Los Angeles daily herald., 1890-01-09
ST. LOUIS, CLAIMS.
Her Representatives Before the
Senate special Committee.

Senate Special Committee.
WASHINGTON, January S.-The Senate
Special Committee on the Worlds Fair
of '92 met this morning, and decided that
st. Louis should be heard today, Chicago
tomorrow, Washington Friday and Now
York Saturday. Governor Francis
opened the discussion on behalf Of st,
Louis.
Governor Francis said he and the gem
tlemen with him came representing peo.
pie who were hospitable by instinct and
were schooled in entertaining. If they
could not convince the committee that
St. Louis was we'll able to take care of
the great international exposition they
would not lay claim to it. They believed
great good would accrue to the nation
from the location of the fair in St. Louis.
He was followed by Colonel G. 81.
Jones, of st. Louis, who spoke in high
eulogy of that city. He hoped every
foreign visitor to the coming expositil n
would visit Washington and see for him
self the home and working of the Federal
Government. But while that foreign
visitor contemplated it, he would natu-
rally ask: Whence comes the dynamic
force that propels and the wealth that
supports this mighty popular engine ?"
and the exposition would point him
directly to the wonderful Mississippi
valley, the principal seat of the nations
productiveness, and where in the not far
distant future would be found popula-
tion far outnum bering the teeming mil
lions of Europe. In that valley lay st.
Louis, the central ganglion of its dis
tributing system. st. Louis asked the
committee to consider these facts in
locating the Worlds Fair. One of the
competing cities (meaning New York;
pointed to the ease with which that city
could be reached by foreign visitors. If
the desire was to make a good impress
sion upon foreigners, then unquestion.
ably the fair should be held near the
center of the nations productiveness
and power. 1t was the question of popu-
lation which should determine the loca-
ton OF the exposition, land not the pref
erence OF the corporal's guard of
foreigners who might possibly be in
duced to attend it.
In connection with population he
asked attention to map hung in the
committee room with circles of radius
OF 500 miles drawn around the cities of
New York, Chicago and st. Louis. That
map shows, he said, population of
20, 100, 900 around New York, 21, zoo, 900
around Chicago, and 23,SOO, 900 around
st. Louis. These figures were based on
the census of 1880. Taking the popula-
ton of the present time, New York
would represent 24,000000, Chicago
27 600, 900, and st. Louis 80, 900, 900.
The speaker then took up the question
OF transportation facilities, and showed
that the railroad mileage within the New
York circle was $4,000 miles, within the
Chicago circle $4,000 miles, and within
the st. Louis circle 70, 600 miles. That
meant that not only was there
a larger population within. easy
reaching distance of st. Louis, but that
st. Louis had very marked advantage
over other cities. That was independent
OF %, GOO miles Of river navigation con-
nected by the Mississippi river with the
of st. Louis.
Jones spoke at some length of the ad-
mirable sites around st. Louis, st. Louis
abundant water supply, hotel accommo-
dations, etc., and closed by saying that
should st. Louis petition be denied, she
will not retire sulking, but shall address
herself promptly to set in motion the
resources of her trade territory.
Ex-Governor Stannard followed Mr.,
Tones in brief address, after which the
adjourned until Friday, when
representative will be
heard.