New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-04-14
TO-DAY'.S CEREMONY IN PARIS
HURRYING WORK FOR THE INAUGURA-
TION OF THE EXPOSITION

Paris April I3-The Exposition authorities
are making a strenuous effort to prepare the
show for the inauguration tomorrow. but an
examination of the grounds and buildings to-day
shows the task to be wellnjgh impossible. The
buildings are filed with debris and the exhibits
are only partially installed. The Sale des Fetes,
in which the inaugural ceremonies are planned
to occur tomorrow. has an army of men clear
ing the floor space and arranging the seats
The work will continue all night and close TO
the hour when the invited guests arrive. The
hall is magnificent structure beautifully deco
rated and is q great tribute 70 Frerch archi-
lecture and decorative art.
In order to facilitate the labor of clearing the
grounds thousands of soldiers have been utilized.
The ceremonies timed to begin at = O'Clock.
when NJ Millerand. the Minister of Commerce.
will make the inaugural address, to which Presi-
dent Loubet will reply. The President will then
walk through portion of the grounds. and af-
terward embarking a river craft he will go
down the Seine to the new Alexander III Bridge,
which he will formally declare open. The Ex-
position grounds Will be closed for the remain
der of the day. the formal opening to the public
taking place on Sunday.
AN ARMY OF WORKMEN BUSY.
The whole Exposition space is covered this
evening with 1ickering lights. and hordes of
workmen are busily engaged In clearing away
scaffodngs, packing cases and debris of every
kind which still litter all the arteries of the
Exposition.
This work is only to prepare a series of
tableaus for the President tomorrow he will
not enter the Exposition buildings proper. but
will only inspect the edfces from the outside. for
the excellent reason that the buildings, where
| finished are thus far mere shells, with scarcely
any exhibits to be seen anywhere.
After NJ Loubet's visit tomorrow these scaf-
foldings will be rebuilt and the interrupted
work OF installation will be resumed.
The success of the inauguration ceremony will
depend largely upon the weather tomorrow
which promises to be fine. Otherwise the Ex-
position grounds will become veritable Slough
of Despond.
Despite the incomplete condition of the Ex-
position President Loubet viii be able TO enjoy
three splendid views. The first is the view
down the Champs de Mars from the Trocadero
TO the Chateau d Eu with artistic palaces on
either SIDE and with the centre bestridden by the
immense arches Of the Eiffel Tower. The sec
ond is the vista from the Champs Elysees across
the new Alexander III Bridge to the Hotel des
Invalides, with the gided dome of the tomb of
Napoleon l rising up at the further end and
( Ranked bv an avenue of trees and by white
facades of handsome edifices in which will be
collected the exhibits classed under the varied
industries, these facades being embelished by
groups of sculpture and by huge and effective
paintings Of allegorlcal subjects Inc Ihird
prospect IS the scene looking along the Seine
/ Embankment upon Whlch are erected the ha-
tional paVi!ions of the foreign nations each Of
which is a reproduction Of some famous build
ing typifying the national architecture of the
country it represents. The bright colors and
diversified styles Of these structures will pre-
sent an unrivalled panoramic view to the occu-
pants of the Presidential barge the voyage
up the Seine from the Trocadero to the Alexan-
( der III Bridge
PRESIDENTIAL CLEMENCY.
NJ Loubet has decided to celebrate the inau-
guration by pardoning all army and navy pris-
oners who undergoing sentences for minor
offences. Moreover, all soldiers and sailors
to receive a special ration OF wine tomorrow.
A list of about fifty decorations of the Legion
OF Honor, conferred upon French Exposition
| officials, has been promulgated. M. Alfred