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| FROM THE FERRIS WHEEL TO THE CALIFORNIA
BUILDING - The reader may here perceive that there were two
islands connected by a bridge. Hunter's
Cabin was on the smaller one. At the other or right of the
larger island was the Japanese Ho-o-den,
which remains. The rose-garden was in the corner of the larger
island at the left. Music Hall, a structure begun after April 1st,
1893, made a part of the ill-fated musical attachment, but after the
resignation of Mr. Thomas it was occupied by many popular
attractions, notably the Russian Choir and the Midway Concerts. The
Ferris Wheel is seen, the Horticultural spreads its wide front, the
round White Star Building is next, the Woman's Building next, and a section of the
dome of California ends the front view. A bridge on the east side
of the island, corresponding with the crossing at Music Hall, would
have been an important and desirable improvement of the general
plans. By that means the largest building in the world, and the
finest exhibit that was ever seen together, might have been reached
by incomers on an average of fifteen minutes sooner without a
quarter-mile of circumambulation. The structure of the vast green
house may be studied. A front and rear curtain extended from the
central dome to each terminal pavilion. In the southern or left
court thus formed was the German Wine Vault, a poetical construction,
likely to set one thinking of Erkmann-Chatrain's "Friend Fritz."
Directly behind this fine facade, and north of the Plaisance, spreads
the City of Chicago. |
