Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1900-04-17
EXPOSITION IS OPENED.
a Great Crowd in Paris, but the
Big Show is Incomplete.
NOT READY FOR WEEKS.
All Buildings Except that of the
United States Unfinished
and Untitled.

Il
opened to the world the browning expo
sition of all countries. The most favor
able weather conditions prevailed. More
than $4,000 visitors have poured into
Paris the last forty-eight hours. The
influx is SO sudden and so great that the
project of police begins already to fore
see difficulty in housing and feeding
them all The exposition authorities are
delighted with the throng, and declare
J that it is the forerunner Of the great
army of visitors that is to insure the
success Of the fair.
A tour of the exposition grounds shows
the exact state of the buildings and
grounds to be extremely unsatisfactory.
The large art palace has not yet been
rooted, the central staircase-one of the
notable architectural features of the
building-is scarcely half finished, and
no exhibits are ready. Even the little
art palace is incomplete, although some
of the exhibits are in place. Neither of
|! the art palaces will be open before
May /.
Alexander Bridge Incom pIete.
The great Alexander bridge, one of
the chief glories of the exposition lacks
q large part of its artistic ornamental
ton.
The esplanade of the nvalids' build
ings is still surrounded by scaffolding,
and nothing has been installed in the
interior.
Nearly all the foreign pavilions are
ready, and most of their exhibits are in
place.
The exterior of the Palace of the
Armies is far behind, and the facade will
be all that viii be built. The Sale des
Fetes, on the Champ de Mars, is in a
fearful state. few of the buildings being
Sti in
the preliminary period of its construc-
ton. A better state of affairs exists at
the Trocadero.
Not Ready for Six Weeks.
At least six we s will be required be-
fore the exposition is complete in all its
details and ready for the enjoyment of
visitors. Owing to the almost herculean
efforts Of Commissioner Ferd W. Peck
and his colleagues the American exhibit
is one of the principal features of the eX-
position ready for the opening day. AS
a mark of friendship to the United
States a prominent place has been given
to the American flag at the Champs Ely
sees entrance gate to the exposition.
Within the exposition grounds this
morning all was hustle and animation in
| supreme effort to clear away all I'M
slightly obstacles i'll order to leave an I'M
obstructed road and an external appear
ance of completeness to the palaces for
the presidential party in its passage
through the grounds Although the in
stallation of exhibits has naturally I'M
dergone little advance, the external eff
feet produced by the incessant abors of
the past couple of days is manifest.
The American Exhibits.
Americans especially will be proud of
their country's display at this worlds
fair, for the United States stands second
! only to France herself in number of eX-
! hlbitors, which treble those of any for
eign country.
The following is table of exhibitors
which speaks eloquently of the American
States, 1904; Belgium, $500: Germany,
1000; Italy. 1000; Russia. 1000; Scandi-
nayla, 400; Austria, 1000; Great Brit
ain, 600; the British colonies. 600. Amer
lea has three times the number of exhib-
itors that France had at the Worlds
far III Chicago. she occupies 329.O52
square feet with her forty-seven distinct
exhibition spaces, thirty-three in the
main exposition grounds. fourteen in the
Nincennes annex. excluding the ground
covered by our eagle surmounting the
national pavilion on the Quai d'Orsay.
American enterprise however, is not
only shown in the size of her representa-
ton. but also in the preparedness of her
Installation as compared with that of
most of the other countries, and it can
safely be said that but for the diIator
ness of French workmen and methods
the United States exhibits would have
been exposed in their show cases to to-
days visitors.
French Hardness.
Unfortunately French hardness has
hampered all American efforts to rush
matters. Thus in most of our show
spaces everything is prepared, the glass
naC DIV TO Il.
the American officials are afraid to dis
play the valuable articles to the likeli-
hood of damage by the clouds of dust
arising from work Oh the adjacent en-
byrOnic installation.
The highest testimonial to American
hood comes from Commissioners General
Picquart himself. After comparing the
state of progress of the installation of
various nations he said to Commissioner
General Peck: 1T is an object lesson to
us all to see the American people work
| thank you for your prompttude and the
States sections
Declared Open.
President Loubet, as he stood in the
presidential tribune. surrounded by the
members of the cabinet and his house
hold, opened the exposition with the
words:
Il declare the exposition of 1900 OPEN"
L
signed to celebrate the worlds entry into
the new century, inaugurated.
A Brilliant Spectacle.
The spectacle inside the Sale des Fetes
was brilliant with color and animation.
The immense circus-shaped hall is dec
Grated with magnificent frescoes, repre-
senting allegorical subjects, by famous
French artists and its stained-glass Gu
pola bears superb designs by Hermann
and Goodwin. 1t formed a beautiful set
ting for today's ceremony. Every inch
of the floor space was occupied by an as
semblage representative of French arts,
letters and sciences, and including the
leading military, naval and political men
Of France. 1t was mainly an evening
dress gathering, but with the taste char
acteristic of the French nation, brilliant
| uniforms of soldiers, the diplomatic corps
and republican guards were SO inter
spersed among the gathering that, with
masses of pretty spring toilettes of the
ladies, of whom there were almost as
many as men present, the scene was par