The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-04-15
HE OPENING
OF THE Ell {. ? ARTS
EXPOSITION,
.Sunlptlou JUS Ceremonies in in
the SALES des
Fetes.
GORGEOUS UNIFORMS.
Splendid Orchestra and Chorus Made
the Scene One Of. Magnificent
Scenic Effect,
THE WEATHER WAS ALL
THAT COULD BE DESIRED
Tho Afternoon was Il Holiday i'll Paris
ana a Host of Country People
Swcllcd the .iultitudcs Who
Trud.ed III The Dust 10
Witness The Pictur-
csque Parade.

PARIS, April 1.-THE Exposition OF 1900
opened Today, but it VIII be at least
| a month before anything but buildings
are, TO be seen.
The days ceremonies were peculiar
| mixture of slnnptuous Spendor III the
| SALES Des Fetes, and widespread con
| fusion elsewhere. Nothing could nave
| exceeded the picturesque stage settillS III
the beautiful building in which the
inaugural ceremonies We're held me
| gorgeous uniforms of the diplomats ana
soldiers: the splendid orchestra and
| chorus. and the magnificent effect pro
| duced by the grand staircase, up "!HcA
| President Loubet proceeded to view the
! exposition. lined with some two hundred
| picked men OF the Republican Guards'
| with lack boots, white breecheS, gteam-
| ing ouirasses ana horsshair plutaes
| streaming from shining helmets.
At the top of this stairway was room.
| the interior u which could be seen from
| the sailss Des Fetes. and this was
ar- IN priceless gchelins from. tie
III. frrto this Fpierdid apartment
!. j r.ssiIie.l. Loubee 81 REQ. and frola
| there walked dean tlis avensie Z" ms
| boat This part u the dag arrange
mentsl WAS perfect, but the rest was
| cilacs.
The weaehar was, luckily, all that
| could be desired Fourteen thousand guests
| had been ii!vs;asI TO The function, and
| they had. because of the fine weather,
| only the gust to endure. Had the day
| been vet the unrolled paths of the EX-
| position Grounds would have been turn
| ed into q mass of mud.
4 HOLIDAY.
The afternoon was q holiday in Paris
| by general consent, and Il host of coun-
try people crowded into the city 10 swell
the lnuititudes, who, from an early hour.
trudged in TO witness the Presidential
procession.
The ceremonial within The SALES Dss
Fetes was simplicity itself The recep-
ton of President Loubet al the entrance
lasted hut a few seconds, and on reach-
ing the presidential tribune NJ. Milterand,
the Minister of Commerce., Immediately
delivered his address. handing over the
Exposition TO the Chief Of State. Pres-
dent I.oubet then replied. and the speak
ing mart of the function here ended.
The spectacle that met President LOU
bets ewes to the front of the presidential
dfas on his entry into the SALES Des
Fetes was probably never seen before
within the walls Of any building
The group among the great sassethp o.
which was the most attractive was the
hodv of foreign representatives, in pic
turesAue attire. Since Victories jubilee
or the Cars coronation no suen con,
-ress OF strange and gorgeous natlonai
costumes had been seen
On the conclusion of President iLouDets
address the procession reformed and pro-
cee6ed 10 the grand staircase Wnich tiie
party assembled, the Cuirassiers lining me
steps, saluting. This was the moment
when the climax of enthusiasm was
reached within The hall, which rang WIN
shouts of ..Vive Loubet
.Cn reaching the summit of the stair
yay. President I4oubet entered the salon
of honor where the Ceremony OF pfeseh Ia
tion of commissioners of foreign nations
was gone through. This salon IS. me
locale of the American electrical eXAioit.
Al. Dalaunay Bellegiile. director-general
of the Exposition turned TO United States
f,o,nr11i sipner Peck and thanked him for
the advanced condition of this exhibit.
Tho Presidential Tcortcge then descend
ed into the grounds emerging INTO the
Champs de Mars at the Chsiteall d Tau:
President Loubet and the foreign com
n1issioners9 entered the first barge at the
| bridge D'Luna and the encourage loiloW-
ed in the other four.
THE STARS AND STRIPES.
! Reac ching the American pavilion, the
s stars and Stripes were Dipped from the
flagstaff and two American marines,
stationed one on each side of the5IWash-
ington statue. waved a tri?color while tiie
crowd =nf Americans StllneFeu oil .ite III
l.ankment in front of the pavilion gave
| President Loubet q ringing cheer. Inc
President was greatly pleased at this
| little courtesy and turning to AinbaSsl-
! dor Porter. who was beside him on the
boat, he remarked: The American al
ways does right; this is assnnag niticent
building
Tonight Paris slows with myriadss & of
lsdeccratives lights. The cafes within the
Exposition grounds which are barred to
the ptfolic until TO morrow. present scene
biNllant md attractive. IT vas long past
midnight when the masses turned their
| faces hcymeg-a rd
| Americans. especially. will De proud OF
their country,s display at this Worlds
Fair for the United States. stands second
| only to France herself in number of eS-
hibitors. which treble those Of any foreign
"a merican nterprfse, however Is not
! only shown In The size Of FREDERICKSBURG
Inn ibnt also IN the prepar edness of hel
Installation. as compared with that OF
nInstssofsitfie other countries.
Aniret.t General Picard. a ter comparing
IS ia .sfa e Of installation of various ma
ttans. said 10 Commits siorerS Peck IS g tits
an Object lessons to to3sce the Amer,
ica 3 neople work. thank you for a.oti.
: n.