WORLD's FAIR MISCELLANY.
--- of size, cost, and coin ---
Some items of interest relative to,yet not strictly a part of the history or description of the Exposition, I shall give at the conclusion of the various sections of this work under the heading of World's Fair Miscellany. Not least among the Columbian exhibits is the exhibition of human nature, and had room or hearing been granted to all the crotchets, whims, and hallucinations that here found opportunity for display, we should in truth have had such a variety fair as has never yet appeared. By one of the applicants for space it was proposed to erect a tower 3,000 feet in height; by another a building with 400 stories; by a third to excavate a suite of apartments beneath the waters of Lake Michigan, by a fourth to hold bull-fights; by a fifth to establish a cock-pit. From England came one who sought to be placed on exhibition as the Messiah; from New England one to whom it was revealed that the site of the Fair was foreordained from the beginning of time. By a western man space was asked in which, to illustrate to mankind the principles of perpetual motion; and by a mathematician to show how to square the circle. From a couple of New York vagrants came an offer to journey on foot to the Exposition grounds, and camping hereon, to exemplify and lecture on their mode of life. By the father of an infant prodigy the services of the latter were tendered to introduce at the dedication ceremonies the leading orator of the occasion. But the most remarkable application of all came from a vendor of cosmetics, who proposed to exhibit a wrinkled hag with one-half of her features made sleek and smooth by his treatment, and at the close of the Fair to varnish the remaining half in the presence of the assembled multitude.
Several of the subscriptions for exposition stock were from
$50,000 to $100,000, and several hundreds from $10,000 to $25,000.
The people of Chicago subscribed as they had never subscribed
before, nearly all good and substantial citizens contributing
according to their means, so that never perhaps in the history of
the world was so large a subscription made so readily and promptly.
The payment was guaranteed by Lyman J. Gage, who thus showed
his faith in the responsibility of the subscribers. Under the charge
of D. H. Lamberson, as superintendent of this department, were more
than 200 committees, the members of which invited representatives
of the various lines of trade to meet them in hotel parlors, where the
financial problem was presented in a business-like shape, and
discussed in a its phases. Then a thorough canvass was made of
the city, outside of which very little aid was obtained. That Chicago
secured the location of the Fair was largely due the fact that her
citizens were thoroughly in earnest, that while the people of other
cities were merely talking and too often bickering about it, those of
the Lake city were acting. Long before New York had procured
among her people one-third of the necessary amount, they had
their money in hand, or guaranteed, as I have said; and, declared
their senators in the senate chamber, "If necessary we will double it,
and thus insure an Exposition of which the nation need not ashamed."
In congress Chicago was supported by most of the western and
northwestern states, and with many friends in the southern states.
Excellent service was rendered by George R. Davis, the
director-general none knowing better how to gain the support of
members and inspire confidence and enthusiasm among his
colleagues. "The fight is won," he said to the Chicago delegation,
when first he met them in Washington; "all that is necessary is to
let them see that we are thoroughly in earnest, and show them the
courtesy of being on hand while they go through with the formality
of handing over the prize to us."
As to the selection of the site, it may here be further stated that it was first intended to erect the Exposition buildings around the lake front between Madison street and Park row. A portion of it was covered with water to an average depth of fourteen feet, and instead of filling it in, it was proposed to erect over it a flooring covered with a canopy from the edge of the lake to the government pier. Among the advocates of the Jackson park site was the Illinois Central railroad company, which contributed largely of its means. To Garfield park the main objection was its lack of transportation facilities, for it could only be reached by street cars. By Mr. Pullman, as president of the Palace Car company, a large sum was offered for the location of the Fair in the neighborhood of the town which owes to him its existence.. but this was more than twelve miles from the business quarter of Chicago.
The practical work of the Fair began early in 1891, when architects were appointed, and submitted their plans; contracts were let, and work was commenced on the grounds. It was not until June that the buildings were begun, and, at the close of the year they were in various stages of advancement, from the flooring to the cornice line, the city of the Fair looking more like a thicket of scantling than the group of palaces which later it became. The Woman's building was the only one under roof; the brick, walls of the Art palace were still unfinished, and the Manufactures building had not risen above its thirty and a half acres of floor.
But day by day architects and workmen went on building, sculptors modelling, and decorators coloring, until at length these temples of industry began to assume their present shape.
By one who visited the grounds in the autumn of 1892 the aspect of affairs is thus described: "About ten thousand employees and workmen were scattered over Jackson park; yet at every unfinished building the work seemed to be in semi-suspense, or to have the air of an industrial festival. Deliberation was the order of the day, flavored, however, with eager interest and willingness. Also deliberation was a necessity in three-fourths of the work, which required caution as well as judgment; for many were the aerial gymnasts perched from 60 to 260 feet in the air. Sky generalship of a high order was to be seen under the arching roof of Manufactures and Liberal Arts building (JPG image 223K-listed previously). Here, after months of patient lifting and fitting of unprecedented weights at great heights, each man had grown to know is duty intimately. From some lofty perch the foreman of a gang could conduct his men somewhat after the manner of the leader of an orchestra. Whenever he fell short of the mark, he would shout his general order to an assistant half way down, on the opposite side of he span, and the latter would give fuller instructions to another assistant on the floor. After each move all eyes would turn to the directing mind aloft. Under that roof feats were accomplished worthy to have called forth a wild surmise from the Egyptians who piled the pyramids."
In March, 1891, only a few of the states had made appropriations for the Fair, and France was the only foreign power that had decided to participate. That later all the states contributed, together with nearly a hundred foreign nations and colonies, was largely due, as I have said, to the excellent work accomplished by the Department of Publicity and Promotion, which resulted in the Exposition being known and discussed from one end of the earth to the other. In Europe an interest bordering on enthusiasm was aroused by the special commissions which made the tour of that continent, these envoys rendering most effective service in a field already prepared by judicious advertising.
The official catalogue of the Exposition is a volume of from 200 to 400 pages, published in English, French, German, and Spanish, being given to each of the main divisions, and with others for special departments, making about fifteen in all. For this concession was paid $100,000 in cash, with ten per cent of the gross receipts up to $500,000, and twenty-five per cent on all above that amount. For the preparation of the work nearly 1,000 employees were required, with 150 carloads of paper, 40 cylinder presses, and two perfecting presses, the latter capable of printing 20,000 sheets an hour.
THE COLUMBIAN COIN
For the first souvenir coin struck from the die, a check of $10,000 was paid to the treasurer of the Fair by a typewriter firm. The coins were offered for sale at $1 each in almost every city, town and village in the republic, bankers and merchants sending orders in advance for from 50 to 25,000 of the first installment minted at Philadelphia. Four were reserved as prize coins, the one above mentioned, the four hundredth in order of mintage, as indicating the anniversary to be celebrated, number 1492, the date of Columbus' discovery, and number 1892, the date of the first issue of the souvenirs.
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