PART II.LOOKING AROUND.
A tripto the World’s Fair grounds even now will convince the visitor of two things, namely: the magnitude of the undertaking and the steady approach of the whole enterprise to completion. The arrangement of roadways whereby one may make the circuit of the grounds in carriage or afoot, stopping at every point desired to examine the details of the work, is excellent. An admission fee of twenty-five cents is now charged and the readiness with which thousands of persons pay it everyday for the privilege of taking a look around is some index to the probabilities with regard to the attendance a year hence.
Besides the buildings mentioned in a preceding chapter there are the following: The Forestry building, Electrical building, Agricultural building, Mines and Mining, Governmentbuilding, Illinois State building, the casino and pier, the United States naval exhibit. Before proceeding further these may be briefly sketched.
The dimensions of the Forestry building are 500 by 200 feet. The architecture is rustic in style and is surrounded by a veranda and colonnade, the latter consisting of a series of columns composed of three tree trunks 25 feet long, one of which is 16 to 20 inches in diameter and the others of smaller girth. The tree trunks have been permitted to retain their bark, thereby creating a unique effect. They come from all states and countries, each of which has contributed a specimen of the best known tree. The building itself is constructed of slabs and thatched with various barks, the interior being finished in woods in such a manner as to show the graining and polishing susceptibilities of each. Tablets on the tree trunks forming the colonnades will inform the visitor as to where each came from, with other interesting information. Flags will float above this building, denoting the different nations whose products are on exhibition within. The forestry exhibit may be considered as one of the most interesting to be found at the fair, comprising, as it will, logs and sections of trees and “worked” lumber in every form, such as shingles, flooring, casing, etc. Look also for dye woods, barks, mosses,lichens, gums, rosins, cocoanut shells, gourds, rattan, willow-ware and wooden-ware, tubs, brooms, etc. More than one saw mill will be seen in active operation and will be quite distinct from the exhibits of saw-mill and wood, working machinery on view in Machinery hall. The Forestry building is one of the cheapest at the Fair, costing only $35,000, but its projectors expect it to be by no means the least entertaining or instructive.
The Electrical building will be one of the most important, the exhibit of electrical appliances and devices being expected to enchain the attention of scientists and experts as well as the uniniated millions. The building is 700 feet in width by 345 feet in length, and has been constructed on magnificent plans at a cost of $345,000. It is two stories in height and contains spacious galleries from which crowds may view all that is going on below. In the north end of the building is a great semi-circle window, above which, 102 feet from the ground, is a spacious gallery, affording the visitor a wide view of the lagoon and that part of the grounds stretching to the north. In a niche at the south part of the Electrical building is a heroic statue of Benjamin Franklin, whose name connects American history with one of the most important discoveries of modern times. The buildinghas four pavilions, with towers 169 feet high. There are domes, spires and columns adorning the building with an architectural and imposing magnificence that rivets the attention at first sight and makes it one of the most striking attractions in the grounds. It is needless to say that the exhibit will show everything in connection with the marvelous power, electricity, discoveries in which, some people claim, are yet in their infancy and the rapid advancements in which are destined ultimately to revolutionize the world.
The Agricultural building, 800 feet in length by 500 feet in width, stands close to the shore of the lake, its east side fronting upon a harbor of refuge for pleasure craft. The designs of the building, which is but one story in height, is bold and impressive. On either side of the main entrance are Corinthian pillars, fifty feet high. The main entrance is 60 feet wide and leads into a vestibule, thence into a rotunda 100 feet in diameter. Above the rotunda is a large glass dome, 130 feet in height. To the south of the Agricultural building proper is the vast structure to be devoted to the live stock exhibit and agricultural assembly hall. The elevated railway station affords every access to the building. In it will be held the meetings of all persons interested in live stock. There will alsobe a bureau of information, spacious waiting and toilet rooms; also an assembly room with a seating capacity of 1,500, and complete facilities for lectures, etc. More than twelve acres of ground are covered by the Agricultural building and its annex.
The Mines and Mining building is one of the most imposing on the grounds and stands at the south end of the western lagoon, between the Transportation and Electricity buildings, being 700 feet in length by 750 feet in width. From its balconies and porticos splendid views may be had of a vast portion of the grounds and in its front are spacious lawns dotted with flowers. The wonders to be found in this building cannot be adequately described in advance. Mines of all sorts, in every stage of operation, are to be shown. The visitor may feast his eyes on piles of silver and gold in every stage, from the ore freshly taken from the earth to the gleaming double-eagles, most royal of all the coins! And silver dollars fresh from the mint. And precious stones! They will be there in every variety and all stages of preparation. A promise has been made that an African diamond mine will be shown in active operation. At one point will be seen the dusky native delving for the rarest of gems; at another a skilled workman cutting and settingbrilliants of “purest ray serene.” All this and much more will this wonderful building contain; and it is a question whether any other will possess so great a charm for the crowds who will be apt to stand there and let their mouths water in awesome hunger at the sight of so vast an aggregation of wealth.
The Government building is situated on the lake shore, south of the main lagoon, near to the buildings of England, Germany and Mexico. It is built of iron, brick and glass at a cost of $400,000. All the departments of the Government, such as the post-office, war office, etc., will make special exhibits. Ample space has been allotted for the exhibits of the Smithsonian Institute and interior department. Thegovernment exhibits include the mint, the coast and the geodetic survey, the bureau of engraving and printing, the bureau of statistics, the life-saving board, the light house board and the marine hospital. The life-saving exhibit shows a life-saving station built and equipped with every appliance and a regular crew which will go through all the life-saving maneuvers in practice on the coasts. The coast survey exhibit includes a mammoth map of the United States, 400 feet square, constructed of plaster of paris, and placed horizontally on the ground beneath a covering erected over it. By a system of galleries and pathways on the inside the visitor may “walk over the whole United States” without touching it, as one recent writer has expressed himself. The scale of the map accurately shows the exact height of all the mountains and the depth of all the rivers in the United States. Here is a fine chance for a lesson in geography. The war department exhibit shows all the uniforms ever worn by United States’ soldiers, a telephone as it would be used on the battlefield, besides all means of army telegraphing and signaling.
The naval exhibit will without doubt attract a great share of attention. It consists of a structure, erected in the lake, typifying with marvelous accuracy one of the new coast-line battleshipsrecently constructed for the American navy. The structure stands on piling at the edge of the lake at the north-east side of Jackson park. Being quite surrounded by water the structure has the exact appearance of a vessel moored to the wharf. It is fitted with all the appliances of an actual ship, such as guns, turrets, torpedo tubes, anchors, etc. The navy department will send on a special crew to serve during the exposition and the visitors will have an opportunity to witness all the workings of an American man-of-war.
A delightful feature of the fair will be the mammoth casino and pier. The pier runs out 1,000 feet into Lake Michigan and at its extremity is the casino, which is so constructed as to give, on the waters of Lake Michigan, a miniature representation of beautiful Venice. The casino is built on piles and embraces nine pavilions, eight of which are two stories in height, the center one rearing 180 feet. Bridges and gondolas afford communication between the pavilions. In part of the casino is a harbor for pleasure craft. At night the harbor will be lighted by incandescent lamps sunk beneath the surface of the water and the brilliancy of the scene may be imagined.
The Illinois State building occupies a fine site in the prettiest spot in Jackson park. Thestate appropriated $800,000 for this building and the money has been well expended. The building is 450 feet in length by 160 feet in width, and is constructed of wood, stone, brick and steel, nearly all the material having been procured in Illinois. A feature of the building is Memorial Hall, which contains a superb collection of relics of the war and other periods. An admirable view of the main exhibit hall may be had from the spacious galleries. The exhibit will include five model school-rooms, equipped and furnished under the direction of the state superintendent of public instruction. Here will be illustrated the methods of education pursued in the state, from the common school to the university. The exhibit also includes collections illustrating the natural history and archæology of the state; an exhibition by the State Fish Commission of native and cultivated live fish, with hatchery, appliances and equipments for transportation. Also maps, charts, etc., illustrative of all the resources of the state. The women of Illinois were promised, or presented with, $80,000 and space in this building for a special exhibit illustrating women’s work in the state.