As the gathering shadows of night wrapped land and water in darkness, the hour arrived in which the visitors on the Fair Grounds—who seemed to be almost as numerous as the sands on the shore—expected to view the scenic effects produced by means of fire.
We sat on the deck of the yacht as comfortably as in our boudoirs at home. Nevertheless, we were able to enjoy ad libitum the same sight that so many others in the White City could only see with difficulty, on account of the unusual throngs. When we reflected on this circumstance—so much in our favor—our hearts were filled with gratitude toward our commodore, who had selected this excellent locality. From here we admired the exceedingly fine pyrotechnic displays. Girandoles pierced the sky in all directions, with rushing lines of fire. Sky-rockets exhibiting rich hues of purple, red, and green ascended through the air; and when reaching the highest point of their blazing paths, they discharged beautiful garnitures of floating stars, sparks, crackers, serpents, gold and silver rain. Tourbillions mounting and rotating through the atmosphere, formed brilliant spiral curves of fire. Splendid effects of changing color were brought to view by revolving fire-wheels. An appropriate finale constituted the burning of the American flag, which bore a sublime character in the brightness of fire.
"Flag of the free heart's hope and home,
By angel hands to valor given:
Thy stars have lit the welkin dome,
And all thy hues were born in heaven"
As the first faint smile of the morning peeped over the eastern wave, I rose—greatly refreshed by a sound sleep. Coming on deck, I found that the sun's unclouded orb already poured its rays of light upon the earth.
Our eyes rested with delight on the White City throned on its numerous isles, looking like a sea Cybele—ascending from the lake with her tiara of proud towers.
At our arrival on the Fair Grounds, Mr. James thoughtfully provided us with guides and rolling-chairs—vehicles which reminded us of the Japanese Jin-riki-sha.
The main entrance of the AGRICULTURAL BUILDING—adorned on either side by mammoth Corinthian pillars—ushered us into a vestibule, richly ornamented with appropriate statuary. From here, we reached a rotunda surmounted by a gigantic glass dome. When looking about on the main floor, we fancied ourselves to be in a city of pavilions. For, the States of the Union as well as the foreign nations had environed their displays with magnificent little temples and pagodas. To a great extent, they formed exhibits themselves, because in most cases the chief products of the respective country had been utilized for their construction. Nebraska, for example, had employed sweet corn for the erection of its pavilion.
Every state and territory was represented by its productions; the Northern States with Indian corn, wheat, oats, barley, rye, and other cereals; the South with cotton, rice, sugar, etc. Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky, and Tennessee evinced their noted superiority in the culture of the nicotian plant, which is in such great favor with the consumers of tobacco.
Agricultural and other food displays were shown in great varieties by the foreign countries. In the German section the gigantic Chocolate Tower (built of several hundred tons of chocolate by the famous firm "Gebrueder Stollwerck" in Cologne) compelled admiration. The Liebig exhibit of canned and preserved meat was a prominent feature of this division. Great Britain showed specimens of grain from the English experimental grounds, representing the effects of artificial fertilization on the various seeds. The contributions made by Canada embraced grain, seeds, and roots; and its eleven ton cheese constituted one of the unique exhibits in this edifice. As in all great departmental structures, Japan was well represented. It had a fine display of its chief exports—tea, rice, and raw silk. Russia's showing covered a space of 32,000 feet. New South Wales, France, Mexico, Austria, Denmark, Sweden, and numerous other foreign countries demonstrated, likewise, the variety and wealth of their natural resources.
Besides the farm products of the world in all their diversity and perfection, agricultural machinery was exhibited: Devices of every description from the most primitive implements to the highly improved machines as they are in use at the present day. The ingenious arrangement of this display enabled the visitor to perceive at a glance the enormous progress made in that branch of industry. Thus, we viewed in the annex of the main floor one of the most perfected plows—the "Queen"—a trophy of modern inventiveness. And beside it stood an implement, which reminded us by its simplicity and unwieldiness of an apparatus, described in mythology as used by Ceres dea agriculturae—when teaching to mankind this important occupation.