New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1901-05-12
THE GOVERNMENT REPORT
WHAT THE DEPARTMENTS HAVE TO
SHOW AT THE EXPOSITION.
INTERESTING DISPLAYS TO ILLUSTRATE
THE AFFAIRS OF THE UNITED STATES
OK LAND AND SEA

ON LAND AND SEA.
member Of the United States Government
BOARD for the Pan-American Exposition said On
his speech on the opening day that the DISPLAY
IN the Government Building was In the nature
OF a report TO the people. Doubtless there is no
other country in the world where the people are
80 keenly interested in all that the government
IS doing as they are in the United States Yet
even here there is a proportion small indeed of
persons who have the patience TO read actual
reports Of departments Of the government The
people who visit Buffalo this summer will carry
away with them more knowledge of what the
government has done and is doing than all the
people Of the country would learn in twenty
years by the study of reports. Reading is dull
and figures are duller, but everybody likes OBJ
sect lessons.
The United States Government Is a famous
exhibitor at fairs. and always has its space
ready before anybody else This time the gov
eminent exhibit is the only one which can be
intelligently discussed as a whole nj the opening
Of the exposition. 1t is so nearly finished that
what is left TO be done is mere detail Indeed
It is not unlikely that it will be absolutely COM
pete when this article is printed
CLOSEST TO THE PEOPLE
There is no other department OF the govern
ment which comes so close TO the whole people
as the postoffice. That even a government de-
partment may have a sense Of humor is shown
by the filed with strange articles which
have been from time TO time committed 10 the
care Of the mails. There must have been some
thing wrong about them-lack OF postage. in
sufficient address unavailable character-or
else Of course they would have been delivered.
instead of being here. The collection includes
hats shoes. sabots. tin coffee pot. iron chains,
a lamp chimney oocoanut without wrapper.
husk: a whole ham and an umbrella. One OF
the most curious OF all IS a letter removed
from Its wrapper If il ever had one. and bear
ing the stamp Of the Dead Letter Office. II is
written with pencil on a piece Of board. about
two feet long and a foot wide. II may have
been detained for want Of postage, for the letter
rate on 1t must have come 10 a small fortune.
il IS written by man a former sweetheart
and reproaches her for faithlessness As she
never received the letter in the regular way, II
is 10 be hoped that she will chance 10 come TO
the exposition and viii IT, and that II will
harrow her heart with the thought Of her per
hdy and its public exposure.
MAIL CARRYING METHODS.
The methods of carrying mails old and new.
are shown by wax groups models and, in one or
two cases, by actual conveyances. Amsng the
last named is q battered old mail coach. built in
Arthur and General Sherman all rode in their
time. A man Of wax. on a stuffed donkey shows
how mails were carried in Porto Rico when the
Spaniards ruled. and the tropical scenery around
him is in striking contrast 20 the landscape
OF Northern Michigan in the alcove adjoining.
in this space is another waXen man. warmly
wrapped up and walking running snow
shoes beside a toboggan drawn by dogs Ex-
CARNATIONS of establishment come from the most
Of the visitors before this group at the informa-
ton that this mode OF mail carrying is in vogue
in OF the United States.
The contrast Of the old and the new methods
Of ocean mail carrying is shown by the model of
the steamer Southerner. the first steam vessel
which carried malls across the Atlantic. placed
beside the models Of the Paris. the Oceanic. the
Kaiser Wilhelm der Crosse and the Lorraine.
The Southerner. with her paddle boxes project
ing far out from her sides, looks like a model
Of one Of the little Thames steamers. There is
nothing at all resembling her in these waters
now.
MODELS OF wARSHIPs.
These models illustrate the progress OF the
arts OF peace and the most eflcacious means of
the advancement OF civilization. Just across
the passage from them are the models Of war
ships which. say, are agents In the ad-
vaneenoent Of civilization also. Others think
lean, who sees them may be proud of his coun-
tr,rs navy. Even more interesting than the
separate ships is the huge map OF the worlu;
with tiny ships, one for each CT the actual
vessels Of the navy, placed upon II ana moved
about from day to day 10 show the posiuoh "a
the vessels. The model OF the Solace Is placed
appropriately between that Of the Holland SUD-
marine boat and some big shells
A little way off Is a reproduction OF lo-lnch
gun eulit through the middle TO show what the
inside OF II would look like If anybody could
ever look al il in that way. taken thus OUT Oh
fits natural surroundings and placed IN a MOUSE
IL looks quarter Of a mile long lheil' 10 sioM
what the American sailor lives on, thefe are
boxes OF bareback and Jars or decioeoly at
;ractive looking salt beef and pork
A eroup OF men OF the navy hold recepuoh
a raised platform. Admiral Dewey II IA tiie
middle an6 around him is a select company
consisting OF one man from each rank OF the
service. down 10 the common seaman a..
The equipment Of the War Department does
not lend itself so readily TO reproductions ny
models, nor has IL the glamour OF the sea 10 al9
its interest but II exhibits abundant guns and
munitions and horses and that faithiul anu IN
valuable public servant, the army mule
MODELS OF MANY OTHER THINGS.
The whole exhibit seems almost entirely mace
up OF models New sorts are found in the space
devoted TO the Smithsonian Institution These
show types Of the aboriginal inhabitants OF
America, from Alaska 10 Patagonia, and some
thing OF their habits and modes Of life There
are life size family groups, and there are fi'ia-
ture representations OF dwellings ana Dlts OF
landscape. with the people Characters 80, SI
posed about them. Cases or animals HsheS'
bros and minerals III out this collection
There are models and models In the eAhipIts
OF the Geological Survey, the Patent olnce anu
the Department Of Indian Analrs. IN tiiIs ~, iaa'
department there Is a most fascinating colec-
ton Of drawings Of men and things IN Aiasha'
by native artists They have the naive , sllI