The installation would be tedious to describe, and we will not
attempt it further than to say that harmony in color and arrangement
was maintained throughout the building, all balancing from an imposing
center-piece, or Product Palace, which was covered entirely with
natural products of the State, including dried fruits, seeds, cereals,
raisins, nuts, etc., so artistically arranged as to give the whole a
very attractive appearance. This center-piece or palace was admitted
to be not only the most beautiful feature of the California Building,
but the most original, elaborate and artistic feature of the entire
Exposition. The editor of _Illustrated Northwest Farm and Home_
visited the California Building during the early part of the Fair, and
returning home gave expression to his impressions through the columns
of his paper in these words:
"In the California Building there is everything to delight the eye
and the entertainers can talk English. The statuary and ornaments
in fruits and nuts surpasses anything that the eye of man ever
beheld. For instance; the representation of carvings over the
finished woods are created of various kinds of fruits; at the
entrance to the center-piece within the main building, are two
life-size mountain lions made of peaches; a black knight mounted
on a black horse, are made of California prunes; an elephant, full
size, is made of California walnuts; a life-size cow is created of
California almonds; a large black bear has California raisins for
a robe; a lemon as large as a hogshead, is composed of California
lemons."
These were some of the fruit features designed to set off the general
display and emphasize the products that composed them. But these
were only incidental to the strong and imposing exhibit of all of
California's material products. There was a generous display of
processed fruits, including all varieties known to the State. The
dried fruit department was strong and attractive, embracing three
separate features, one of miscellaneous dried fruits, one of raisins
and one of prunes. There were separate stands or features of wines,
olive oil, pickled olives, mineral water, canned fruit, preserved
fruit, vegetables, flowers, oranges, nuts, honey, beans, cereals,
seeds, sugar, silk, wool, ostrich feathers, fibers, canned milk, canned
fish, etc., etc., besides many suitable show cases containing samples
of other products more delicate and less in quantity. There was a
strong show of incubators and an attractive feature of borax. Models
were shown, and in operation where practicable, of such articles or
machinery as could not be accommodated otherwise, as for instance the
working model of a complete gold dredge, manufactured especially for
this exhibit by the Risdon Iron Works of San Francisco.