The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-01-23
THE CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION
Financial Condition OF the Under
taking Explained.


General Lansing Of Philadelphia,
agent for the American Centennial FIJI
nance Committee, has been addressing
the Board of Trade in Chicago for the
purpose of obtaining support and aid
for the Centennial Exhibition. He
proposes laying the entent, meaning,
and wants of the Exhibition before the
people of the entire West. lie said
before the Chicago Board of Trade.
THE Centennial Board oil Finance has
the sole charge OF the raising OF money
the making Of contracts, the auditing OF
accounts, and the spending of the mon
ey subscribed by stockholders. 1t was
organized in June OF last year. and to
organize it was necessary to have stock
subscriptions. Under the direction o.
the Commission, the financial corpor-
ators OF the State were directed to meet
and open subscription books for 100
days. For that period each State was
allowed to take so much stock and no
more. At the expiration OF the lOO
DAYS there were 5000 stockholders,
and they elected the Board OF twenty
FIVE Directors, who now control the fin
.nces OF the Exposition. They met in
June, and determined the way the &C
counts should be organized, arranged,
and kept and the way they should con-
tinue the receiving OF subscriptions to
the stock: In the month OF September
they decided that the Union should
be divided into FIVE districts, West,
Northwest, South, Middle, and New
England, a committee to have charge
of each and obtain subscriptions. | am
here TO represent the Western Commit
tee. The stock Of the Centennial Board
OF Finances is Sl0,000,000 divided into
100000 shares Oslo each, payable
either in full at the time OF subscript-
ton, or 20 per cent, down-$2 per share
and the remaining so per cent, 10
four quarterly payments, beginning
three months from the first month sue
ceedng the month OF subscription.
Interest al 8 per cent, is paid every
stockholder from the day OF payment to
to the let of January, 1876. Every
stockholder has O vote at the annual
election of directors, and his share, pro
rata OF all the proceeds OF the EXPOSE
ton, less the expenses and plus the
price obtained for the buildings at the
close. They receive certificate Of
stock TO hold as a memorial. 1t is a
steel engraving, l6xl2 inches, drawn by
Darling. The sketch is now in the
hands OF the Secretary OF the Treasury,
under whose direction it is to be en-
graved by the engravers in the employ
OF the Government. On the Fourth OF
July, 1873, the Paramount Park Com
mi.sioners gave to the Centennial Com
nissioners $50 acres OF land on which
10 hold the Exhibition. The buildings
will cover space OF 10 acres, the main
one covering As acres. Their cost will
be over Sl0,000,0O0. The memor
ial structure is to be purchased by the
State OF Pennsylvania, and will be kept
in perpetuity as q national museum.
Each State pays the expenses incurred
in sending It's products TO the EXPOSE
ton. The Commission provides the
buildings, the steam-power, AMI the
space Tor the products. but what each
State exhibits is in the hands Of its own
Commissioners. Applications for space
equal to nearly half the area OF the
buildings have already been received,
Com pared with the Vienna Exposition
there will be 5000 more feet OF room
There is great interest to-day In our
Exposition in Europe. France, En-
gland, and LAZY have appointed 400
commissioners, 200 Of whom will be
here next spring. Vienna has sent
Baron Schonborn to this country 10 su'
eerinteud her interests at the Exposi-
ton. Your Governor will appoint yonr
State Board as soon IS the Legislature
passes joint resolution. 10 the ap'
por,ionment OF the contributions, IL
ilnois was assessed s65S. 700, based upN
on the population given in the census
Of 1870. The population having in
creased, the quota is left open, and each
State can take what it plesses. Inc
ARCHITECTS are now engaged on the plans
fer tue bulldogs The trenches Tor
the foundations are dug, and the iouIs
dstion will be 10 and the cornerstone
laid on the next Fourth OF July.