Chariton courier. (Keytesville, Chariton County, Mo.) 1878-current, 1886-08-06
WASHINGTON LETTER.
(f'rOm our regular correspondent
WAsHINGToN, August 2, 1886.

tum. Many senators and members
favor 1t, and encouraging assuran.
ces of cooperation have geen receiv-
ed from every part of the Union. II
is proposed to make this national
celebration a prelude to the com
memoration of the grandest event in
the annals of time-the discovery OF
the New World by Christopher Col
umbus. the four hundredth anniver-
sary of which will be in 1892. In
view of the magnitude and sublim-
nifty of the enterprise, 1t cannot be
said that its promoters have begun
too early to survey It's dimensions,
to lay It's foundation in the popular
heart, to sketch its superstructure,
and even to plan the details of its
installation.
1t is proposed that the celebration
shall take the form of worlds fair,
and the situation most favored is the
fats south of the White House, coy-
ering an area of three hundred acres,
and, as it were, in the midst of the
city.
The shape of Washington may be
roughly described as that of q cres-
cent with its horns resting on the
Potomac-the right at Georgetown,
the left at the Arsenal. Between
these two horns lie the flats. bounded
on the west by the river, on the east,
north and south by the
Naval Observatory, the War, State
and. Navy Department, the White
House, the Treasury, the Smithonlan
Institution, and the National Muse
um. In the midst stands Washing
toms monument, the highest struc-
ture in the world. From every part
of the grounds may be seen the tow
ering capitol of the United States,
and, for a background, are ever
green hills of Arlington on the right
of the Potomac. Never have
nature, art, and history done so
much to make an exposition great
and q celebration sublime. At the
centennial exposition in 1876, and at
Paris in 1878, it was necessary to
travel on an average about three
miles before the exposition grounds
could be reached Here no part of
the city will be more than mile and
q half from the exposition, and the
greater part will not be farther than
a half mile. Here on the very con-
fines of the proposed situation are
museums, the Corcoran Art Gallery,
and the finest specimens of achitec-
ture in the world. In other words,
there is here already permanent
exposition, and the promoters OF the
great enterprise find the work half
finished to their hands.
The enterprise is one of infinite
possibility. There is strong senti-
ment in favor of making the exposi-
tion more permanent-an exhibition
a. the National Capital year in and
year out, of the products and resour-
ces and industrial progress CT each
of the several states and territories,
but of the other governments of the
three Americas, forming in the ag-
gregate vast panoramic display of
the art, science and agriculture, the
native wealth and skilled industries,
the varied chronological phases and
the civilized development of the
Western Hemisphere.
The magnitude of the results thus
sought to be reached surpasses all
previous conceptions of similar
character, yet the practicability of
the scheme is easily comprehensive,
and its expense within the bounds of
simple business computation, 1t
being understood that the general
government will grant the use of the
necessary grounds and contribute
It's own valuable collections to the
enrichment of the great international
exhibition.
The states and territories cooper
atlng in the project, either singly or
in groups would merely be called
upon to erect such buildings, for
their own occupation, as immediate
needs might require. The cost to
each, in view of the accruing advan-
tages, would be scarcely more than
that of an ordinary state fair. For
eign governments participating in
the exposition would of course have
their seperate departments and the
necessary space allotted TO them.
The government at Washington, hav-
ing general supervisory direction
of the whoId, would add from time
to time such aids and accessories as
the growth of the country and the
development of the enterprise might
suggest.
So simple in It's details, so capable
of realization without any extrava-
CANT expenditure, yet of such inf
mite possibilities, the project assum-
es proportions that are fairly over
powering in their imensity. Noth-
ing in ancient or contempory history
approaches it in grandeus-this
splendid Bazaar of the continent upon
the banks of the Potomac con-
.44 aI..o..Ainnrno,,t .,f fhns rrnndar.