The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-10-20
NYE BOOMS THE FAIR.
Gotham Will Contribute $lO.-
100000 More or Less.
SEVERAL STARTLING SCHEMES.
Bin Civ - the Commen People . Chance
:" Air Their Opinions o. the
Great Project.
rdsas willis xye.

Edgar wtlsis Nye.
One class OF citizens interested in the
welfare OF New York. I learned, had not
oeen consulted relative to several important
luesuons, notably the worlds fair and its
location, and 50 spent two afternoons last
week taking with them. l found them all
Wiling 10 talk, and all at home. did not
nave 10 sst and perspsrc in the ante room or
put arneca on myself after having been
immediately kicked off the front ssocr.
They were plain. democratic men, with
leisure. and yet no frilis as one might say.
The first gentleman called upon was
James n Polk Merritt, whose place Is ON
Mail street, facing the rostoissce He ia
called by his neiehhors about city hall Air
Tight Merritt. in spirit Of banter. because
he has weakness for pure air. and. winter
/ or summer, wears open work shoes and
hats Whenever Gods pure air desires 10
KISS the alabaster skin of Air Tight Merritt
an opportunity is gwen.
lie Is Al his place Tuesdays and Fridays
from a. m. in the forenoon tall p m. in the
afternoon. On other days he takes an out
ing or gaily moves in the alcoholic circles
/ of Little Fifth avenue. l introduced nv
self with few well-chosen remarks, but
did not say that / wished to use what he
said for publication.
We'll, came in this morning to ask you
a few questions regarding the forthcoming
Worlds fair. which is to be held in New
York, Chicago. Washington and Emporis,
Kan. according 10 the papers. Do you in
the first place favor New York;
Well. yes. think do. on the whole.
| Have weedes
/ mo. thanks"
You see. we New York people ought To
stand by each other. of course you would
hardly be called 4 New Yorker because
| you are ferryboat commuter with hossy
/ air, which, l must admit, is disagreeable To
as New Workers, but in money matters
think We ought to stand rs unit, whether
strictly living on Manhattan island or
| perehed proudly on our country seats out
| side the city,
I'm what part of the city would you
| place IL il you were going to be here and
could attend our justly celebrated meet
| ing?n
Well. that would depend on what
| amount of money was raised. l would say.
| For instance. If we secured $4,000 900, We
might talk about the present site. but il
| not, say il we do not do better than We
started out to do. the little green lawn
lamp mat at Bowling Green would do first
rate"
Thank you. And now would il be Of
| fensive to You II were TO place small
| sum in your hands. say Is cents, to be
used in any direction you may see fit 10
| select. eyether for worlds fair fund or
| personal expenses incurred by you in
thinking about the Nhatterf'
Certainly not. l would use il wisely I
think At least would be glad to serve
| you in any way as a custodian for that or
any other amount you may see fit to give,
| for as said before, We New Workers have
| got 10 pull together. II you will excuse me-
| | will go and take my pull new."
Facing on Bowling Green. in his little
circular country seat. with abe roar of
Broadway at his hack and the quiet but
earnest toll Of the produce exchange and
| Wall street dying away in the distance. I
had the pleasure of meeting Persitlage. the
punster, sometimes called by his fellows
| Sockless Persifage. from Oneida county.
| He was bright and CHEEKY. but wanted to
have fun. lie did not wish to converse
about the fair at all at first.
did you ever hear about the creation of
the insect world7''
No" ! said.
This, for instance: Did you know that
Budd Dohle made the horse fiy?''
No, did not know that.
"Weil, he did, said Mr.. Pcrsihage,
| poking the rib.I had fractured in Paris by
Dab driver. And General Washington
made the Hessian fly. The hot waffle
made the butter fly. Hank Monk made
| the stage fly. Mr.. Razxle Dazzle Riddle
berger, author of the Virginia Reel. made
the blue bottle fly. The weather bureau
made the sand fly. The Divole made the
fire fly. but God made the wicked fee"
"You have been a minstrel at some time,
take it,"
Yes, sir. did the local gag work for
company once. NV last job was TO load
myself into a catapnlt at circus and be-
fired out for my board. Then times got
bad and the proprietor said | would have
TO he fired out Of the catapult and find nv
self. This gave me an excellent training
for tramp work. and lately have been
combining myself almost entirely TO what
We call ornamental tramp work"
do you think We will have the fair In
New York;"
II hope so. / am OH the committee. but
regret like the other members OF the COM
mittee / shall not be able to be here. Still
/ am ready 10 do what | can. am start
ing little movement looking toward sort
of kings daughters fund for the fair.
am the kings eldest daughter and you give
me 81 and pass on the request to two
friends. together with my address. Each
Of them gives a dollar and passes II on,
together with my address, that the
money may be forwarded to the eldes.
kings daughter. In this way We hope to
raise enough to make a good big sum. Ii
will be great thing, and even II il only
gladdens one great, big true American
heart. will be satisfied. especially If may
lie permitted to select that heart
He then took my dollar. wrnng my hand
softly. and began his days work OF re-
hearsal by jumping on the broadway cars
40 that he could be in practice by Novem-
Der for Western trip and able TO alight
safely ON a moving limited train.
lie claims tina. the reason the Broadway
cars run so fast when any one is trying 10
get on il so that they can hurry up and
get into blockade, whea they can take
much needed rest.