The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-05-30
Mr.. BRUNER TELLS OF IT
Just Back From a Six Weeks Stay in
the French Capital.
HOTEL RATES AND FARES ARe VERY HIGH
He Visited The Potash Mines in Germany and
Found That the Fertilizer Men Are Not
Paying More For Potash Than
in Former Years.

Mr.. L. h. Bruner, Secretary to the
State Board of Agriculture, has just
returned from the Paris Exposition,
where he has been for the past six
weeks arranging the North Carolina
exhibit in the great show.
In addition to looking after the
States interest in its exhibits he also
went to Germany and read the proof
and supervised the issuance and dis
tribution of 5000 copies of an illus
trated pamphlet descriptive of the
climate resources and advantageous
condition presented by North Carolina
to the home seeker.
While in Germany Mr.. Bruner
stopped at Observation-Disclosures
and went into the potash mines OF
the German-kali works.
This was at the request of Commits
sioner Patterson, who desired to
know the volumne and years to come.
the output of these mines. Here he
gathered statistics and went under
ground to depth of 800 to 1000 feet,
where he spent four or five hours. He
secured the assurance of the manage
ment of the mines that the supply OF
potash was not only abundant but
ample for a hundred nyears to come.
He also secured the more important
assurance that the price two years
ago, last year, this year and next
year are practically the same. and
they know of no reason why there
should be an increase in price.
For long time it was thought that
the strata carrying these potash,
sodium EPSON and common rock salts
were confined to the immediate local
ity around Stassfurt, but recent bor-
ings with diamond drill have multi
piled the supposed available area. In
fact it is not an eXaggeration to say
that there is ten times am much salt
there now as they supposed they had
ten years ago.
Mr. Bruner will present 10 the COM
missioner a report covering this in
formation. His trip to Germany was
made during the first week in May,
while the Paris authorities were
awaiting 200 cars of freight delayed
at Havre. and which seriously inter
ferred with Mr.. Burners exposition
work.
The delays of freight and the struc-
tural delays about the grounds seem
to give the French no concern what
ever" said Mr.. Bruner yesterday, "as
such delays always increase the ex-
penditures of all foreign attendance.
And the whole genius or the exposi-
ton seems to be the idea to turn out
to France as many francs as pos
sible"
us the Exposition not yet com
plete?"
mo, it is not complete, and | can
not advise anyone to go. certainly not
before June 18th, expecting to find
the Exposition in its entirety ready.
However, it must be remembered
that in the preparation OF spectacle
so vast, time is required and the
French people, while they have many
qualities that the American cannot
admire. certainly have very acute
sense of the artistic and they cannot
endure the inartistic IL 1T can be
avoided.
"How will this Exposition compare
with ours at Chicago i'll 1893?
ut is hard to compare the Paris EX-
position of 1900 with the Chicago Ex-
position of 1893 In the first place,
the point of view Of the two exposi-
tons is entirely different. The Chi
cago Exposition went in heavily for
resources and crude products, while
the French exposition emphasizes the
furnished products of the crude ma
terials from the fields. the forests and
the mine. Another great advantage
Chicago had was its powers of per-
spective-the distance and spread.
Paris is robbed of this feature because
it's available space is walled in by the
living city.
'But there are two points of view
in Paris which are very inspiring. The
one from the Invalides looking across
the bridge of Alexander III and on to
the tomb of Napoleon, the gilded
dome of which makes beautiful
setting in the distance for the forest
of spires, towers and minarets. The
exhibits on either side of this magn-
fcent spectacle are the beauX arts
and the fine arts. The other point of
view is the Champ de Mars. This is
the only perspective to be had on the
grounds. 1t begins at the Trocatlers
which was a permanent structure of
the exposition of 1883. but is now
museum of antiquities and will form
part of the present exposition. 1t
ends half mile away in the Palaces
of Agriculture after crossing the
Seine on magnificent bridge the way
to which is lined on either side by
the villages of all nations. These
villages, by the way, are extremely
picturesque. The eiffe tower stands
astride the Champ de Mars and ] re-
gard it as quite an architectural feat
to have made it fit, without otfense,
in this magnificent picture. Ii stands
over 500 feet high.
"After crossing the bridge over the
Seine we strike the Palace of Fores-
try, Fishes and the Chase. On the
left the exhibits of steamships; and
then beyond the tower the Palace of
Mines and Mining and Metallurgy. On
the right are the Transportation.