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[Illustration:
Rand, McNally & Co.’s
New Indexed
Miniature Guide Map
OF THE
World’s Columbian
Exposition
AT
Chicago, 1893.]
[Illustration: THE WHITE CITY.]
THE CENTURY
WORLD’S FAIR BOOK
FOR BOYS AND GIRLS
BEING THE ADVENTURES OF HARRY AND PHILIP
WITH THEIR TUTOR, MR. DOUGLASS
AT THE WORLD’S COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION
BY
TUDOR JENKS
WITH OFF-HAND SKETCHES BY HARRY
AND SNAP-SHOTS BY PHILIP
AND ILLUSTRATIONS BY BETTER-KNOWN ARTISTS
AND REPRODUCTIONS OF MANY PHOTOGRAPHS
[Illustration]
THE CENTURY CO., NEW YORK
Copyright, 1893, by The Century Co.
THE DE VINNE PRESS.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
I STARTED BY CABLE — THE JOURNEY BY SLEEPER — ARRIVAL IN
CHICAGO — FINDING ROOMS — THE FAIR AT LAST! 1
II THE FÊTE NIGHT — RAINBOW FOUNTAINS — THE SEARCH-LIGHTS —
ON THE LAKE — THE FIREWORKS — PASSING A WRECK — DIVING
IN THE GRAND BASIN 17
III THE PARTY SEPARATES — HARRY GOES TO THE BATTLE-SHIP — THE
GOVERNMENT BUILDING — THE CONVENT AND THE CARAVELS — THE
MOVABLE SIDEWALK 31
IV HARRY RETURNS TO THE HOTEL — PHILIP TELLS OF HIS BLUNDER —
THE ANTHROPOLOGICAL BUILDING — THE LOG CABIN — THE
ALASKAN VILLAGE — THE OLD WHALING-SHIP “PROGRESS” — A
SLEEPY AUDIENCE — PLANS 43
V A PLACE WHERE VISITORS WERE SCARCE — THE ROLLING-CHAIRS
AND GUIDES — MISTAKEN KINDNESS — ENTERING THE
PLAISANCE — THE JAVANESE VILLAGE — SNAP-SHOTS — CAIRO
STREET — THE CARD-WRITER — THE SOUDANESE BABY 55
VI THE MIDWAY PLAISANCE VISIT CONTINUED — LUNCH AT OLD
VIENNA — THE FERRIS WHEEL — THE ICE RAILWAY — THE
MOORISH PALACE — THE ANIMAL SHOW 71
VII HARRY GETS A CAMERA — THE STATE AND NATIONAL BUILDINGS —
THE ESKIMO VILLAGE — SNAP-SHOTS OUT OF DOORS — A PASSING
GLANCE AT HORTICULTURAL HALL — DOING THEIR BEST 85
VIII WHAT PEOPLE SAID — THE CHILDREN’S BUILDING — THE WOMAN’S
BUILDING — THE POOR BOYS’ EXPENSIVE LUNCH — THE
LIFE-SAVING DRILL 99
IX THE MANUFACTURES AND LIBERAL ARTS BUILDING — A RAINY DAY —
A SYSTEMATIC START — “IRISH DAY” — HARRY STRIKES — SOME
MINOR EXHIBITS — THE FEW THINGS THEY SAW — THE ELEVATOR
TO THE ROOF 113
X PHILIP AT THE ART GALLERIES — THE USUAL DISCOURAGEMENT —
WALKING HOME — THE “SANTA MARIA” UNDER SAIL 127
XI GOING AFTER LETTERS — THE AGRICULTURAL BUILDING —
MACHINERY HALL — LUNCH AT THE HOTEL — HARRY’S PROPOSAL —
BUFFALO BILL’S GREAT SHOW 141
XII THE TALLY-HO — HOW IT DASHED ALONG — THE PARKS ALONG THE
LAKE — CHICAGO — THE AUDITORIUM AND OTHER SKY-DWELLERS —
THE WHALEBACK 155
XIII PHILIP’S DAY — VISITS THE PHOTOGRAPHIC DARK-ROOM — THE
FISHERIES BUILDING — THE AQUARIA — FISHING METHODS — THE
GOVERNMENT BUILDING — THE JAPANESE TEA-HOUSE 171
XIV THE CONVENT OF LA RÁBIDA — OLD BOOKS AND CHARTS —
PAINTINGS — A FORTUNATE GLIMPSE OF THE “SANTA MARIA” —
PORTRAITS OF COLUMBUS — THE CLIFF-DWELLERS — CHEAP
SOUVENIRS — WORLD’S FAIRS IN GENERAL 187
XV THE ELECTRICITY BUILDING — SMALL BEGINNINGS — A NEW
SOUVENIR — THE CURIOUS EXHIBITS — TELEPHONES AND COLORED
LIGHTS — THE TELAUTOGRAPH — TELEGRAPHY — MINES AND
MINING — A PUZZLED GUARD 197
XVI THE “GOLDEN DOORWAY” — TRANSPORTATION BUILDING — AN
ENDLESS ARRAY — BICYCLES, BOATS, AND BULLOCK-WAGONS —
THE ANNEX — THE RAILROAD EXHIBITS 209
XVII A RAINY DAY — THE PLAISANCE AGAIN — THE GLASS-WORKS — THE
GERMAN VILLAGE — THE IRISH VILLAGE — FAREWELL TO THE
PHANTOM CITY 221
XVIII PACKING FOR HOME — A GLIMPSE OF NIAGARA — PHILIP TELLS HIS
ADVENTURE — FOILING A CLEVER SWINDLER — A CONVINCING
EXPOSURE 231
XIX MR. DOUGLASS HAS A REMARKABLE EXPERIENCE 239
[Illustration: PORTION OF FRIEZE, HORTICULTURAL HALL.]
[Illustration: PEDIMENT OF WOMAN’S BUILDING.]
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
PAGE
The White City Frontispiece
The Soudanese Baby Title-page
View From the Ferris Wheel xiii
The Administration Building xiv
CHAPTER I.—THE JOURNEY
Here are the Tickets 1
The Foundation of the Manufactures and Liberal Arts Building 2, 3
A Wilderness of Iron.—Building Machinery Hall 4
One of the Decorators at Work 6
Making “Staff” 7
The “Court of Honor” as it Looked in June, 1892 8
“Yo’ Section Ready, Sah!” 10
The Opening of the Fair, May 1, 1893.—The President of the
United States Speaking 11
Ground-plan of the World’s Fair Grounds 12
“Hi, there, Mama! Here’s Roomers!” 14
Here we Are! 15
CHAPTER II.—THE FÊTE NIGHT
Administration Building 16
A Ticket of Admission 17
Interior of the Dome of the Administration Building 18
A Group of Statuary on the Administration Building—“The
Glorification of War” 19
The Great Fountain, “The Triumph of the Republic” 20
A Nearer View of the Fountain 21
“He’s a Cowboy” 22
The Grand Basin from a Balcony of the Administration Building 23
The Peristyle, East End of the Court of Honor 24
The Statue of “The Republic” 25
View Looking North from the Dome of the Administration
Building—Just before Sunset 26
“There was Room for Another Boy Inside,—and Harry Made a Sketch
of It” 27
A View from the Lion Fountain 28
Evening on the Canal 29
View from the Island at Night 30
CHAPTER III.—HARRY’S DAY
Building the Battle-ship. November, 1891 32
The Battle-ship as It Looked in January, 1892 33
The Battle-ship on Decoration Day, May 30, 1893 34
The United States Government Building 35
The Viking Ship 36
Two Little Tars Going to See the Model of a Man-of-war 37
The Caravel “Santa Maria” 38
“Guarding” the “Niña” 39
The New “Santa Maria” Crossing the Ocean 40
The Caravel “Niña” 41
CHAPTER IV.—PHILIP’S DAY
“Cholly” Speechless 42
“A Splendid Meat Supper for 25 Cents!” 43
A “Loop” of the Intramural Railway 44
General View of the Court of Honor, Looking Toward the Lake 45
“Don’t Fail to See This Exhibit” 46
An Alaskan Image 47
The Whaling-ship 48
The Windmills 49
The Wooded Island at Twilight 50
A Launch-landing 52
In Front of the Transportation Building 53
CHAPTER V.—THE MIDWAY PLAISANCE
In Cairo Street 54
A Suggestion of the “Plaisance” 55
The Kodaker 55
Morning, Outside Main Entrance 56
Chair-boys at Work! 56
“Puck” Building 57
The Water-wheel in the Javanese Village 58
The Javanese Musicians 59
The Javanese Baby 60
“The Man Stood up Beside Her, and They were Photographed
Together” 61
“He was Lazily Sunning Himself” 61
A Young Lady from Java 62
A Kodak Permit 62
The “Donkey-boys” 63
An Arab Street-sweeper 64
Philip Rodman’s Card 64
In Cairo Street 65
The Soudanese Baby 66
The Flower-girl 67
“‘He Laughs Best who Laughs Last’” 68
In Cairo Street 69
CHAPTER VI.—THE MIDWAY PLAISANCE (CONTINUED)
The Ferris Wheel 70
The Performing Bear 71
Old Vienna 72
Going into the Cars of the Ferris Wheel 73
From the Ferris Wheel—Looking East 74
From the Ferris Wheel—Looking West 75
A View Through the Ferris Wheel 76
Looking Up at the Ferris Wheel 77
A View Taken at Full Speed on the Ice Railway 78
A Sleeping Lioness 79
Meal-time 79
Sketch of a Tiger 80
Young Lion Asleep 80
A Lion’s Head 81
The Polar Bear 82
The Lion King 82
A Tiger on a Tricycle 82
A Tiger on a Ball 83
Head of a Lioness 83
CHAPTER VII.—THE STATE AND NATIONAL BUILDINGS
“A Bubble of Light.” The Dome of the Horticultural Building by
Night 84
A Greeting from the British Lion 85
The Century Co’s Room in the Manufactures and Liberal Arts
Building 86
Victoria House 88
India House 89
The Massachusetts State Building 90
The New York State Building 91
The Ohio State Building 92
The California State Building 93
A Group of Eskimo 94
Eskimo Woman and Children 94
Eskimo Group with Snow House 95
The Eskimo and Their Dogs 95
“The Sleep of the Flowers”—A Bas-relief on the Horticultural
Building 96
General View of the Horticultural Building 97
CHAPTER VIII.—THE CHILDREN’S AND THE WOMAN’S BUILDINGS
An Unframed Picture 98
A Chair-load 99
The Children’s Building 100
The Gymnasium: Children’s Building 101
The Library: Children’s Building 103
Teaching the Deaf: Children’s Building 104
The Nursery: Children’s Building 105
The Top of the Woman’s Building 106
The Woman’s Building 107
Harry’s Card 108
Philip’s Weight-ticket 109
An Umbrella Exhibit 110
The Life-saving Boat 111
CHAPTER IX.—THE MANUFACTURES AND LIBERAL ARTS BUILDING
Just from the Ranch 112
A Distorting Mirror 113
General View of Building for Manufactures and the Liberal Arts 114
Porch of Manufactures and Liberal Arts Building 115
Another View of the Manufactures and Liberal Arts
Building 116
From a Window in the Manufactures and Liberal Arts Building,
Looking Northwest 117
The Arts of War: A Mural Painting in One of the Porches of the
Manufactures and Liberal Arts Building 118
One of the Domes of the Manufactures and Liberal Arts Building.
Painted by J. Carroll Beckwith 119
Part of Group above Main Entrance of Manufactures and Liberal
Arts Building 120
“—And the Cat Came Back” 122
A Japanese Carving 122
The Hunters’ Camp 123
Interior of the Manufactures and Liberal Arts Building—Showing
the Elevators 124
The Fire-boat “Fire Queen” 125
The Roof-walk, Manufactures and Liberal Arts Building 126
CHAPTER X.—THE FINE ARTS BUILDING
In the Art Gallery 127
An Artist’s View of the Fine Arts Building 128
An Interior View of the Dome of the Fine Arts Building 129
A View of the Fine Arts Building from near the New York State
Building 130
In Front of the Fine Arts Building 131
Boy with a Dove: Carving in Ivory by Asahi Hatsu 132
“Little Nell,” from a Group, “Dickens and Little Nell,” by F.
Edwin Elwell 133
A Part of the Great Painting, “The Flagellants,” by Carl Marr 135
“The Mother.” Painted by Alice D. Kellogg 136
A Fellow-critic 137
The Grandmother of the Swedish Artist Zorn. From the Original
Carving in Birch-wood (six
inches high) by Zorn 138
The Caravels 140
CHAPTER XI.—THE AGRICULTURAL AND THE MACHINERY BUILDINGS
Part of Louisiana Gateway 141
The Agricultural Building—Toward Evening 142
Agricultural Building, North Front, Seen from the Grand Basin 144
Japanese Jars and Box 145
One of the Panels (“Summer”) in the Portico of the Agricultural
Building. Painted by George W. Maynard 145
Great Central Porch of Agricultural Building 146
Portico of the Agricultural Building 147
The Connecting Screen of Corridors between the Machinery and
Agricultural Buildings 148
Figure in Window-frame of Machinery Hall 149
Machinery Hall 149
A Suggestion of the “Wild West”—Remington’s Famous Picture,
“The Bucking Bronco” 150
An Aboriginal 151
A Syrian Acrobat 152
A Cowboy 153
CHAPTER XII.—THE CITY OF CHICAGO
A Chicago Street 154
Fort Dearborn (Chicago, 1804–1816) 155
Memorial Building, on the Site where the Great Fire Started 155
Driveways of the Grand Boulevard 156
Map showing the Park System of Chicago 157
View on State Street, Looking Northward from Madison Street 158
The City Hall, Chicago 159
The Post-office 159
House of John Kinzie, the First White Settler 160
The Auditorium, Michigan Avenue and Congress Street 161
The Art Institute, Michigan Avenue 161
The Woman’s Temple, La Salle and Monroe Streets 161
Masonic Temple, State and Randolph Streets 161
The Lake-shore Drive 162
View on Michigan Avenue, Chicago 163
The Rookery and the Board of Trade Building 164
A Street Bridge across the Chicago River, Swung Open for the
Passage of Boats 165
Fishing for Perch from the Breakwater, Chicago 166
The Great Fire at Chicago, October, 1871 167
The Whaleback, Upper Deck 168
The Whaleback, Lower Deck 168
The Whaleback 169
CHAPTER XIII.—THE FISHERIES AND GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS
General View of Fisheries Pavilion 170
An Ornament on the Fisheries Building 171
Capital in Fisheries Building 172
Skeleton of a Whale 173
Flying-fish 173
A Fishing-boat: Group in Government Building 174
Model of a Group of Indian Metal-workers, in the Government
Building 175
Model of an Indian Warrior: Government Building 176
Model of a Group of Zuñis: Government Building 177
Army Wagons, War Department, Government Building 178
Guns, Torpedoes, and Flags: Government Building 179
The World’s Fair Post-office: Government Building 180
An Old-fashioned Mail-coach: Government Building 180
“Furthest North”: Government Building 181
The Big Tree: Government Building 182
Ordnance Department, United States Army 183
Mail-sledge and Dogs: Government Building 184
The Japanese “House of the Phœnix” on the Wooded Island 185
Portrait of Columbus, by Lorenzo Lotto, 1512 186
CHAPTER XIV.—THE CONVENT AND THE CLIFF-DWELLERS
An Ancient Caravel 187
The Original Convent of La Rábida, in Spain 188
The Convent of La Rábida at the Fair 189
Cell of the Prior Marchena in the Original Convent,—the
“Columbus Room” in the Model at the Fair 190
House in Genoa, said to be the Birthplace of Columbus 191
Departure of Columbus on his Voyage to America. (In the Convent
of La Rábida) 193
A Lamp 194
A Bear 194
Harry’s Restoration of a Cliff-Dweller 194
The Cliff-Dwellers’ Mound 195
View Looking South from the Top of the Woman’s Building—by
Moonlight 196
CHAPTER XV.—THE ELECTRICITY AND THE MINING BUILDINGS
The Electricity Building 198
Porch of Electricity Building 199
Statue of Benjamin Franklin at the Main Entrance of the
Electricity Building 201
Model of a Lake Superior Copper-Mine: Mining Building 202
Mines and Mining Building 203
An Exhibit of Rails: Mining Building 204
Twisted Iron: Mining Building 205
South Porch of Mines Building 207
CHAPTER XVI.—THE TRANSPORTATION BUILDING
The “Golden Doorway” and Part of the Transportation Building—on
a Quiet Afternoon 208
The Crowd Coming in with Lunches 209
Figure of Brakeman, Transportation Building 210
Bit of Ornament, Transportation Building 211
The “Golden Doorway,” Transportation Building 213
A Section of a Steamship 215
The “De Witt Clinton” Train 216
The “John Bull” Train 217
Interior of a Pullman Car 218
Model of the British Battle-ship “Victoria” 219
CHAPTER XVII.—THE MIDWAY PLAISANCE AGAIN
In the Lapland Village 220
A Boy from Johore 221
The Venetian Glass-blowers 222
Little Dahomey Boy, and His Playthings 223
An Actor in the Chinese Theater 224
A Chinese Mama and Her Baby 225
Interior of the Java Theater 226
The South Sea Islanders 227
A Pass for the South Sea Island Village 228
The Algerian Theater 229
One of the Two Irish Villages 230
CHAPTER XVIII.—PHILIP’S ADVENTURE
A Kodaker Caught 232
Registering in New York State Building 233
Along the Lake 234
The Dark-room 235
Lunching Outdoors 236
Wonderful! 237
CHAPTER XIX.—MR. DOUGLASS’S REMARKABLE EXPERIENCE
The Ferris Wheel, from “Old Vienna” 238
A Glimpse of the Horticultural Dome 240
The Fisheries Building, from across the Lagoon 241
At a Drinking-fountain 242
A Little Visitor 243
The 194,000,000 Candle-power Search-light 245
In the Midway Plaisance 246
[Illustration: VIEW FROM THE FERRIS WHEEL.]
[Illustration: THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING.]
HARRY AND PHILIP AT THE FAIR
——————
CHAPTER I
_Started by Cable_ — _The Journey by Sleeper_ — _Arrival in
Chicago_ — _Finding Rooms_ — _The Fair at Last!_
[Illustration: HERE ARE THE TICKETS.]
“Mr. Douglass wants to see you, Master Harry,” said the maid, coming to
the door of the boys’ room.
“What’s he found out now, I wonder?” said Harry to Philip, in a low
tone. “I don’t remember anything I have done lately.”
“He’s in a hurry, too,” said the girl, closing the door.
Harry ran down to Mr. Douglass’s room on the first floor. The two
boys were beginning their preparation for college, and were living in
a suburb of New York city with their tutor, Mr. Douglass, a college
graduate, and a man of about thirty-five. Harry’s father, Mr. Blake,
was abroad on railroad business, and did not expect to return for
some months. Philip was Harry’s cousin, but the two boys were very
unlike in disposition—as will be seen. Their bringing up may have been
responsible for some of the differences in traits and character, for
Harry was a city boy, while his cousin was country-bred.
When Harry knocked at the door of Mr. Douglass’s study, he knew by the
tutor’s tone in inviting him in that the teacher had not called him
simply for a trivial reprimand. It was certainly something serious;
perhaps news from Harry’s father and mother.
“Sit down, Harry,” said the tutor,—“and don’t be worried,” he added,
seeing how solemn the boy looked. “I have had a message by cable from
your father; but it’s good news, not bad. Read it.”
He handed Harry the despatch. It read:
Take Hal and Phil to Fair. My expense. Letter to Chicago. See
Farwell about money and tickets.
“Rather sudden, isn’t it?” said Mr. Douglass, smiling.
[Illustration: THE FOUNDATION OF THE MANUFACTURES]
“Yes,” said Harry, “but—immense! Don’t you think so?”
“I’m glad to go,” the tutor said. “It seems to me that a visit to the
Fair is worth more than all the studying here you boys could do in
twice the time you’ll spend there; and it’s a lucky opportunity for me.”
“Then you’ll go?” said Harry, to whom the news seemed a bit of fairy
story come true, with the Atlantic cable for a magic wand.
“Of course,” answered the tutor. “The only thing that surprises me is
the quickness of your father’s decision.”
“That’s just like him,” said Harry. “He’s a railroad man, you know, and
they always go at high pressure. Why, he’d rather talk by telephone,
even when he can’t get anything but a buzz and a squeak on the wire,
than send a messenger who’d get there in half the time.”
“But has he said anything about sending you before?”
“No. The fact is, people abroad are slow to know what a whacker this
Fair is! They think it’s a mere foreign exposition. Father’s just found
out that Uncle Sam has covered himself with glory, and now he wants
Phil and me to see the bird from beak to claws—the whole American
Eagle.”
“But sha’n’t we have trouble about tickets?” asked Mr. Douglass.
“No,” said Harry. “Father’s a railroad man. That’s what ‘See Farwell’
means. You let me go to see him. He’s the general manager, or some
high-cockalorum. He’ll see us through by daylight.”
“Very well,” said Mr. Douglass, “I’m just as glad to go as you are.
Philip and I will attend to the packing, and you shall go to New York
this afternoon and see Mr. Farwell. Now you can tell Philip about it.”
[Illustration: AND LIBERAL ARTS BUILDING.]
Harry ran out of the room, slamming the door behind him, but Mr.
Douglass only laughed. Perhaps he would have slammed it, too, if he’d
been in the boy’s place.
“Well?” said Philip, looking up from the Xenophon he was translating.
“Thanks be to Christopher Columbus!” said Harry, with a jig-step.
“Has he done anything new?” Philip asked, looking over his spectacles.
“I guess not,” said Harry, “but we’re going to the Fair.”
“How can we?” Philip asked.
Harry threw the cable despatch down upon the table, and turned to get
his hat. Philip read the telegram, carefully wiped his glasses, rose,
put the Xenophon into its place upon his book-shelves, and said:
“Xenophon will have to attend to his own parasangs for a while.”
“You pack up for me, and I’ll see to the railroad-tickets,” said Harry.
“I have just about time to catch the train for New York.”
That was a hard and busy day for all three of the party. Perhaps
Harry’s share was the easiest, for, by showing his father’s despatch to
Mr. Farwell, he had everything made easy for him. Still, even influence
might not have secured them places except for the aid of chance. It
happened that a prominent man had, at the last moment, to give up a
section in the Wagner sleeper, and this was turned over to Harry. So,
late in the afternoon the boy came back with what he called “three
gilt-edged accordion-pleated tickets.”
Meanwhile Mr. Douglass and Philip had put into three traveling-bags as
much as six would hold, and the party went to bed early to get a good
rest before the long journey.
[Illustration: A WILDERNESS OF IRON.—BUILDING MACHINERY HALL.]
Next day at nearly half-past four the three travelers walked through
the passageway at the Grand Central Depot, had their tickets
punched,—and Philip noticed that the man at the gate kept tally on a
printed list of the numbers of different tickets presented,—and entered
the mahogany and blue-plush Wagner cars.
In a few minutes some one said quietly: “All right,” and the train
gently moved out.
“I can remember,” said Mr. Douglass, “when a train started with a
shock like a Japanese earthquake. Now this seemed to glide out as if
saying, ‘Oh, by the way, I think I’ll go to Chicago!’”
Harry laughed. “Yes,” he said, “and how little fuss there is about it.
Why, abroad, I remember that they had first a bell, then a yell, then a
scream, then the steam!”
As the train passed through the long tunnel just after leaving the
station, Mr. Douglass remarked:
“How monotonous those dark arches of brickwork are!”
“Yes,” said Philip, “they should have a set of frescos put in them.”
“But no one could see the pictures,” said Mr. Douglass, “we pass them
so fast.”
“That’s true,” said Harry, with a pretended sigh; “but they might have
to be instantaneous photographs.”
Philip looked puzzled for a minute and then laughed. After they left
the tunnel, they passed through the suburbs of New York, entered a
narrow cut that turned westward, and were soon sailing along the
Hudson River—or so it seemed. There was no shore visible beside them,
except for an occasional tumble-down dock, and beyond lay the river—a
soft, gray expanse relieved against the Palisades, and later against
more distant purple hills. It was a rest for their eyes to see only
an occasional sloop breaking the long stretch of water, and the noise
of the train was lessened because there was nothing to echo back the
sounds from the river.
Mr. Douglass found his pleasure in the scenery, the widenings of the
river, the soft outlines of the hills, the long reflection of the
setting sun. But the boys cared more to see the passengers.
“Isn’t it funny,” said Philip, “how Americans take things as a matter
of course? I really believe that if the train was a sort of Jules Verne
unlimited express for the planet Mars, the people would all look placid
and read the evening papers.”
“Of course,” said Harry. “What else can they do? Would you expect me to
go forward and say: ‘Dear Mr. Engineer, but _do_ you really think you
know what all these brass and steel things are? Don’t you feel scared?
Won’t you lie down awhile on the coal, while I run the engine for you?’”
“Nonsense!” said Philip, laughing. “But they might show some interest.”
“They do,” said Harry; “but that’s not what I’m thinking of. I’m
thinking I’ll be a civil engineer.”
“Why?” said Philip.
“Just think,” Harry answered, pointing from the car window, “what a
good time they must have had laying out this road! Why, it was just a
camping-out frolic, that’s all it was.”
[Illustration: ONE OF THE DECORATORS AT WORK.]
“Didn’t you hear the waiter say dinner was ready?” said Mr. Douglass.
“No,” said Philip; “but I knew it ought to be, if they care for the
feelings of their passengers. Where is the dining-car?”
“At the end of the train,” said Mr. Douglass. “Come, we’ll walk
through.”
So, in single file (“like cannibals on the trail of a missionary,”
Harry said), they passed from car to car. The cars were connected
by vestibules—collapsible passageways, folding like an accordion—and
it was not necessary to go outside at all. The train was an unbroken
hallway.
“It is much like a long, narrow New York flat,” said Philip. “People
who live in flats must feel perfectly at home when they travel in these
cars.”
They found the dining-car very pretty and comfortable. Along one side
were tables where two could sit, face to face. On the opposite side of
the aisle the tables accommodated four. The boys and their tutor took
one of the larger tables. The bill of fare was that of a well-appointed
hotel or restaurant,—soup, fish, entrées, joint, and dessert,—and it
was difficult to realize that they were eating while covering many
miles an hour; in fact, the only circumstance that was a reminder of
the journeying was a slight rim around the edge of the table to keep
the dishes from traveling too.
[Illustration: MAKING “STAFF.”]
“It is strange,” said Mr. Douglass, “how people have learned to eat
dishes in a certain order, such as you see on a bill of fare. Probably
this order of eating is the result of tens of millions of experiments,
and therefore the best way.”
[Illustration: THE “COURT OF HONOR” AS IT LOOKED IN JUNE, 1892.]
“The best for us,” said Philip; “but how about the Chinese?”
Mr. Douglass had to confess himself the objection well taken.
“I believe the Chinese were created to be the exceptions to all rules,”
he said.
The dining-car had an easy, swaying motion that was very pleasant,
and altogether the dinner was a most welcome change from the ordinary
routine of a railway journey.
As the boys walked back to their own section, Philip noticed a little
clock set into the woodwork at one end of the smoking-car. He was
surprised to see that it had two hour-hands, one red and one black.
He pointed it out to Mr. Douglass, who told him that the clock
indicated both New York and Chicago times—which differ by an hour, one
following what is called “Eastern,” the other “Central” time.
By the time they were again settled in their places it was dark
outside; and, as Philip poetically said, they seemed to be “boring a
hole through a big dark.” One of the colored porters looked curiously
at Philip, as if he had overheard this remark without understanding its
poetical bearing.
“He thinks you are a Western desperado!” said Harry, with a grin.
“Boys,” said Mr. Douglass, “the porters will soon make up the beds, and
I want you to see how ingeniously everything is arranged.”
Here is what the porter did:
He stood straddling on two seats, turned a handle in the top of a
panel, and pulled down the upper berth. It moved on hinges, and was
supported after the manner of a book-shelf by two chains that ran on
spring pulleys.
Then he fastened two strong wire ropes from the upper to the lower
berths.
“What’s that for?” asked Harry.
“To prevent passengers from being smashed flat by the shutting up
of the berth,” Philip answered, after a moment’s puzzling over the
question.
“You can have the upper berth, Philip,” said Harry, impressively. “It’s
better ventilated than the lower, they say; but I don’t mind that.”
Meanwhile the porter took from the upper berth two pieces of mahogany,
cut to almost fill the space between the tops of the seats and the
side roofs of the car. The edges were grooved, and slid along upon and
closely fitted the top of the seat and a molding on the roof. These
side-pieces were next fastened by a brass bolt pushed up from the end
of the seat-back.
Then the bed-clothing (kept by day in the lower seats and behind the
upper panel) was spread on the upper berth, and the mattress of the
lower berth was made up from the seat-cushions, supported upon short
slats set from seat to seat.
While the beds were being made, the boys were amused to see some ladies
laughing at the man’s method of getting the clothes and pillows into
place. A woman seems to coax the bed into shape, but a man bullies it
into submission.
“They think it’s funny to see him make a bed,” said Harry, in an
undertone; “but if they were to try to throw a stone, or bait a
fish-hook, I guess the darky would have a right to smile some too.”
To finish his work, the porter hung a thick pair of curtains on hooks
along a horizontal pole, and then affixed a long plush strip to which
were fastened large gilt figures four inches high—the number of the
section.
“It would be fun to change the numbers around,” remarked Harry,
pensively. “Then nobody would know who he was when he got up. But
perhaps it would make a boy unpopular if he was caught at it.”
[Illustration: “YO’ SECTION READY, SAH!”]
Mr. Douglass admitted that it might.
As the porter made up their own section, Harry pulled out his
sketch-book and made a little picture of him.
“It’s hard times on the railroad now,” he remarked, as he finished the
sketch. “See how short they have to make the porters’ jackets! But it
must save starch!”
The boys had wondered how the people would get to bed, but there seemed
no difficulty about it. As for our boys, who had the upper berth, one
by one they took off their shoes, coats and vests, etc., and then
climbed behind the curtains, where they put their pajamas over their
underclothes.
After they were in bed, they talked but little, for they were tired.
“This rocking makes me drowsy,” Philip said; “it’s like a cradle.”
“Yes,” Harry answered, as the car lurched a little—“a cradle rocked by
a mother with the St. Vitus’s dance!”
While going to sleep, the boys were puzzled to account for the strange
noises made by the train. At times it seemed to have run over a
china-shop, and at other times the train rumbled hoarsely, as if it
were running over the top of an enormous bass-drum.
Soon the great train was transporting two boys who were fast asleep in
Section No. 12; they woke fitfully during the night, but only vaguely
remembered where they were, until the cold light of morning was
reflected from the top of the car.
Dressing was more difficult than going to bed, but by a combination
of patience and gymnastics Harry and Philip were soon able to take
places in the line that led to the wash-room. Thence, later, they came
forth ready for breakfast (for which they had to “line up” again), and
another all-day ride.
[Illustration: THE OPENING OF THE FAIR, MAY 1, 1893.—THE PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED STATES SPEAKING.]
At breakfast, the next table to them was occupied by a gentleman named
Phinney, and his son. Harry knew the son slightly, having once been his
schoolmate. Young Phinney was making a second visit to the Fair, and he
told Harry that on the former trip the train had run around Niagara
Falls in such a way as to give the passengers an opportunity to view
them.
[Illustration: GROUND PLAN OF THE WORLD’S FAIR GROUNDS.
Live-Stock Exhibit Building.
Railway Approach.
Galleries of Fine Art.
Machinery Hall, 17 1-2 Acres.
Administration Building.
Illinois State Building.
Assembly Hall and Annex to Agricultural Building.
Fountain.
Transportation Exhibit, 18 2-3 Acres.
Horticultural Hall, 6 1-2 Acres.
Villages of all Nations.
Women’s Building.
State Buildings and Buildings of Foreign Governments.
63 Acres reserved for Live-Stock Exhibit.
Hall of Mines and Mining, 8 3-4 Acres.
Forestry Building, 2 1-2 Acres.
Electrical Building, 9 3-4 Acres.
United States Government Building.
Dairy Building, 3-4 Acre.
Sawmills.
Agricultural Building, 15 Acres.
Manufactures and Liberal Arts Building, 44 Acres.
Casino and Pier.
Fisheries Building and Deep-Sea Aquaria, 3 Acres.
U. S. Naval Exhibit.
_The original picture from which this illustration was engraved was
painted before changes were made in the Peristyle and Pier. The
general arrangement and designs of the buildings are correct._]
The train had stopped there for five minutes, and they had climbed
down near the rapids to a point where there was an excellent view of
“the great cataract”—so young Phinney called it. He gave the boys some
pictures showing the falls, and indeed there was a picture of the falls
upon the side of the breakfast bill of fare.
During the forenoon the train was passing through Canada—the boys’
impression of that country being a succession of flat fields, ragged
woods, sheep, swine, and a few pretty, long-tailed ponies grazing upon
browning turf. Philip said that it was like “the Adirondacks spread
flat by a giantess’s rolling-pin.”
At Windsor the train, separated into sections, was run upon a
ferry-boat (upon which one small room was marked “U. S. Customs”) and
carried over to Detroit. Here Mr. Douglass made the boys laugh by
suddenly jumping back from the window. He had been startled by a large
round brush that was poked against the window from outside to dust it.
From Detroit the train ran through Michigan—mainly through a flat
country of rich farming land. Philip, who had never been West, was much
surprised at the uninterrupted stretches of level ground. Mr. Douglass
asked him what he thought of the region. Philip adjusted his glasses
and replied slowly: “Well, it’s fine for the farmers, but it is no
place for speaking William Tell’s piece about ‘Ye crags and peaks, I’m
with you once again!’”
“You must not forget, though,” said Mr. Douglass, “that it is the rich
farming lands that really underlie America’s prosperity. When you see
the Fair, you will understand better what a rich nation we are; but
without our great wheat-lands we should, like England, be dependent
upon commerce for our very existence.”
The boys were much less talkative as the train neared Chicago. They
were somewhat tired, and were also thinking of the amount of walking
and sight-seeing that was before them.
All at once, at about half-past five, New York time (for the travelers
had not yet changed their watches to an hour earlier), Mr. Douglass
pointed out of the right-hand forward window. Both boys looked. There,
in the distance, rose above the city houses a gilded dome, and from the
opposite car-window they saw just afterward a spider-web structure.
“I know it!” Philip sang out; “that’s the Administration Building. But
what is the other?”
“The Ferris Wheel,” answered Harry.
“Yes,” said the tutor, “we are going to leave the car not far from the
Plaisance gate.”
“Sixtieth street next!” cried the brakeman.
“Come, we get out here. It’s nearest the grounds, and I have been told
it is wise to lodge as near as possible.”
When the cars stopped, the party descended upon a platform with “rails
to the right of them, rails to the left of them,” and trains and crowds
in all directions. Mr. Douglass led the way out into the huddled
settlement of apartment-houses, hotels, and lodgings that has sprung
into existence around Jackson Park, the Fair Grounds.
Then began their search for rooms. At first it seemed discouraging;
neatness outside was not always a sign of what to expect inside. They
labored up-stairs and down again several times. At one attractive
private house they entered, expecting quiet, homelike rooms. In the
tiny parlor they found five cots set “cheek by jowl” as close as they
could be jammed. They smiled at this, but found the rest of the rooms
as fully utilized. Mr. Douglass made some objection, and was told by
the self-possessed landlady that “some very fine gentlemen thought her
fifty-cent beds were very elegant.” At another house they were passing,
a boy who couldn’t have been over five years old rushed out like a
little Indian on the warpath, crying, “Hi! You lookin’ fer rooms?”
Amused at the little fellow’s enterprise, our travelers followed him,
the boy going forward on his sturdy little legs, and crying, “Hi,
there, Mama! Here’s roomers! I got you some roomers!”
[Illustration: “HI, THERE, MAMA! HERE’S ROOMERS!”]
But unfortunately the boy proved more attractive than the rooms. After
a long walk, but without going far from the Fair Grounds, they took
rooms at a very good hotel. The price was high, perhaps, but reasonable
considering the advantages and the demand for lodgings. They took two
rooms, one with a double bed for the boys, the other a single room for
the tutor.
Gladly they dropped the satchels that had made their muscles ache, and
after leaving the keys of their rooms with the hotel clerk, they set
forth for their first visit to the Fair. In order that guests should
not forget to leave their keys, each was inserted at right angles into
a nickel-plated strip of metal far too long to go comfortably into the
pocket even of an absent-minded German professor.
“One advantage of being in a hotel,” said Mr. Douglass, as they walked
toward the entrance of the grounds, “is the fact that on rainy,
disagreeable days we can get meals there if we choose. It is not always
pleasant to have to hunt breakfast through the rain. But usually we
shall dine where we happen to be in the grounds; there are restaurants
of all sorts near the exhibits, from a lunch-counter up.”
Along the sidewalk that led from their hotel to the entrance were
dining-rooms, street-peddlers’ counters, peddlers with trays—all meant
as inducements to leave money in the great Western metropolis. One
thing the boys found very amusing was an Italian bootblack’s stand
surrounded on three sides by a blue mosquito-netting.
“If it had been on all sides,” said Harry, “I could have understood it,
because it might be a fly-discourager. But now I think it must be only
a way of attracting attention.”
They had arrived, luckily, on a “fête night.” Though tired and hungry,
they all agreed that it would never do not to take advantage of so
excellent a chance to secure a favorable first impression. So they
bought tickets at a little wooden booth, and, entering a turnstile one
by one, were at last in the great White City.
[Illustration: HERE WE ARE!]
[Illustration: ADMINISTRATION BUILDING.]