Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1904-01-22
The w orld's Fair City.

The city of St. Louis, which will be the
hostess OF the States and Nations OF the
world in 1904, had population In 1900 of
$4,000. The estimated population Tor 1904
Is 100000.
The city covers 900 acres, or 62f square
miles. 1t is the largest city west OF the Mis-.
sissippi River, and is the chief manuiactur
ing and wholesale city in the Southwest,
the largest wholesale houses in the United
States. The city formerly thrived upon its
great river traffic, but the twenty six rail-
roads now centering at st. Louis have re-
duced the river traffic to fraction of its
former great volume.
The climate is generally pleasant, but Is
subject to very sudden changes. The aver
age winter temperature Is about 81 degrees.
Owing to the fact that soft coal is burned
| exclusively there is haze over the city
most Of the time and the laundry business
is quite fourshing. The street cars are
heated by stoves and each car leaves trail
OF smoke behind it. The Transit Company
operates all the city cars and some mis-
guided New York paper has described it
"as the most perfect transit system In the
world" The streets are paved with cobble-
stones In the business portions OF the city,
but in the other parts asphalt, gravel and
dirt are used. Nearly every residence has
a lawn and some OF these cover several acres.
Most of the residences of the better class are
fine examples of modern architecture.
Provisions are already advancing 10 price,
but very good oysters can be purchased at
prices much below those in Washington,
d. q. The prices OF everything will go up
10 the spring, but after the Exposition is
over there will be "grand slump" from
which the city will not recover for year
or so. For any one looking for work st. Louis
Is fine place to "pass through rapidly"
unless one can adapt himself TO anything,
as the city is full of people looking tor work
until the Exposition opens. The wages,
as rule, are no higher than anywhere else,
unless one joins union. The unions con
troll everything and seem to run things to
suit themselves. 1t is rather an expensive
thing TO join a union, and the day may
come when q union man will be fined for
drinking non union water as he Is now for
eating non union bread. Every ones motto
here seems to be push" and all the smaller
grocery, hardware and dry goods stores re.
main open half the day Sunday, the LOO
saloons all day aud hall the night and all
night on week days.
The majority OF the people are very pleas
ing subject one can start conversation
with any stranger.
Forest Park, in which the Worlds Fair
Ia 70 be held, ia about iour miles west OF the
center of the city, and one can get there on
the street cars from any part OF the city Tor
Eve cents. The main buildings OF the Fair
are about finished externally, and some OF
the State buildings are completed. The
largest building is the Palace of Agriculture,
600x 1900 feet. and containing over IL acres
| OF floor space. IL stands in garden Of "
acres devoted to out door exhibits. The
Transportation Palace contains over Ia acres
and four miles of tracks for the exhibits
of locomotives, cars, palace cars, ETC., and
| there will also be exhibits OF automobiles
launches, carriages, etc. The Palace OF
Varied Industries covers Ia acres, as does
also the Palace OF Manufactures. The Fine
| Arts Building is a permanent structure oil
| FIRE proof construction. IL IS from designs by
| Cass Gilbert and will cost over $lOOOOOO'
| The other before mentioned buildings cost
from S4OO, 900 to 100000. There are many
other buildings OF lesser dimensions anc
equal beauty.
tons, are temporary and mostly constructed
of yellow pine timbers bolted together anC
! covered Win lhbhbt uPoh VhiSh NhO pi"oSo
il spread. The "stuff is composed OF a sor
Ct plaster of paris, into which hbrous ma
terial resembling coarse hair Is worked
The statues are all hollow, as are the grea
pedestals, colonnades, etc. After being paint
ed they cannot be told from solid marble
Each statue, alegorical group and fresco !
, q work OF art in itself. All such work
done by Italian sculptOrs.
Among the novel features will be hora
clock, 100 ieet in diameter, with hands 0O lee
long, all made of growing flowers. Ever
! one can expect "big time" There Will
map OF the United States in growing How
ers, and also flags, shields and embems. =
The Ferris Wheel from the Chicago Fai
has arrived in 25 car loads and is bein
erected. The Midway Plaisance will be
mile long. The ST. Louis Worlds Fail
. grounds contain 1910 acres Chicago World
. Fair grounds contained 633 acres. The Chi
cago Fair cost $1S,332, 900, st. Louis FAN
&40,OO0,000. The largest hotel In the worl'
is being erected on the grounds and most O
the houses within q radius oil two mile
are preparing TO receive boarders. The en-
tire Exposition will be run by electricity, Q
which 1000 horse power is developed OF
the grounds and an equal amount Is TO D
furnished from the city. Those who mis-
this Fair will miss the greatest thing oil IN
J kind the world has ever seen.
+. NJ. READING.
81. Louis, Mo-, Dec. %, 1908.