Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-11-26
THE PERMANENT EXPOSITION.
"A Housing Meeting of Prominent Citi-
zens at Willard Hall.

A Housing Meeting of Prominent Citi-
| zens at Willard Hall.
! COMMISSIONER DOUGLASS OPENING REMARKS
| REASONS WHY THE WORLDS FAIR OF 1892
SHOULD BE HELD AT WASHINGTON FoRcIBLY
| STATED By SECRETARY AyDERsoN-A UNANI-
NOUS VOTE FOR THE S15, 1000, 600 BOND PROJECT.
The strong local sentiment in favor Of the
worlds exposition of 1892 being held in this
city was giving emphatic expression at the
meeting held last evening at Willard hail. In
response to a call for meeting Of the Wash
ington branch of the National board of promo
ton large number of the representative citi-
zens of the District responded. There were
about one hundred and fifty present, and it was
estimated that nearly every profession and
business interest of the city was represented.
! OPENING REMARKS OF COMMISSIONER DOUGLASS.
Commissioner Douglass presided and in a
brief speech said that they had come together
| for information on subject in which all we're
interested. 1t was desired that when Congress
met that the sentiment of the people of the
District on the subject of the location Of the
exposition should be presented to members of
that body and by means of united action he
thought the national capital would be the place
selected. The Commissioner added that the
statement to make in which he was sure all
would be interested.
SECRETARY ANDERsoN'S STATEMENT OF FACTS.
MIR. Anderson then took the floor and made a
clear, business-like statement with special ref
erence to the proposed plan for the issue of
bonds He began by saying that the exposi-
ton will cost at least SIS 900. 900 at the lowest
possible estimate, and that this sum is more
than equal to $50 000, 900 spent elsewhere, for
the reason that there is here practically an ex-
position nucleus or plant in the shape of the
national museum, Smithsonian institute, patent
office and other similar buildings. He esti-
mated the number of visitors who would come
to the city during the six months of 1892 at
100000, being the same proportion, accord
ing to population, the attendance at the
Philadelphia exposition of 1876. He estimated
that these Is, 1000. 900 visitors would spend $40
each, or total of $3.50, 600 600 in this city dur
ing the six months of 1892, and that large
amounts will also be spent here by the eighteen
other American republics. To illustrate this
opinion, he said that the Argentine Republic
spent nearly 81, 000. 900 at the recent Paris ex-
position. Mexico $3.50. 900 and the other repub-
lies In proportion. This, he said. would be
supplemented by large expenditures by the
forty-six states and territories of our own coun-
try.
THE PERMANENT EXPOSITION.
"What is still more important" he said, sis
that the buildings to be erected will remain
here for all time in the shape of a permanent
continental museum and for other similar pur-
poses. With these facts before us L have no
hesitation in saying that the receipts of the K
position will be largely in excess of the ex-
penditure. The recent Paris exposition had a
surplus of 81 500. 900. We will doubtless have
a larger surplus than any exposition in the
history of the world, for the reason that the
buildings will remain here permanently, and
there will be no loss in removing them and
hon fnrn l1 ,ofa al lone af
the expositions held in other places In brief,
no portion of the $4,000 0O0 guarantee fund will
have to be paid by the taxpayers In my opinion
there will be a surplus for distribution. Under
our system Of taxation one-half OF this guaran-
tee fund Is paid by the people OF the Dis
trict, the other half by the United States
The bonds can be placed at par at 2 per
cent, and the annual interest at that rate on
q, 500 600 would be but sl50, 600, which is much
less than 81 per capita. But actually the labor
ing classes of the District will receive fully as
much benefit from this guarantee as the large
owners of real estate for the reason that the
exposition will give employment to all. In pro-
posing this issuance OF bonds the board of pro-
motion still adhere to the plan that the exposi-
ton must be exclusively under the control and
management of the federal government. They
still think that the exposition should be en-
urely at the expense of the nation, but notwith-
standing this. if Congress thinks the question
should In any degree depend upon the offering
are ready and anxious to do their part. During
the past four days dozen clerks have been at
work at the assessors Office preparing list OF
tax payers and the assessed values for which
they are taxed. The city has been subdivided
into districts, and during this week canvassers
will present the memorials to the tax PAYERS
for their signatures. II has already been signed
by Chas. &. Glover. assessed for Sl0S, pa. Sam
Norment. $3.50. 835; Jas L. Barbour. SPA 2s4;
Robt. Portner, Sl43,6G6; c. c. Willard, $700,O00;
{. Heurich, S239, $751;"
A UNANIMOUS VOTE FOR THE S15,000,O00 GUAR
ASTEE.
When Mr. Anderson flashed the meeting ex-
pressed approval by hearty applause. num-
Der of speeches were made in the same line,
and when il was proposed to take vote on the
question of approving the bond plan every
man in the hall rose to his feet and Chairman
Douglass said, in gratified tone: THE vote is
unanimous" This was the occasion of another
outburst of applause.
The secretary expressed the hope that when
the canvassers of the committee began their
rounds to obtain signatures of the tax PAYERS
that the members of the board would aid them
in every way in their power. He was in
formed that not only this would be DONE
but that members of Congress would be
personally visited and told that the people
OF the District were III earnest in their desire
to have the exposition held in this city, and
that they would be ready to contribute to this
object as literally as any other city. 1t was
said that il the location of the exposition was
to be determined on the money basis rather
han on broad patriotic grounds that Washing
ton could meet the offers of any other city
The meeting then adjourned.
AMONG THOSE PRESENT WERE
Col. McKibben, Thos. j. Luttrell, Simon Wolf,
G. G. Lancaster, W. B. Moses, A. A. Thomas,
Geo. Truesdeil, John B. Larner, Allison Nailor.
Martin F. Norris, G. Lansburgh. c. 3. Church,
s. II. Walker, G. heurich, W. B. Webb. NJ. NJ.
Parker, W. 9. Dodge, Geo. w. Driver, Andrew
c. Lipscomb, c. Baum, S. W. Woodward. A. NJ.
Lothrop, Geo. E. Kennedy, Prof. Cabell, Chas
S. Bradley, r. l. Fleming, NJ !. Weller b. Fl.
Warner, Frank Madigan, T. o. Roessle L. A.
Little field, Jas. L. Barbour, Prof. Harry King,
Capin Brown, Geo. II. Kennedy, DR.. Verdi, L.
5. Brown.
Grand Lodge of Good Templars.
The annual meeting Of the Grand lodge of