Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1890-09-04
THE WORLDS FAIR.
The Difficulties of the Enterprise
Have Been Great But They Have
Been Ably and COnSei-
entiously Met.

a year mas now elapstu since, DN
resolutions unanimously adopted al
citizens meeting, Chicago declared
that a Worlds Exposition should be
held within her borders. For SOME
seven month hundreds of leading
Chicagoans, mostly in committees,
were industriously engaged in the
formidable undertaking of securing
national recognition with the COM
bined forces of three other cities
arrayed against them. No such
battle for a civil prize was ever be-
fore fought with like eagerness and
persistency in this or any other
country. Not only the pIess and
people of the four coutesting cities
but those also of the entire nation
became involved in the spirited con.
tention. Chicago sent out her rep
resentatives 10 champion her claims
before assemblages and conven-
tions IN many of the states, as well
as before congress, and finally come
out triumphant in the great COM
petitive struggle. 1t was a mighty
victory.
The coveted prize, being thus se-
cured at great cost of money, time .
and effort, loomed up as well worthy
Of the triple expenditure, and drew
toward the victorious young city the
attention Of the whole world. The
bare announcement of her carrying
off the palm redounded so much to
her credit and gave such promise of
rapid growth and general advance
ment as to stimulate all values and
all branches of local industry into
noticeable activity.
Next followed the completion of
the state organization, which, under
the provisions Of the Incorporation
act unavoidably consumed two
months, and since then further leg
islation, both by city and state, was
needed and energetically
Noone can truthfully deny
;he earnestness and untiring zeal
Of the directors in their Efforts to
overcome opposition and constantly ,
obstacles to the granting
Of the needed ordinance and legis-
ative act, both Of which were at !
asst secured and could not have been I
IN instant earlier, but both in COM
promise form in concession to the
spirit Of opposition so developed.
All this time the ablest financiers of
'hicago were actively and success
ully engaged in securing the requis.
te capital, a task that had baffled :
'ther cities of greater population
md wealth. Next came the ques-
ion of site, which, of necessity, had
mainly 10 be deferred till the enact. 1
nent Of laws, less than month ago,
ave some ASSURANCE that the de-
ired locations could be used.
Here, two difficulties arose and :
Eliminated, such as the average cit
zen little knows, and which space
loes not admit Of mentioning in de.
oil. Suffice 1t 10 say that as con-
'ress, the United States commiss- :,
oners and the directors were all a
greed that the exposition should
e held somewhere on the lake
hore, the great aim Of the directory -
'as to secure the lake front, so
allied because of It's superior coAven /,
,nce and greater promise Of finan-
lal success. What complications
'gal and physical as well as sec.
onal, surrounded and seemingly
uried that effort, at least to large
xtent of the coveted area, no man, p.
'ho was not a director or member
the special committee having the
te in charge, can adequately COM
through sedulously read
~ and watching everything that
Ears on the subject. Differences "
opinion ON so grave "a question,
nd under such circumstances of en- II
irrassment, were to he expected in
he directors, and found their coun-
rpart IN like differences, not only
nong our citizens, but also in the %,
ress, showing that each site sug-
'sted must have substantial merits
nd demerits.