibitors ard slSht-seeis
| because packing boxes We're opened ana
no wares displayed. But order came out
/, of chaos and from disorder came forth
beauty.
Looking back upon the Exposition the
features are divided into two sharply cis-s
tinct portions, those that were lntersst-
ing and those that were not. ne iat-z
tor soon died a natural death and We're
removed: or, If too large tor lhat, lhes
remained as gigantic examples OF lAil-
ures. The successful ones speeoils LUZ,
| ed into money-makng machines ana
have, this time, made their inventors
and their owners rich. 1t is a singular
thing that expostions should SO make
or mar we know to-day OF so many
| things that owe their life to the Paris
| Exposition. and could count back many
a one that sprang into notice at the
Chicago Fair
The dreams of an opium smoker. who
had been reading the arabian Knights,
would doubtless be of marvellous pal
aces and mysterious edices, bulit OF
translucid gems, floating in mid-alr and
glittering in a blaze of light. ms
..baseless fabric Of a vision has been
| realized by NJ. Ponsin in the precincts Oh
the Paris Exposition NOT many PAGES from
| the E,iffel Tower: and his Luminous FAIRY
Palace is no model OF toy; it is 100 feet
in height. and gro feet III circumference
NJ. Ponsin is an artist, who has car
ried the study of glass to heights I'M
dreamed Of by the most imaginative OF
mortals; in his hands glass becomes pos
sessed OF brilliancy and hardness; is more
transparent than air, and more opaque
than metal; it can be impregnated with
! every tint, and made to assume cclors
which have at once softness, mutability,
solidity and depth; it can be carved, WOW
en- and spun; it is silky, flexible, opaiine,
irdescerit, or of the appearance of metal,
it is moulded. cast and blown NJ Pom
sin is, in fact, the Glass King. and has
| created perfectly unique edifice, form
ed entirely OF glass of every conceivable
form and aspect.
This luminous palace is built upon
magnificent cascade flows into lake,
situated on the left of the Eiffel Tower
and facing the Military School. Magni-
hcent crystal stairways, gracefully cary
ed lead to vast hall, surmounted by
cupoa, and having large bay windows
draped with heavy portieres. y circu-
lar divan, covered in a gorgeous tapestry
of spun glass, the centre of which is sur
mounted by a statue, occupies the mid
10 of iS bcI1 H. Sr,1y
III Oriental coiorns covers the floor Five
pictures, representing the five parts OF
the world hang round the hall The
dome, which rises in the centre, is sup
ported on sixteen ruby columns with gid
ed capitals. The roof is surnlounted by
an open turret, carrying statue of lllec-
tryone, the daughter OF the Sun, resting
upon d globe apparently turning in space,
and. thanks to an ingenious piece of me-
chaism, without any visible means of sup
port A gallery sheltered by a gracefully
curvlng ROOT upheld by twisted columns,
runs around the exterior of the palace.
All the statues, columns pictures, car
pets. portieres, divan. galleries, and, in
fact, the enire palace are in glass of every
possible shade and color, modelled and
blown into every Imaginable form; and,
most astonishing of all-put together
without any visible fittings.
NJ. Dumoulin's huge, ornamental edifice,
containing the panorama Of a Tour Round
the World is another marvel of the Ex-
hibition. We enter and find ourselves at
Chang Hal: We hasten through that dirty
Chinese city. coming to 4 delightful vista,
as picturesque as it is singular; the Won
derful Garden of Stones the ground OF
which is strewn with stones and rocks
heaped up in all directions, from amongst
which spring real trees. The entire length
of the boundary wall is surmounted by
the undulatng tail of an enormous
dragon.
Our presence has already been obseAed,
and now little Chinese ladies come dane
ing in, treating us TO a beautiful and
quite novel spectacle: their rich dresses.
graceful appearance, and coy, smiling lit
tie faces evoke establishment and delight
Scarcely have we become accustomed
10 this unexpected picture. when we find
ourselves in Japan. Again we see a gar
den; one of those pretty, tiny gardens,
in which the marvel of a illiputan world
are accumulated. including trees. which.
though centuries Old. are not higher than
a few inches. Amongst the foliage OF
larger trees are to be seen the red lac
quered doors OF a light and elegant habi-
tation: this is a tea-house, where spright-
ly japanese ladies prepare the fragrant
beverage, coming OH. from time to time
to perform some of their national dances
for our entertainment.
BY a rapid transition. we find ourselves
on the shores of Europe. and see perform
ed before Us the boero and fandango
dances, full of fire and voluptuousness;
the dancers are Spanish. and we are at
the mouth of the Bidassoa. From Japan
to Bidassoa we have only walked Is
yards.
Another great feature is the Street of
Nations. containing buildings in every