Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-06-17
AT JAMESTOWN.
John Quill Tells of Its
Many Wonders.
The Real Opening Came With
Presidents Visit.
A Beautiful Spot Rich With Many
Historic Associations.

tion a commemorative celebration,
which for historic significance to
Americans surpasscs all previous
events of like nature, is at its height.
This is i pan American celebration in
all the broad significance that the name
implies. All that the country is today,
all the forces which operated in the
development and advancement of the
present republic. might be said to have
been graded in the settlement of
Jamestown, which was established May
-, 1867, and became the first perma-
nent English speaking colony on this
continent.
The site of the Exposition is washed
by the waters of Hampton Road, con-
coded to be the largest and best land
locked harbor on the Atlantic sea-
board. There is hardly spot on this
continent that has the historic interest
that clusters in and around the tide
water cities. 1t has been the scene of
the trials, Iriumphs and defeats Of
many generations for the past 300
years. Practically, it has furnished
the stage-settings for the fierce con-
flicts that have made American history.
In the old colonial times when the
English were at war with Holland and
France, in the Revolutionary and 1872
Wars, and when in later years the
Monitor and the Merrimac had their
decisive battle for the supremacy, the
waters of old Hampton Road was the
battle-ground. one can in imagination
hear the booming of cannon, the kissing
of shot and shell, that echoed and re-
echoed across the roadstead for years,
and found its answering echo as the
sound came back from far inland
among the mountains and battlefields
The Exposition grounds comprise an
area Of about 800 acres, with water
frontage enough to float the navy of
the world without crowding the mer-
chant marine. The location is ideal
From the grounds can be seen Fortress
Monroe, that grim sentinel with its
social accessory Old Point Comfort.
Hampton with its far-famed institute
Of learning, and Newport News with
its immense dry-dock and ship-b build
ing plant, the largest in point. Of i'm
p"rtancc in the country. At Fortress
Monroe, where the brCczcs from the
blue waters of Old Hampton Roads
sweep across the parade grounds, the
L. S. government maintains one of the
largest military posts III this country.
Fortress Monroe also boasts the finest
line of carthwOrkS and Notifications on
the coast, making a line of coast de-
lenses that have been extensively
copied by foreign nations.
The landscape gardener Of the FX-
position grounds has done much, and
nature has done more. to make this bit
of southern scenery beautiful. The
combination of land and water blended
together make a pastoral and marine
view seldom equallcd. Part of the
grounds have been left in their natural
state; the undcrbrush has been cleared,
but otherwise it is the same as when
John Smith and his followers saw it
for the first time in the long ago.
Where the landscape gardeners work
IS particularly noticeable and admired,
is in the cleared part where its broad
avenues and boulcvards extend back
from the water front To the plazzas and
squares.
The government engineer has
and the government has car
ricd out the idea, and in erecting two
immense piers extending FAR out in the
water Of Hampton Road. These piers
ar something like 200 feet in width
ard about a mile in length. At the
extreme they connect with n pier of
equal width arched in the center to
permit small craft to go and come at
Will. About 40 acres are enclosed in
this landlockcd basin. making it a safe
ground and a place where
the water sports are to be held. The
piers are to be illuminated at night by
= million incandcscent lights, and when
the whole harbor is Illuminated it
makes beautiful sight
one Of the pretty sights of tho
grounds is the floral fence. 1t is so
unique that il attracts much attention.
An Immense hedge surrounds practi-
cally The entire grounds, or that part
not facing the water The hedge il
some eight feet in height. built Of
Wi'e mesh, with several strands of
barbcd wire at tn" top, making it i'm
paSsablc. All the ugly :ra1nc-w work is
hidden beneath q mass Of vcrdure Of
green and scarlet. The landscape
gardner has trained the crimson ram
bier rose. honcysuck!cs. Virginia Green
'rS, ana trumpet vine, 50 they WIND
in ana ont like IN immense carpet
Tho effect il pleasing to tho cye ana
fills the air with fragrance. Tho archi-
tcctnral Design. which has been faith
fully carried out is colonial, and justly
SO, for Virginia is = colonial state. The
adaptation Of the Louis Nv. architect
urc, called the Georgian III England,
has been transplantcd to America.
slightly altered, and has become the
Colonial. The larG" building for the
reminds the traveller of huge
haroniaI houses Of tn" 18th century.
They for the most part arr massive
hri'k structures. with cleaning white
Curinthiln columns, and the RID and
white buildings surrounded with YER
dant trees. torm an impressive picture.
Orc Of the cutest attra Of the
grounds is 4 little canoe trail. A small
stream Of water that winds in and out
through tho pretticst part Of the
grounds, with 0vcrhanSinE trees. it
gives one the impression of our own
Bond Brook. Reside the canoe trail is
Lovers Lane. a little bridal path with
shady hooks ana here and there scat
10 tempt the weary. One sees here
nj "a