The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-03-04


 From the point of view of wis., ual effect, there are two distinct fairs. Let me tell you how I re- ceived my impressions of the two aspects of this really important contribution of civilized man to esthetic history.
 With large party, I went through a tour of the grounds on one of the elephant trains, in the afternoon. The beauty and dignity of the fair as a whole grew upon me, minute by minute. will not go into detail about the graceful central tower, the arch, the temple, the Chinese pagoda, and the splendor of the main court, dominated by the heroic statue of Pacifica. Merely this: was deeply impressed by the honesty and sincerity of the work. There is nothing tawdry about it, and that's something to say for fair.
 As our elephant train Ca train of low observation cars, with ele- phant design on the front of the pulling motor) came to a final stop in front of the Administra- tion building we were facing the Golden Gate. The sun was set- ting.
 Then I became conscious, for the first time, of the majestic natural position of Treasure Island. Moun- tains to the left and right, rising gracefully from blue foothills, their sides covered with homes and city towers. Ahead, the Bay, the Bridge, and the Golden Gate. Now I saw why they call it Golden.
 Speeches. with admiration, I watched the slowly changing cloud formations near the horizon. Long, seemingly solid at one min- ute, melting to spray at the next, and all the while glowing in colors that changed with the passing mo- ments Soft rose, Nile green, off-white, deep blue, and always an aura of gold, settling down from the heavens, almost disap- bearing in the sea, to rise again, 8 glorified aurora.
 Across the footlight through this amazing natural scene marches the Bridge of the Golden Gate. Sir Francis Drake was struck with astonishment when he beheld the beauty here. He should see it now, with the brdige, and Treasure Island.
 At dinner that evening I was asked to make a 15-minute talk, and I tried to give the people of San Francisco something of the feeling of stranger, beholding the beauty which is their daily fare. Scores of the auditors were gracious enough to come and tell me, after the dinner and during the following days, that I had said what was in their hearts, but what they had hesitated to say be- cause they feared to express so much of local pride. That is fine. I rejoice that these people really appreciate the beauty that has been given them. The very fact that they have created so beau- tiful an exposition here in the midst of natural glory speaks for them.
 After the dinner, three of us walked through the streets of Treasure Island, looking, discus sing, wondering. Dale Carnegie, MT. E. w. Preston, publisher of the Boston Herald Traveller, and I. The lights were on.
 Now here was a new City of Magic, bearing only a remote re- semblance to the one we had seen by daylight. A cerulean blue had rebuilt the brown palaces and at tached them, one to another, forming a continuous bastion of beauty, down the long mall. The central tower was a thing seen in an opium-eater's dream. The fountains, bathing airy nothing in shimmering tides of color, took away our breath.
 At the diner I had talked two minutes overtime, an offense I rarely commit. It was lucky for that audience that hadn't seen Treasure Island by night.
 I am optimistic about American civilization. It has reached the stage at which it Is willing to ex- pend money and herculean labor, just to create beauty. You will find a glorious bit of it in San Francisco Bay, where the work of man complements the glory of god.
 Copyright, 1899. McNaught
 Syndicate)