Los Angeles herald., 1905-04-09
mr. LAET


TT REBOUNDS to the credit of the
Lewis and Clark centennial that
genuine western fair has not been
spoiled by an attempt to follow in the
trail blazed by the eastern expositions.
In commemorating the expedition of
hundred years ago, Portland, Ore,
has remained true to her sturdy pio-
neers. .rShe has tried to make this the
initial celebration of its kind to be
given west of the Rocky mountains
under the patronage of the government
typical of the historical event in every
way.
When the huge rustic portals of the
western worlds fair swing wide on
June 1 to admit the early throng of
visitors they will disclose a scene which
owes its chief charm to nature. In
structure, landscape and scheme of
decoration it has been the aim of de-
signers of this exposition to aid, not
to alter. natural beauty. Knowing that
IL would be useless to compete with an
"ivory city, the directors have made
the most of the material and scenic
features at hand, the like of which
has never been seen at any other fair.
The site chosen for the Lewis and
Clark exposition is unusually fine. The
main part of the grounds rises high
along the banks of a natural lake of
220 acres of water, the largest body of
water to be enclosed within the bound
aries of an exposition. In Guilds lake
nature supplied free what would have
taken years of hard work and millions
to create Here is a broad lagoon upon
which gondolas, barges and Indian
canoes will have such freedom as can
not be enjoyed on an ordinary water
way.
AS though nature had had an eye to
the time when this picturesque sheet
of water would be called upon to play
an important part in the pictorial his
tory of the west she has stretched an
arm of land from the verdure clad
island which is situated across from
the exposition grounds toward the
mainland Beyond the island flows the
blue Willamette toward that point
"where rolls the Oregon" A glimpse
the buildings and grounds. and rising
from every side are the blue and pur-
pie foothills of the mountain ranges.
Fine Mountain Scenery
No need to construct papier mache
snow peaks in imitation of the Alps,
for here are scenes rivaling even
Switzerland spread out before the eyes.
Lofty snow capped peaks rear their
rugged heads above the Cascade noun
tain range, to be silhoueted against
the sapphire blue of the sky. TO the
north Is Mount Rainier, H. 552 feet
high to the right rises the symmetri-
cal white dome of Mount st. Helen,
$3.50 feet above the sea, and between
these two lofty peaks a third snow
capped mountain, Adams. rears its
gigantic form. Sixty miles to the east,
yet standing out clearer and more mon
umental than any of the other hoary
sentinels OF the city, is a fourth noun
tain. Hood, the pride of Portland,
which raises its icy crest i'm rugged in
dependence 1925 feet
These are the sights which greet the
eye as one looks down vista of mel
low tinted staff or rough hewn log
buildings toward the rim of the lake.
The most magnificent electric cascade
or perfectly executed peristyles must
dwindle into insignihcance when these
finest works of nature are on view.
With their unsurpassed pictorial
capital supplied gratis, the directors
had comparatively easy problem to