New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-08-19
ORGANIZING FOR THE FAIR.

With the coming week the work for the
Worlds Fair will begin. The two commit
toos whose labors seem properly to take prece-
donce will organize and the project will soon
tal,o definite form. The sentiment which has
developed in favor of Fair IN Newly ork IS
overwhelming. 1t is safe to say that not even
a vote by Congress adverse to this city and
in favor of Washington or Chicago could now
prevent n Worlds Fair in Newly ork. This
CITY lacks no qualification to make such an
enterprise successful One Of the chief of
these is that it should be in the centre Of a
rorv large population. "The Philadelphia
Ledger; very sensibly remarks that one rea-
son why the Philadelphia Exhibition succeeded
and the New Orleans Exhibition failed was
that within three hours ride Of the centre Of
Philadelphia was a population OF 100000,
while the population in and about New-Or-
leans was comparatively small. New-York is
the centre now, within three hours radius of
a much larger population than 100000, and
il is upon this surrounding body of people that
the success of the Fair must largely depend
No other city in the country can present
basis of calculation at all approaching this.
In fact, New-Yorl has every possible advan-
tace as a site for the Fair. The only point
to which any exception might be taken is that
of the warmth of the summers but this will
endure through only about two months of the
six during which the Fair will be open and it
must not be forgotten that there is no other
great city in the world from which hundred
thousand people can be transported in few
moments to the very shore of the sea. But it
is hardly necessary now to rehearse arguments
in favor of New York, especially when Chicago
business men are already applying for space
in our Fair.
The question OF site will probably prove
most difficult of all. II must be so placed,
and such transit facilities must be provided,
that quarter of a million or more of persons
can be carried thither and brought away with
in a few hours These were the numbers Of
visitors on some Of the more important days
at the Philadelphia Centennial: "New-Y DIRK
Day.n 1884, 900; Ohio Day" l 3d. 900; " Del
aware and Maryland Day" 10000, and
PENNSYLVANIA Day" 1000, Our present
system Of rapid transit which is already made
quate, would be utterly helpless before task
like this. At the Philadelphia Exhibition
there were five trunk lines and four short lines
of steam railroads, and FIVE lines of horse-cars,
all running to the very gates. The only pos
sible site in this city bearing any resemblance
to this in its transit facilities is Central Park,
and we must expect to see a strong effort made
to secure the Park in spite of all the mani
feStatons of public sentiment against it. The
people Of New ! orl, we believe, are not will
ing to sacrifice their cherished pleasure ground,
upon which they have spent so many millions
Of dollars, and which is so important an ele-
ment in the life of the city, for any temporary
advantage to be gained from Worlds Fair.
1t would be many years before the Park re-
covered from the effect Of this use, if indeed
it ever recovered. The Park must not be
sacrificed to the Fair.
The possibility Of providing transit facilities
will, of course, be a leading consideration in
choosing the site. This opens up still another
way in which the Fair will be Of great in
direct benefit to the city. 1t will bring about
the construction of an improved rapid-transit
system, just as it Will hasten the perfection of
the water supply, the adoption of better sys-
tens of Street-cleaning, paving, etc. The
time may seem short for the building of new
rapid transit road but much can be accom-
pliShed with prompt and energetic action. So
in these other matters A great deal can be
done that will not only add to the comfort, at
tractiveneSs and heathfuneSs of the city as
resort for those who come here at that time,
but will continue after the Exposition making
this better town to live in. Still. it is not 50
bad town to live in now as some Of the
Western newspapers would have us believe.
The anxiety of the papers that favor Chicago
lest an epidemic Of typhoid, due to uncean
streets and lack of good water, should sweep
off thousands of visitors to the New York Fair,
is really touching, especially in view of the
fact that Chicago has such an epidemic al
ready, with its normal population. which is
ascribed to the contamination of the drinking
water by sewage. The increase in the mum
Der Of deaths from typhoid during the Phila-
delphia Exhibition was nearly 100 per cent.
An increase in the number of deaths from this
source is inevitable where there is overcrowd-
ing with a lack of good air and pure water,
but judging from the present situation the
risks would be greater in Chicago than in New
York especially a. New-Y ork, while a pretty
dirty town in many parts, and with a higher
death-late than it should have, is neve!the-
less, not altogether such kingdom of filth
and disease as some Of these papers make il
appear.
The chief danger that confrOnts the work
Of choosing a site is the sefshness of real
estate spectators. 1t was the wrangling of
these men that prevented the holding of
Worlds Fair here TO celebrate the centennial
Of the close of the Revolutionary War. They
must not be allowed to wreck this one. The
Committee on Sites is a strong body, and We
do not believe that the Spectators can use t.
THE POTTER or ITALICS.
The question has often been asked what women