New-York tribune., 1901-05-02
Inv rr,rcp,pH To THE TnIBrNE.I


Buffalo. May 1.-The gloom and the chill which
fell upon all Buffalo last night. with the gather
ing of the clouds and the dropping of the rain
turned to gIadness and warmth when the sun
shcne out early this morning The Pan-Ameri-
can Exposition belongs to BuffalO The city
measured for it, had it built for itself, and
paid for it, The city owns the exposition. and
doesn't care who knows it, Therefore it was
disheartening. on the very eve of the opening. to
see the clouds close over the sky again and
the rain pour down. and TO feel that there was
a prospect that the official beginning of the show
would have to he made in the same cold and
wet which had already so set back the prepara-
tons The continuance of the rain would mean
the attendance of only few people, and it
would mean that those few must make their way
over the grounds through and across and around
quagTnres and pools and sloughs. which would
be sloughs of despOnd not only for the visitors
but still more for the much enduring managers
Therefore the return of the to duty this
morning warmed many hearts, as we'll as much
ground and atmosphere, and all three needed
the kindly glow in like degree.
Pomp and panOply and glary, martial or civic
or oratorical formed part of the opening OF
the big fair of An-America to-day. There was
no great crush of people TO see and 10 hear great
things 1t was more like quiet little family
party. There was much good humor and good
feeling and congratulation and satisfaction that
the exhibition fairly started, but there
were no bursts of eloquence and small bursts
of fireworks cannon.
BRIEF OPENING CEREMONIES.
The nearest approach TO a ceremonial was the
few minutes speechmaking in the United States
Government Building. and nobody pretended to
call this exercise by so digniied a title The
gates had been open since $50 o'clock in the
Il
made some fair records. but there much
space for the people TO spread abroad that there
were nowhere any crowds in sight. AT Il o'clock
a big bell Just inside the door of the Government
Building began 10 ring, being smitten with
hammer by a workman. ThereupOn the few
persons who were in the building and few
more who were called in by the sound felt as il
they were summoned to church. and they began
TO look around for the pulpit.
Presently a rough. temporary platform vas
discovered in one corner of the rOtunda, and
the members of the Government Board who
were present soon gathered around it. Among
these were Colonel ]. H. Brigham chairman;
w v Cox secretary; W. De c. Ravenal. of the
Fish Commission: W. H. Hills DR.. F. W. True.
of the Smithsonian Institution; Professor P. W.
Clark D. F. Peters of the Navy Department;
p. C. Harris. of the War Department; c. II.
verriu j. B. Brownlow of the Postofhce De-
partment. and Major w H. Michael There
were also Mayor Conrad Diehl of Buffalo. John
G. M1burn. president of the exposition. and
General William l. Buchanan the director
general
Colonel Brigham began the speaking. and ex-
pressed his qualification at the accomplishment
of the opening of the fair on the day set for it
by law. He said he believed that the display in
this building was the best which the United
States Government had ever made at any expo
siton. He called upon President Milburn as
the next speaker President Mnburn said he
wished to express the deep obligation of the ex-
position to the Government Board. From the
start there had been perfect harmony between
that board and the Exposition Board, and he de-
sired to thank the Government Board in an
especial manner for It's efforts and for their
success
THE SPEECH OF MAYOR DIEHL@
The Mayor was the next speaker. He joined
his thanks with those of the president of the
exposition and said that the citizens Of Buffalo
deeply appreciated the liberality of spirit and
the work done by the Government Board and the
government officials all OF whom he begged TO
accept the freedom Of the city
Professor Clark spoke for the Department of
the Interior He said that the United States
Government exhibit at each succeeding expost-
tion was in the nature Of report 70 the peo-
pie an object lesson in what the government
was doing Many persons who never had oppOr-
tunity TO come TO Washington could attend
these expositions in various parts OF the coun-
try and could better understand the work which
the u1anv departments Of the government were
carving on at the capital DR.. True spoke for
the Smithsonian and the colonial exhibits Major
Michael for the State Department and General
Buchanan for the directors of the exposition.
With the customary promptness of the United
in mat he
has succeeded in placing the building and it's
exhibit in a far more advanced stage than can
be shown in any other building in the exposi-
ton.
In fact the exhibit in this building is all but
finished while in the most OF the other buildings
il is only begun. Any visitor might well spend a
day or two here with pleasure and profit What
little work remains to be done is going forward
rapidly and in three more days the
building will be iE perfect order for the sum
mcr
But if the displays in the other buildings are
not keeping pace with the governments, they
have made surprising advances since yesterday.
The structures which TO house the displays
in the Manufacturers and Liberal Arts Build
ing springing up like mushrooms and to-
day the place looks like exhibition hall. in
stead Of like an arTory with big drill floor.
which was more like its appearance yesterday
A considerable amount of machinery has been
installed in the Machir cry and Transportation
Building to-day. and more is ready to go in
tomorrow.
RAPID CHANGES IN THE GROUNDS.
Similar progress has been made in the Ag-
riculturaI Building, which two days ago like
wise presented afGesert waste. where agriculture
or anything pertaining 10 IL would seem the
last thing be looked for. There were sur
prises, too. all around the grounds to-day Tne
court of the fountains showed itself in trus