St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1900-06-13
Exposition Letter.
From our regular correspondent
Paris, France, May %, 1900.


has this wear eclipsed even herself by
the splendor of her universal exposi.
ton. Every nation of the world has
contributed of its choicest and best,
It is a dazzling, bewildering assem-.
bIage. Something like it has been
seen before at Philadelphia in 1876,
at Paris in 1878 and in 1889, and at
Chicago in 1898, but this exposition
ontshines all others, not in every de-
Gree and detail but as an ensemble.
It could not be otherwise; the world
has moved even since so recent an
event as the Chicago exposition, and
the world now moves not by the
century but by the day. Cloyed and
blase though we are with progress
and its triumphs, 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 garniture without a feel
ing of admiration and wonder.
Carlyle calls Walter SCOTS depic-
tons of natural scenery "Flirtations
with Dame Nature" and disapproves
such writing. Word painting is
doubtless poor make-shift and the
artist who would attempt to paint
this fair should have "a ten league
canvas and brushes of comets hair"
But lacking time to catch comet
will sling ink with a fountain pen,
and since Carlyle did not prohibit
Irritation with damsels, art, architec-
ture and machinery, let's to it.
On both sides of the River Seine
from Pont de la Concorde (where
the king and queen ard numerous
others were guillotined a hundred
years ago. to Pont d'Jena stretches
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.
Alphabetically, the exposition con-
sists of huge but graceful buildings
of iron and stone, a maze OF palaces,
towers, domes and pavilions inter-
spersed with fountains, grottoes,
lakeets, and all set in the vivid
green of French park.
From the grand palace Of the
Champs Elysees a wide avenue ex-
tends to the Esplanade des Invalides.
On either side are white buildings
with beautiful facades. Then comes
the new memorial bridge to the
Russian Emperor Alexander III, of
prancing Pegasi; and the bridge
passed, the broad avenue lined with
palaces continues to the majestic
dome Of the Invalides where lies all
that is mortal of Frances greatest
warrior.
The Palace of Champs Elysees con-
tains a collection OF paintings, sculpt-
ure and minor objects of decorative
art that will claim for it the greatest
attention from many visitors. Be-
yond the bridge of Alexander III are
the pavilions of all nations, the ex-
hlblts of their industries and handi-
crafts. The first in order is that of
Italy, a beautiful structure slightly
suggestive of St. Marks of Venice;
then mosque that will at once be
known as the home of Turkey; and
third the national building of the
United States which is not unlike
General Grants tomb at Riverside
Park, 1t has an immense dome on
which a colossal bronze eagle is
perched. The front, looking towards
the river. is in the form of a trium-
phal arch surmounted by Goddess
OF Liberty, and containing an eques-
trian statue of Washington. In
curious juxtaposition to the United
States building is that of Spain.
Farther along the Seine we come to
the grand palace of the Trocadero,
the memorial building of the EXPOSE
ton of 1878. The park fronting the
Irocadero is where the colonies dis
play their characteristics and amuse-
ments. Here are pagodas of the
chinese bazaars and tea houses, the
japanese art palace and the exhibits
OF Russia and Siberia, where a model
OF the Kremlin is to be seen. Here
also are amusement houses from the
far East; Boer farm in miniature;
temple of India and sections that
appear to be transplanted bodily