Johanna Sara Wisthaler

“ When we consider the fact that in 1871 a great fire, sweeping over the business center of Chicago, laid more than 2,000 acres in ruins, and then reflect on the city of to-day, rebuilt in a style of great solidity and magnificence, with its innumerable handsome buildings of stupendous proportions—its six hundred beautiful churches—and its vast number of educational institutions, we cannot but admire the spirit of enterprise which evolved such wondrous prosperity in little more than two decades. ”

“ On our right, the lake made the impression of stretching into endless, unlimited space; on our left, however, we could distinguish romantic hills, decorated by massive groves, with crossing and intersecting promontories, and fair valleys tenanted by numerous flocks and herds, that seemed to wander unrestrained through the rich pastures. The luxuriant landscape was intercepted here and there by undulating slopes, covered with sand, whose light color contrasted with the verdure of vales and hillocks. ”

“ This World's Fair, which has recently been brought to a close, evinced to the millions of visitors, who were drawn by its multitudinous attractions to the White City from every section of this country, and from almost every quarter of the globe that it eclipsed in grandeur and excellence all of the previous universal expositions; for everything that good taste and modern genius could suggest and accomplish, was brought into play. ”

“ Almost all the nations on the globe had made their contributions to the department of vehicle transportation. This rare collection embraced the palanquin of Africa—the mandarin chair of China—the bullock cart of Ceylon—the sedan chair of Colombia (South America) —the Sicilian cart of Palermo—the heavy lumbering cart of India—the queer traveling kroba of Turkey—the volante of Spain—the tarantass of Russia—the hackney coach of France—and the dog-cart of England. ”

“ Flattering myself that I have given my kind readers a satisfactory, introductory description, I shall now advance with the narrative, and proceed on our journey, traversing the longest artificial waterway ever constructed by human hands; and sailing on the unsteady billows of the great lakes, which contain the largest amount of sweet water on the globe, in order to visit the World's Fair, the grandest and most complete exposition that human eyes ever beheld. ”

“ Imagine the sensation of being carried up 250 feet on one side—and of being slowly lowered on the other; fancy the enjoyment and delight when gradually gaining a complete view of the Fair Grounds and the Midway Plaisance—a bird's eye-view of the whole of Chicago—and also a good portion of Lake Michigan. Dear reader, you will certainly acknowledge the fact that such a ride surpassed any similar brief journey ever taken. ”

“ Though the billows before us now were beaten by a powerful breeze, breaking with angry roar upon the barrier upon which we stood, yet not the slightest feeling of fear found place within our hearts. On the contrary, as we left the breakwater in order to return to Buffalo, I felt my heart palpitating with joy as I thought of the pleasing prospect to be tossed by those grand waves. ”

“ The young archer—morn—broke his arrows on the remote hills, walking golden-sandaled down the lake, when we continued our voyage.
The still waters were soon lashed into fury again by an unfavorable wind, increasing toward midday to such a degree that we were glad to take refuge in the harbor of South Haven, where we lingered until the dawn of another day.
Opposite the mooring-place of the "Marguerite" stood an edifice whose interior we all longed to view. ”

“ In style of architecture it pertained to the classic renaissance and was erected at a cost of about $1,000,000.
From the pier westward across the park, we walked through an avenue, several feet long; affording a view of almost unparalleled splendor. Encompassing a beautiful sheet of water, the majestic facades of imposing buildings attracted our eyes; above all, a superb guilded dome shimmering in the sun-light, and pertaining to the Administration Building, which was pronounced the gem and crown of the Exposition structures. ”

“ At the expiration of about one-half hour, we reached the pier, destined for the halting-place of yachts; and welcomed by the supervisor of the harbor, we went on shore.
The first impression was bewildering. Americans have reason to be proud of what was to be viewed in Jackson Park; as such buildings no previous generations of men have seen, congregated in this manner; and the display of the achievements of science, art, and industries, exhibited in them, has undoubtedly eclipsed all other expositions in the world's annals of progress. ”

“ In consequence of political causes, France had seldom made contributions to any but her own expositions. But the United States, not fostering hostility with any nation, was universally assisted in her gigantic enterprise. In fact, it would require volumes to describe in detail this elaborate display, whose prominent part—the home exhibits—verified Irving's words: "In America literature and the elegant arts must grow up side by side with the coarser plants of daily necessity." ”

“ Displays of manufactured goods had been made by scores of other countries, all of which to enumerate would be an impossibility.
As we reached the northwestern portion of the gigantic building, we were delighted with the sight of the Japanese Pavilion, one of the most valuable structures. Upon its construction the Japanese government had expended a great amount of money. The superb exhibits in works of art, bric-a-brac, and other exquisite manufactures brought to view by this nation, evinced an eminent talent and great ingenuity. ”

“ By crossing a bridge over the lagoon, we arrived at the Fisheries Building. In the main edifice we first saw fishing-tackles, nets, and other apparatuses used by fishermen, and shown by the American Net and Twine Co. The contiguous space to the right was given up to the exhibits of several States in the Union, especially noted for fisheries, and of various foreign countries as Japan, the Netherlands, Canada, France, Great Britain, Russia, and Norway. Walking through a curved arcade, we beheld on either side aquaria of an enormous capacity, inclosing both denizens of fresh and salt water. ”

“ On the following morning the sun rose in his clearest splendor. As soon as that flood of luminous rays which constitutes day, was flowing on the crystalline sea, we departed from this romantic country scene in Canada.
Sailing along, we approached the terminus of our voyage on Lake Erie, which is considered the most dangerous of all the Great Lakes as to navigation, owing to its comparative shallowness—its mean depth, being about ninety feet—and the consequent liability to a heavy ground swell. ”

“ The commercial facilities of the city are very extensive. The Detroit River is a connecting link in the great chain of lake navigation, and affords the best harbor on the inland-seas. Detroit is not only the center of a great railroad system; more than 350 vessels are owned here, and numerous daily lines of steamers run to various points of the lakes. Its manufacturing industries are very important and consist of iron, flour, tobacco, cigars, lumber, and bricks. The extensive Pullman Car Works are situated here; also one of the seven pin factories in the United States. ”

“ All honor to the nations of the earth, who so generously have come forward with their best treasures, not sparing trouble or expense in this promoting, grand feature of human progress! The millions spent here, have been well employed; and we can safely say that—but for the unfortunate fact that during the time of the exposition, we were passing through a season of unusual financial depression—the attendance at the World's Fair would have been much larger. ”

“ The displays in this unique building covering almost all the branches of modern science and arts, bore testimony to the fact that the United States now rank with the most powerful nations on the globe; and to this attainment only a little more than one century of development was requisite. This says everything for American enterprise and genius—and a country so young in a very old world. ”

“ In fact, America astonishes the world; and it is no common pleasure to study and note the progress of this great republic of which Chicago is the second city in commercial importance, as well as in population.
We were anxious to obtain an adequate conception of the site of a city that is the synonym of push and prosperity, and to which Congress had awarded the World's Columbian Exposition. Therefore, the yacht was moored inside the breakwater, near the mouth of the inlet, called the Chicago River, which runs from the lake nearly one mile westward ”

“ The strong breeze springing up in the forenoon, increased at midday. A line of low waves, first creeping sinuously into the bay, and tossing their snowy crests like troops of wild steeds, rolled higher and higher with the noise of many waters; and to escape the wrath of the angry sea, we stopped at the harbor of Tawas City, located near the northern extremity of Saginaw Bay. It is a thriving country town, with about 1,000 inhabitants, largely engaged in lumber trade.
The wind continued to lash the fierce billows during the day until evening ”

“ Many minds have essayed already to reproduce what they have witnessed there; many pens have attempted to record exactly the incomparable impression the exposition effected upon its visitors, but, it is safe to say, without even faintly describing it; for, can language convey to a blind man what "color" means, or to a deaf person the meaning of music?—No more can the pen of the most gifted author adequately portray the World's Columbian Exposition. If one would give to each building a volume; a shelf to the Midway Plaisance ”

“ 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 ”

“ Before such scenes, a Corot, or an Aubert dips the pencil in the glowing sky, and transfers its hues to the canvas; so that, in after time, our souls are gladdened by some retrospect, which makes life dearer to us amidst its cares. ”

“ The less favored and darker parts of our earth come more into the light. Our children have had lessons, which no history or geography could convey; our women have taken a stand from which they never will recede. In the presence of the wonders shown us, and all the grand efforts of human genius, we become less selfish and more humane ”

“ The nineteen foreign buildings, each of which illustrated some classic style of architecture—peculiar to the nation represented—constituted an additional great feature of the Columbian Exposition. They gave the visitor an adequate conception of the construction and luxurious equipment of edifices abroad. In fact, on entering the buildings of Germany, France, Great Britain, Spain, New South Wales, Ceylon, Canada, Sweden, Costa Rica, Hayti, Guatemala, Japan, etc., we fancied ourselves to be suddenly conveyed to these foreign countries. ”

“ Although this thriving city of almost 16,000 inhabitants has not so many points of interest as its namesake, the ancient metropolis of the glorious Roman empire, whose wealth of antiquities is perfectly marvelous and whose relics of classical and papal times are alike almost innumerable; still it possesses one interesting feature that ought not to be left unmentioned: It was here that cheese was first made in factories.
Other important manufactures are merchantable iron, brass and copper, locomotives and agricultural implements. ”

“ Art is but the human effort to seize some of Nature's notable transitory features to perpetuate them. The unusual scenes of grandeur and of beauty our divine mother reveals to us in some of her moods, we adore, while they are inspirations to the poet and painter ”

“ Here, where the architecture, the surroundings, and the people were as far removed from anything American as could well be imagined, we really—for some minutes—were lost to all consciousness of being in that extremely modern city, called Chicago.
After having viewed the side attractions to which belonged the Egyptian temple—resembling the temple of Luxor—the tombs of the ancient kings, and fac-similes of mummies, we entered the Algerian and Tunisian Village. ”

“ It is safe to say that the United States Life-Saving Service is chief among the life-boat societies of other nations, both as regards the extent of coast embraced, and the amount of work done. The whole support of this service is provided for by annual grants from Congress. Besides its vast coast line, it guards the shores of its great lakes. Since the sea-bordering portions of America in many places are destitute of human habitations, the constant employment of surfmen is required for the express purpose of looking out for vessels in distress and manning the surf-boats. ”

“ Austria had a rich display, principally in jewelry and ornamental decorations, in an adjoining edifice. A splendid collection, including everything in the line of manufactures, was shown in the English Pavilion, which rose south of the German exhibits. Facing the former, France occupied a structure whose walls were adorned with costly tapestries, and whose ceramic, furniture, and household decorations were worthy of the highest admiration. Next to the Belgian section a sumptuous pavilion housed an enormous outlay of diverse Russian manufactures. ”

“ In accordance with our unanimous desire—to first view the interior of the largest edifice, we entered one of its four great entrances designed in the manner of triumphal arches. The MANUFACTURES BUILDING was erected for the purpose of accommodating all classes of leading industries—the products of modern machinery and man's skillful handiwork—which, in this epoch of constant progress, have attained a high stage of perfection. And comparing the achievements of the present age with those recorded in the annals of history, proves that opinion. ”