The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1900-06-14
PARIS, FRANCE, May 2S, 1000.

PARIS, FRANCE, May 2S, 1900.
Paris, at all times a worlds center,
has this year eclipseG even herself by
the srlendor of her universal exposi.
tion. Every nation of the world has
contributed of its choicest and best. 1t
is a dazzling, bewildering assemblage.
Something like 1t has been seen before
at Philadelphia in 1876, at Paris in
1873 and in 1889, and at Chicago in
1893, but this exposition outshines all
others, not in every degree and detail,
but as an ensemble. 1t could not be
otherwise; the world has moved even
since so recent an event as the Chi
cago exposition, and the world now
moves not by the century but by the
day. Cloyed and blase though we are
with progress and its triur1phs, we
cannot walk in the presence of these
wonderful assemblages of mechanical
skill and power, these chefs d'oeuvres
of art and architecture; these melodies
and symphonies of wealth and taste
and grace and garni.ure without feel
Ing of admiration and wonder. Car
lyle calls Walter Scott's depictions of
natural scenery "Flirtations with Dame
Nature" and disapproves such writing.
Word painting is doubtless a poor
make-snift and the artist who would
attempt to paint this fair should have
ten league canvass and brushes Of
comets hair" But lacking time to
catch comet | vii! sling ink with a
fountain pen, and since Carlyle did
not prohibit filtration with damsels,
art, architecture and machinery, let's
to it:
On both sides of the River Seine
from the Pont de la Concorde (where
the king and queen and numerous
others were guillotined a hundred
years ago. to the Pont d'Sena stretch
es the new city of the exposition. 1t
has not the space OF our centennial or
Chicago expositions, but it is all the
better for that, for there was too much
foot work at both of these. Archi-
tecturally, the exposition consists Of
huge but graceful buildings Of iron
and stone, a maze of palaces, towers,
domes and pavilons interspersed with
fountains grettoes, lakelets, and all
set in the vivid green of a French
park.
From the grand palace Of the
Champs Elysees a wide avenue ex-
tends to the Esplande des Invaldes.
On either side are white buildings
with beautiful facades, Then comes
the new memorial bridge to the Rus
sian Emperor Alexander III, of pranc-
ing Pegasi and the bridge passed, the
broad avenue lined with palaces con-
continues to the majestic dome of the
Invalides where lie all all that is NOR
tai of Frances greatest warrior
The Palace of Champs Elysees con-
tains collection of paintings, sculp-
turs and minor objects of decorative
art that will claim for it the greatest
attention from many visitors. Beyond
the bridge Of Alexander the third are
the pavilions of all nations, the exhib-
its of their industries and hanGcratts.
The first in order is that of Italy, a
beautiful structure slightly suggestive
of St. Marks of Venice; then mos
que that will at once be known as the
home of Turkey; and third the nat
ional building of the United States
which is not unlike General Grants
tomb at Riverside Park. 1t has an I'M
mense dome on which a colossal
bronze eagle is perched. The front,
looking towards the river, is in the
form OF a trlumphal arch, surrounded
by a Goddess of Liberty, and con-
tanning an equestrian statue of Wash
ington. In curious juXtaposltlon to
the United States building is that OF
SPAN. Farther along the Seine we
come to the grand palace OF the Tro-
cadero, the memorial building OF the
Exposition of 1873. The park front
ing the Trocadero is where the col
onies display their characteristics and
amusements. Here are pagodas OF
the Chinese, bazaars and tea houses,
the Japanese art palace and the eX-
hibits of Russia and Sibetia, where a
model of the Krmlin is to be seen.
Here also are amusement houses from
the far East; Boer farm in miniature;
a temple of India and sections that
appear to be transplanted bodily from
Tunis and Alglers.
On the banks of the Seine there is