The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-07-19
HOW FATHER COLUMBUS WOULD STARE
At the Big Show New York Promises
in His Honor.
Gotham Merchants Talk About Rails
Ing $40, 900
And They win Ask Uncle Sam to In
crease the sum.

New YORK, July 1s.-This city will have
a grand time in 1892, II present Indications
count for anything. The unanimous demand
of the newspapers Of the city for celebra-
tlon In New York to commemorate the 4OOth
anniversary Of the discovery Of America Is
In fair way Of being realized.
Mayor Grant yesterday took the first step
in the matter. He had been considering for
some weeks back what action to take In the
matter, and finally determined that great
worlds fair would be the best means by
which to celebrate the event. He accord
ingly sent letters to about 500 Of the most
prominent business men and taxpayers OF
the city, in which they are invited to a con-
ference in the Mayors Office on July % to
talk the matter over.
Among those to whom the aboge- Was. ad-
dressed were Henry Marquand. Jordan l..
Mott. Joseph o>Donohues Parker,
Orlando X. Potter, A. NJ. Palmer. Albert
Pulitzer, Joseph Pulitzer, James Gordon
Bennett, Levi P. Morton, John ID. Rockefel-
ter, Thomas @. Platt, ID. o. Mills, Oswald
Ottendorfer, John +. Plummsr, John T. Ag-
new, w. w. Astor. Samuel ID. Babcock. Au-
gust. Belmont, @. N. Bliss, John Bogart. Q.
l.. Tiffany, Robert Bonner, Mayor Chaplin OF
Brooklyn, Grover Cleveland. Richard Croker,
r. F. Coudert, Alonzo B. Cornell. George w.
Curtis. f. w. j. Hurst, E. s. Jaffray. d. W.
James, M. K. Jessup, Charles w. Dana, Eu-
gene Kelly, John A. King, George Law,
Theodore Roosevelt, George X. Roberts, j.
N: Stearns, Edmund Stanton and many
others.
The Chamber Of Commerce has already
started in to make the celebration an assured
success. 1t Is as good as settled that the ex-
hibition will be held and the general asser-
tion is that 1t will be the greatest the world
has ever seen. 1t viii probably be decided
at the meeting next week to petition Congress
and the State Legislature for appropriations
for the great work. The claims Of Chicago
and Washington TO have the exhibition held
in their respective boundaries have now
leading merchants of the city said yesterday:
1T would be folly to think OF holding the
exhibition anywhere outside Of New York"
The site for the exhibition Is one OF the
questions which is puzzling the projectors OF
the enterprise good deal. Central Park Is
suggested, and though 1t Is urged that perma-
nent injury would result to 1t, there Is likely
10 be general and enthusiastic demand to
have 1t held there.
The question Of the appropriations which
will be necessary to carry out the project Is
also one on which widely divergent views
are entertained. Sums Of from five to rs
millions Of dollars are mentioned. The solid
business men, however, generally dwell
about the S1O,0OO.000 limit, with unanimity
that promises certainty for the raising OF
that sum.
}. Edward Simmons. president Of the
Fourth National Bank, said yesterday Ia ref
erence TO this subject: EVERY effort should
be made to get plenty Of money from Con-
gress and the legislature. This will make 1t
purely national affair, and then Its success
. acQurQd a E0FQiOn u0VQrnmQnta which
expected to send exhibits will give no atten-
tion to the centennial until the government
has taken action, nor would they send any
exhibits unless they were assured that the
exhibits were under the protection OF the
government"
Business men generally are favorably in
clined toward the protect, and there will be
no lack Of money.