The northwestern portion of this interesting building was given up to the
Department of the Interior; embracing the Patent Office, the Bureau of
Education, the Census Office, and the U.S. Geological Survey.
In the rotunda we viewed the "Big Tree," a section thirty feet in length, cut from Sequoia Gigantea, a tree 300 feet high whose diameter at the base covered a space of twenty-six feet. It grew in the Sequoia National Park in the charming clime of California. Under the central dome were also shown 138 colonial exhibits—relics of historic value from days long gone by.
The War Department was well represented in all its branches; regarding uniforms and equipage, means of transportation, military engineering, shooting apparatuses, ammunition, etc.
Having visited the State and Justice Departments, we repaired to the division in which the government displayed (in the Department of Agriculture) a very complete and comprehensively arranged collection of grains obtained in this and other countries.
Very interesting were the adjacent exhibits, presenting to view the topics of food adulteration, entomology, pomology, botany, ornithology, and mammalogy; together with experiments in fibre investigation.
Betaking ourselves to the northern division, we were instructed—by various illustrations—of the methods employed by the scientific branch of the Fish Commission in determining the habits, peculiar to denizens of water. Models and apparatuses showed the results of Fish Culture.
The displays in this unique building covering almost all the branches of modern science and arts, bore testimony to the fact that the United States now rank with the most powerful nations on the globe; and to this attainment only a little more than one century of development was requisite. This says everything for American enterprise and genius—and a country so young in a very old world.
The circumstance of its being a calm evening—with the prospect of a pyrotechnic display later—permitted us to remain on the Fair Grounds longer than we usually did; hence we determined to visit still another structure.
By crossing a bridge over the lagoon, we arrived at the Fisheries Building. In the main edifice we first saw fishing-tackles, nets, and other apparatuses used by fishermen, and shown by the American Net and Twine Co. The contiguous space to the right was given up to the exhibits of several States in the Union, especially noted for fisheries, and of various foreign countries as Japan, the Netherlands, Canada, France, Great Britain, Russia, and Norway. Walking through a curved arcade, we beheld on either side aquaria of an enormous capacity, inclosing both denizens of fresh and salt water. It is safe to say the display of aquatic life made here, could rival the greatest permanent aquaria in existence; not only as to their voluminousness, but the immense variety of their specimens. Especially striking to the eye was a magnificent group of gold fishes. The huge bull-cat fish and the gigantic turtle were conspicuous by their monstrousness. We removed to the eastern extremity of the Fisheries Building, forming a spacious circular pavilion. In the rotunda a basin, twenty-six feet wide, presented a beautiful scenic effect. Over rocks picturesquely arranged, the silver meshes of a brook wound their way, forming here and there white gushes of waterfall which contrasted agreeably with the moss covered stones, and the semi-aquatic plants. The latter adorned the pool below, in which golden-hued fishes moved lightly to and fro. The inspection of the angling pavilion at the extreme western side of the Fisheries Building completed our visit in this fine structure, whose exhibits demonstrated largely the fishery wealth of the United States.
Taking advantage of the extraordinary calmness of the atmosphere, our mindful commodore resolved to moor the yacht in vicinity of the Exposition Grounds. For, he wished to give us opportunity to witness the display of pyrotechnics announced for the latter part of the evening, in solemnization of the Illinois Day. Therefore, the "Marguerite" conveyed us to a place which proved exceedingly favorable for our design. Here, our floating home was anchored. Enjoying a full vista of the White City, we found a prolific source of admiration in the grand electric spectacles. The illumination of the Columbia fountain in front of the Administration Building, and the display of two electric fountains in the western extremity of the South Pond, were magical in effectiveness. Wonderful flash-lights blazed from the tops of the tallest towers, surmounting the larger structures. Whenever the operator threw the search-light investigably over the yacht, we shut our eyes spontaneously at its dazzling brilliancy.