Page:History of Adelaide and vicinity.djvu/206

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i8o ADELAIDE AND VICINITY The Jubilee AcU'laide was a finely-grassed and tree-covered plain, Glenelg all waste land, swamps, and sandhills, whilst Port Adelaide bore the suggestive name of Port Misery. The pioneers dwelt in structures of mud, reeds, or canvas, and food was scarce. Now, Adelaide, one of the most beautiful cities in the world, was linked by 1,200 miles of railway with other mrts of the colony, and 3,000,000 acres of land produced annually hundreds ol thousands of tons of the best wheat in the world. An excellent and appropriate opportunity was afforded the world in the following year of observing the developments made by South Australia during her first half a century of history. The year 1887 was a happy one; a favorable harvest, good • ■'■>• •• NoKTHERN PORTION OF BkOKEN HiLL prices, and promising mineral developments, had put the people in a good temper. It had been decided two or three years before to hold a Jubilee Exhibition, at which should be shown the products and manufactures of the Province, side by side with the products and manufactures of other countries. Mr. E. T. .Smith, M.P. — now the Hon. Sir E. T. Smith, M.L.C. — -was an irrdcfatigable worker in this obj(;ct. A private (exhibition had been held in 1881, but it was intend(;d that this should outshine it in representativeness and publicity. Magnificent buildings w(;re (erected on North Terrace, and money was not spared to make the scheme a success. The Jubilee Exhibition was opened on June 21, 1887, and before it was closed