THE GENERAL DISPLAY.
The installation would be tedious to describe, and we will not attempt it further than to say that harmony in color and arrangement was maintained throughout the building, all balancing from an imposing center-piece, or Product Palace, which was covered entirely with natural products of the State, including dried fruits, seeds, cereals, raisins, nuts, etc., so artistically arranged as to give the whole a very attractive appearance. This center-piece or palace was admitted to be not only the most beautiful feature of the California Building, but the most original, elaborate and artistic feature of the entire Exposition. The editor of Illustrated Northwest Farm and Home visited the California Building during the early part of the Fair, and returning home gave expression to his impressions through the columns of his paper in these words:
“In the California Building there is everything to delight the eye and the entertainers can talk English. The statuary and ornaments in fruits and nuts surpasses anything that the eye of man ever beheld. For instance; the representation of carvings over the finished woods are created of various kinds of fruits; at the entrance to the center-piece within the main building, are two life-size mountain lions made of peaches; a black knight mounted on a black horse, are made of California prunes; an elephant, full size, is made of California walnuts; a life-size cow is created of California almonds; a large black bear has California raisins for a robe; a lemon as large as a hogshead, is composed of California lemons.”
These were some of the fruit features designed to set off the general display and emphasize the products that composed them. But these were only incidental to the strong and imposing exhibit of all of California’s material products. There was a generous display of processed fruits, including all varieties known to the State. The dried fruit department was strong and attractive, embracing three separate features, one of miscellaneous dried fruits, one of raisins and one of prunes. There were separate stands or features of wines, olive oil, pickled olives, mineral water, canned fruit, preserved fruit, vegetables, flowers, oranges, nuts, honey, beans, cereals, seeds, sugar, silk, wool, ostrich feathers, fibers, canned milk, canned fish, etc., etc., besides many suitable show cases containing samples of other products more delicate and less in quantity. There was a strong show of incubators and an attractive feature of borax. Models were shown, and in operation where practicable, of such articles or machinery as could not be accommodated otherwise, as for instance the working model of a complete gold dredge, manufactured especially for this exhibit by the Risdon Iron Works of San Francisco.