In like manner the electric flat-iron will smoothen her linen without fatiguing her. But not only the lady of the house will rejoice; also the poor, hen-pecked husband will be in transports of delight, as it will make his path easier in many ways. The constant complaints he was hitherto obliged to endure, will grow mute for ever, and the curtain lecture will be no more.
Furthermore, should circumstances compel the active business man to part with his wife for a long time, the marvelous inventions enable their mutual intercourse during the separation as if time and space were unknown factors. The lady need not suffer long from inquietude concerning her husband's safe arrival; for the receiving instrument of her telautograph reproduces instantaneously his own handwriting. A parcel, sent to her by express, contains a cylinder to the improved phonograph. When bringing it in proper contact with this wonderful instrument, she hears her consort's voice, just as if he was by her side, and a thousand leagues were but a few inches. Moreover, Edison's kimetograph portrays the beloved features of her absent spouse. She is now perfectly consoled; for the radiant expression of his countenance manifests health and happiness.
Having left the imposing Electricity Building, we repaired to a structure in close proximity dedicated to exhibits of the mineral kingdom. Never before, the records of international expositions gave account of a similar fact; namely, that the display made of MINES AND MINING was so capacious as to require the erection of a special edifice. Its size and architectural beauties rivaled those of the great structures in Jackson Park. The magnificent arched entrance of the north front was richly embellished with sculptural decorations emblematic of mining and its allied industries. This spacious gateway led us to the main floor, which presented a spectacle so weird that its impression cannot be easily effaced. In temples and pavilions of ineffable gorgeousness were exhibits of gems and precious metals of dazzling beauty. Useful ores and their products, building stones, soils, salt, petroleum—indeed, everything that man furthers from the dark entrails of the earth, was offered to inspection.
Besides the mineral resources of the world in their original state, the displays embraced many devices of mining machinery; such as pumps and engines used in mining, moving, and delivering ores; apparatuses for breaking out ore and coal; for crushing and pulverizing; for reducing metals, for instance the extraction of gold and silver by milling, lixiviation, and fire; furthermore, boring and drilling tools; grinding and polishing substances, etc.
The galleries containing especially the metallurgical collection, had the appearance of the scientific department of a museum combined with the laboratory and library of a university.
Moreover, there were offered to view many interesting and instructive working models, various unique exhibits, and thousands of geological specimens.
Germany, France, and New South Wales were the leading foreign countries in this building. Great Britain and her numerous colonies occupied the largest collective space. The brilliant outlay of the Cape Colony included 40,000 rough diamonds, and illustrated the method of polishing them. Canada's mineral showing was so ponderous as to exceed the weight of 125 tons. It comprised every known species of mineral, marble, and granite in that country. In this enormous collection we discovered a block of pure nickel weighing 4,600 pounds as well as very large nuggets of native gold and silver. Mexico made its most extensive contributions to this departmental structure. Brazil, the Argentine Republic, Russia, Spain, Greece, Italy, Japan, Belgium, Austria, Ecuador, and other foreign nations were likewise well represented.
The most prominent exhibits were grouped in the eastern section of the ground floor. They proved the unexcelled mineral wealth of the United States, particularly in iron, the annual production exceeding 10,000,000 tons.
Pennsylvania took the leading place being pre-eminent in her iron and steel industries. Her supremacy in the production of "black diamonds" was manifested by a rich display; one trophy from her immense coal-mines was a shaft of coal sixty-two feet high, and ten feet square. Colorado's fine exhibit of precious metals had, as an appropriate frame, a beautiful pavilion erected entirely from her local products. The abundance of gold in this important mining state is evinced by the fact that twenty-one of her thirty-three counties are producing that most desirable and malleable of all metals.
California—nicknamed the "Golden State"—showed among her vast resources gold, silver, platinum, quicksilver, copper, lead, zinc, iron, tin, graphite, crystal, alabaster, corundum, chrysolites, tourmalines, garnets, diamonds, and other gems. Montana had most largely contributed to this departmental structure, and inclosed her display of precious metals in a temple adorned by the famous statue of Justice. Cast from pure silver valuing $315,000, and modeled after the celebrated actress—Mademoiselle Rehan—it was set upon a pedestal of gold, forming altogether a work of art of rare magnificence.