Final Report of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Commission

by Louisiana Purchase Exposition Commission

In the garden surrounding the pavilion an attempt was made to reproduce on a small scale the style of garden that was generally attached to the mansion residences in England during the reign of William III and Mary, in the latter part of the seventeenth century, and at the time of Queen Anne, in the early part of the eighteenth century. The old-fashioned garden with characteristic features of shady terraces of "peached alleys," as they would be called, inclosed by hedges clipped into shapes and embellished with topiary work with the forms of animals and birds cut out of yews and boxes attracted much attention. The garden was filled with old-fashioned flowers. A water basin and fountain, typical of the old English gardens, were there, as also were stone statues and lead urns and vases. The garden became one of the sights of the exposition and was usually crowded with interested and delighted sightseers.

His Majesty King Edward VII was graciously pleased to lend the Queen Victoria jubilee presents to the exposition. The valuable and unique collection was placed in the upper story of the Hall of Congresses, one of the permanent stone buildings, now a part of the Washington University, and, according to the terms of loan, admission was free to the public. The royal presents included in the collection chiefly consisted of gifts made to Her Majesty the late Queen Victoria on the occasion of the jubilee celebrations of 1887 and 1897. Of these, the greater number came from India, where native princes of all grades and representatives of all nationalities and religions vied with each other in offering to her majesty the splendid tribute of her Indian Empire.

These Indian presents were of great interest, not merely on account of the precious metals and rare woods in which they were worked, but as showing how in recent years European ideas have influenced native Indian art, which, in many instances, was represented in its most characteristic and unaffected form.

The remainder of the collection included gifts offered by the representatives of the British colonies, many of them richly illuminated addresses, inclosed in caskets handsomely worked in metal or in native woods, or, as in the case of Cape Colony, which was represented by a magnificent screen of ostrich feathers, by objects recalling an important industry of the colony. These presents formed only a small proportion of the thousands sent from every part of the British Empire.

The presents were guarded night and day by members of the constabulary force of the city of London. Policemen from the same body patrolled the British Pavilion and grounds. The uniform courtesy of these men and their patience in answering the many questions put to them by a curious public spoke well for the corps which they represented.

The grant voted by the British Government for participation at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition was £150,000. Private exhibitors bore all the expense connected with the collection, installation, and maintenance of their exhibits.

GOVERNMENT OF GUATEMALA.

The small but artistic pavilion erected by the Government of Guatemala was situated at the extreme northern end of the World's Fair grounds, just east of the Administration Building and beside the pavilion of the Argentine Republic. It was intended as an exhibit palace, with the object of installing all the Guatemalan exhibits, as well as being a bureau of information.

In its exterior facade appeared an extensive, semicircular peristyle, sustained by columns of the renaissance style, and in front two doors leading to the two rooms into which the building was divided. In the upper part of the middle of the doors was placed the national shield, with the American flag on the right and the Guatemalan ensign on the left, both surrounding the bust of Extrada Cabrera, the present President of this wealthy and prosperous section of Central America.

The salon to the left was decorated with pictures by Guatemalan artists and had other artistic features, such as native pottery, statuettes, etc. Here every afternoon the coffee for which Guatemala is so justly famous was served to visitors. In the same room also were placed an extensive collection of newspapers and a series of literary works, scientific and didactic, by Guatemalan authors.