Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-11-13
WORLDS FAIR OF '92.
SHALL CHICAGO, WASHINGTON, OR
NEW YORK HAVE IT.
The Claim. of the First-Named City Pre-
scnted, with Some Observations
on Libby Prison.

/ of 1892. which Is intended 10 celebrate the
400th anniversary Of the landing of Co
/ lumbus. But it may come to choice be-
| tween the other two rivals; hence 1t is de
slrable and interesting to hear what they
| have to say for themselves. New York
daily presents her claims through her
! papers circulated here. and now Mr.. John
/ 4. Dickinson. of Texas, has come to say
/ something on behalf Of Chicago. Dis
! pGich-man who met him at the Exchange
Hotel last night found that he was well
acquainted with our people. having spent
seven years at Randolph Macon College
and the University of Virginia.
HIS BUSINESS.
After some brief formalities were over
| Mr.. Dickinson was asked: What is your
official position and the special object OF
I your visit TO Richmond?'
am travelling, said he, in the interest
! of the Worlds Fair Committee of Chicago
and the object of my visit to Richmond IS
/ 10 call on some of your representative
citizens and to lay before them the claims
! of Chicago as the best place IN the United
/ States in which TO hold the Worlds Fair
/ Of 1892.
B1cHMoSD AND CHICAGO.
Do you find many people here in favor
Yes. do. If Washington cannot secure
! the fair I think the Virginians would
rather see il held in Chicago than IN New
! York. All of them who have travelled
have been to New York aud but few TO
+ Chicago. and they would like to visit the
/ beautiful and attractive lake city,.
/ DO YOU propose 10 form any further aux
/ lliary organization herel
No, do not.
J CHICAGO'5 OPINION OF WASHINGTON.
/ Very good, but now can YOU argue 10
/ Richmond people that Chicago possesses
advantages superior TO WashingtOnY
Washington, said Mr.. Dickinson. al
though q very beautiful city is really a
small town compared to Chicago with ITS
twelve hundred thousand inhabitants and
Its eleven hundred and fifty hotels. Wash
ington. ike II. Louis, is entirely TOO small
q and too hot in which 10 hold this great
/ Worlds Fair Of 1892. The GATHERINGS when
: they have heretofore had IN these two
ton and the Annual Fair III -.
Louis, have clearly demonstrated tho
fact that with all the improvements they
would make between now and 1892 they
i could not handle and comfortably take care
Of one hundred thousand people much less
the half a million and more who will at
tend the Worlds Fair. Besides, the citl-
4 FRAY any of the expenses Of the Fair. They
/ expect Uncle Sam TO foot the entire hill.
| As a great many Congressman have sand 10
me. the people of Washington never put
up anythinc except prices when celebra-
/ tion or an inaugural IS held there
/ MONEY.
/ Mr.. Dickinson, now much money has
/ Chicago subscribed? How much New
/ Nork?
| Over two months ago. answered Mr..
/ Dickinson. when this Worlds Fair contest
/ first started the citizens Of Chicago formed
ten-million-dollar stock company, and
| such was the enthusiasm, public spirit, and
unity Of action of her people that the first
| five million dollars i'll stock was subscribed
| in a few weeks. and by the time Congress
meets the balance will all be subscribed.
/ New York has been so split up 10y the
proposed use of Central Park that her
citizens have really lost interest IN this
matter. and with all the efforts of the en-
fernrising newspapers Of our great COM
mercinl metropolis after weeks OF Hercu-
lean effort their subscription up to date
amounts to Il good deal less than three
million dollars.
NEW YdnK's MISTAKE.
If Chicago is adopted as the location on
what land or lots viii you erect the build
ings?
New York made the fatal error, said Mr..
Dickinson, of endeayorng TO select a site
before she secured the fair. Chicago does
not do business that way. She has several
broad, extensive, and magnificent sites
either on the south side or north side of
( the city. both bordering on Lake Michi-
gan. You know Chicago has the most
beautiful and extensive system OF boulc-
wards and parks in the world, and the
Worlds Fair will be held Immediately near
these parks and Of easy access 10 the city,
reached and surrounded by the most COM
plete and adequate system OF rapid transit
known OF IN this country.
ADVANTAGES.
Among the innumerablea advantages (con-
tinued Mr.. Dickinson winch Chicago pos
sesses for the location Of the Worlds Far
Of 1892 over all competitors are: First. its
central location, which will enable citizens
from every State in the Union TO attend
the fair at about equal cost. Then the fair
is TO be held in the summertime, from May
till Novembe and Chicago being situated
immediately on Lake Michigan 1t Is by all
odds the coolest city of any competing Tor
this honor. Again, being city Of over n
million inhabitants. with 1,l59 hotels.
numberless boarding-houses and res.au-
rants. 1t can comfortably take care
/ OF the vast multitude Of visitors
/ attending the Worlds Fair. Again. its
/ railroad centre, over eight hundred trains
! going in and out of the city daily. The
! citizens of Chicago by their enterprislng
| conduct. a. the world has already seen,
are determined TO have this Worlds FAIR
! even if they have to defray the entire eX-
pense of it 10 the extent Of SlO,OOO,ODO or
more il necessary. This spirit, with the
advantages of Chicago a. above-enume;
rated. will insure TO every visitor splendid
treatment. and viii make the WORLDS
/ Far of 1892 the grandest and most colos-
| sal exposition the world has ever seen.
THE MATTER OF LIBBY PRISON.
Don't you think, Mr.. Dickinson, that the
| fact that Chicago IS exhibiting the LlDoy
I Prison and roviving unhappy war memo
ries is well calculated to prejudice all the
/ South against your city.
| think. replied Mr.. Dickinson, the Amer
/ lean people, regardless of sections, are too
/ fair-minded to visit the sins of one man or
even of one or two newspapers upon the
! million people who compose the CITY OIL
/ Chicago-all interested i n securing the
| Worlds Fair-Democrats and Republicans--
working shoulder toshOulder, with that en-
terprise and energy which is sure to WIN,
and never once thinking of politics IN con-
nection with this affair. l do not think a
Republican congressman will vote against
CHICAGO because it happens to have
n Democratic mayor elected by
thirteen thousand majority. Nor do l
think a southern Democratic congressman
will oppose Chicago on account of the ut
terances of one or two OF its newspapers;
This location of the Worlds Fair does not
involve any political issues whatever. but
il will be the superior inducements and adj,
vantages of the city of Chicago that will
cause Congress this winter, after fully con-
siderine the matter, to locate the Fair IN
the Queen City of the West. At least this
is the view as expressed to me by o large
number of southern congressman whom
have had the pleasure of meeting IN the
last two months.
MIR. Dickinson will remain in the city a
day or two.
VERDICT FOR Mr.. JeWSTT.
The Jury Gives Him al, I,300-Decision In