Omaha daily bee., 1889-07-08
WASHINGTON AND THE FAIR,
A Lively Contest For the Great Elk
position.
A sroREhousE OF OBITUARIES.
How Sketches of Prominent Men
Are Produced on Short Notice.
Curtis and the Encyclopedias
Called Them Pants"
The Three Americas, Exposition.

|
| WAsH1NGToN, July 7.-lSpecial to THe
BEE. Just now the board of promotion of
the worlds far are very actively engaged IN
working up sentiment In behalf of the expo
sition which it is proposed to hold in Wash
ington in 1892 Washington real estate own
ers and business men generally expect great
returns from this exposition, and they are
using all sorts OF arguments to show why
| Washington is very much better place than
| New York for holding such an exposition.
| Unfortunately, however, Washington lacks
men who arc willing to put up tnor money
to advance project which is something
more than local IN its design. Washington
people seem TO have grown TO the Idea that
nothing can be done here without congress
sional aid, and while thoy spent some money
and great deal of valuable time in trying to
induce congress to appropriate money for
this proposed exposition during the past two
years, they fail to come to time with the
necessary funds themselves.
New York city, on the other hand, has lots
of business men who are ready to como down
handsomely with the cash in advance, and 1T
is said for the metropolis that II will not ask
aid from congress to the extcnt of one dollar
IL 1t can get the government to sanction the
project for exhibition there. 1t would be
a great benefit to Washington people, as well
as Washington institutions, If the proposed
three Americas expostions could be held in
this city, but IN spite of the encouraging
resolutions which have beon passed by boards
of trade all over the country from time to
time, there is no present reason to believe
that the scheme will prove successful.
Mr.. Joseph Howard. Jr., in one Of his
recent letters, tells the general public how it
happens that the newspapers Of the country
arc able to present obituary sketches OF
prominent people IN the issue following the
death of these prominent people. Mr.. How
ard says that every we'll regulated newspa-
per Office has series of pigeon holes in which
obituary sketches are stored away. and
he cites the fact that the New York Herald
has constantly on hand about seven thousand
of these sketches. The New York Herald's
sketches will not begin 20 compare in num-
Der with those on file i'll the obituary room of
the Boston journal. This is one of the most
unique features of New England journalism.
For years and years, in fact almost ever
since the Journal was established, the pro-
prietor and editors have been constantly
saving up sketches of prominent men.
One large room is devoted entirely to tho
storage of these sketches. They embrace
brief biographies Of every man prominent in
New England, even down to the minor town
officials, and good story is told In this con-
nection, showing how widespread is the Bos-
ton Journals work.
On one occasion the journal came out
with very nice little sketch of man who
had died down on the cape the day before.
Three or four days after the funeral the son
of the deceased entered the office of the
Boston Journal, and seeking out the editor
asked special favor to be informed
where the facts contained in the sketch had
been secured, and whether the editor was
absolutely certain as to the dates cited. He
said that the family of the deceased had not
known exactly the day of his birth, and that
they had left the date blank on the coffin
plate until the Journal sketch advised them.
He was shown brief biography in
in the handwriting of his father, with. the
old gentleman $ signature at the bottom. 1t
had oeen written years before, while The
writer was a member of the legislature, or
some local board of commissioners, or some
thing of that Sort and the editor of the Jour
nal explained that its reporters and CORE
spondents all over New England were con-
stantly engaged in gathering just such ma
terial with view to its use in the future.
But although the Boston Journals home
Office Is we'll supplied with obituary mater
ial, it is doubtful If there is place in tho
country which is 80 rich in matter OF this
kind as the Office of the Boston Journals
Washington correspondent Mr.. E. b. Wight.
The gentleman referred to, has had a fad for