The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1904-03-22
NUMBER "a
COMPLETION PUSHED
DESPITE THE WEATHER.
Increased Activity at the Worlds Fair
Assures That Everything Will
Be In Readiness by Date
of Opening.

February's frosts had no perceptibls
effect on the growth of the Worlds Fail
at st. Louis. With the opening day
not two months distant, the deter.
mination of every builder to have his
task completed on April 80. the day sei
for the opening of the Exposition, is ap
parent on every hand. A greater num-
Der Of workmen are employed on the
grounds now than at any time since the
construction began, and the results at
tained are more noticeable.
All Of the great exhibit palaces are
finished. On most of them the full
quota of sculpture has been installed.
Workmen at dizzy heights are busy
placing groups of colossal statuary on
the Liberal Arts and Electricity Pal
aces. Soon the final coat of paint will
be given, and then the work of the con-
tractors will have been ended. This
will not be done until April, so that
when the Exposition opens each build
ing will be resplendent in its new coat
Of old ivory.
Beautiful Festival Hall, the central
figure Of the Cascade territory and the
last of the great Exposition buildings
| on which work was started, is nearing
completion. The framework was fin
ished several days ago. and the orna-
mental staff Is now being applied to
the exterior. The dome which sur
mounts this structure is the largest in
the world-200 feet in diameter at the
base and reaching skyward $50 feet
, The dome is greater than that Of St
Peters, at Rome. or st. Paurs. in Lon
don.
Remarkable activity is being display
ed in the foreign section. Great Brit
ain is putting the finishing touches on
her replica of the beautiful Orangery.
French workmen are performing SIM
liar tasks on the Grand Trianon.
Frances beautiful structure. Mexico
long since finished her work and Is
waiting for the Exposition throngs.
Germany's reproduction of the kaisers
castle at Charlottenburg can be fin
ished in a few weeks.
| Japan did not begin on her replica Of
the wonderful Castle of Nagoya until
midwinter. The ground was full Of
frost when she started excavations.
and japanese workmen demonstrated
their proverbial spirit of progress by
Ioosening the frozen ground with dyna-
mite and installing their foundations.
Now scores of busy hands are rapidly
completing the superstructure.
Brazil displayed great energy in
erecting one of the largest and hand
somest structures in the foreign Sec
ton in a remarkably short time. The
cold climate had no effect on the ORR
entails who are adding the finishing
touches to China's beautiful structure,
the first ever built at any exposition
with the Peking governments author
ity. The decorations on this structure
will prove revelation.
Sweden's building was shipped in
sections. and a week only will be re-
quired TO raise il when 1t arrives. Italy,
Austria and the remainder of the for
eign countries are working with equal
energy.
Kentucky dedicated her state build
ing on Feb. 13. Iowa. Missouri, Okla
, homa, West Virginia and a score Of
other states have finished their state
buildings. New Hampshire and Yer
mont have submitted plans, and con-
tractors have assured these tardy states
that their buildings will be ready to re-
ceive guests on the opening day.
All the main buildings in the forty
acre Philippine reservation have been
finished, and the Filipino builders are
now constructing the villages of bam-
boo and nipa that Will shelter more
than thousand natives during the Ex-
position. The Philippine buildings were
erected at q cost Of more than 81, ,0O0,-
Oc0
The main structure of the United
States Governments Indian exhibit Is
finished and when the sun shines
warm only a few days will be required
for the Indians to put up their wig
vans and tepees and settle themselves
in what will be their homes for seven
months.
Probably greater activity Is being
displayed on the Pike, the Concessions
street, than I'm any other quarter. An
army of workmen are building struc-
lures of amusement and entertainment
that will cost more than S5.000.000.
Many buildings are already finished.
The Intramural railway was formal
Iy opened Jan. "a. Its electric cars
will carry visitors to any section of
the grounds at a small cost.