The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1891-06-24
PERMANENT EXHIBIT
ofthe Resources of West Virginia
May be Secured
FOR WHEELING IF TIE CITY WILL.
a feasible Suggestion which a nlttle
Enterprise May Garry out to the
Great Good ofthe City and the State
NOW is tho Time to Act.

of her resources and achievements Mt
theWorld's Columbian Exposition at
Chicago. Her woods, her Goals, her
stones, her wool, her paper pulp, her
oil, her salt, her iron and other miner
ais will all be shown to the best advan-
tage. A creditable showing there will
be something for every West Virginian
TO be prord of, and win do much good
IN attracting the attention of visitors
from all over the world to the things
which West Virginia has which are
worthy of the attention OF visitors.
But the Worlds Fair at Chicago will be
q big thing-probably the biggest thing
OF its kind the world has ever seen.
Among the imposing and rare exhibit
lions made by entire nations, and even
among the separate displays OF the
states and territories of the United
States, no single building, however,
worthy Of study andinquiry, can be ex-
pectcd to receive much of the time or
thought OF visitors from all parts OF the
world, whose stay at the exposition is
necessarily limited. In short, the ex-
animation OF the display made by this
state must be hurried and superficial.
MUCH MONEY WASTED.
AT the Centennial Exposition ut Phil
adelphia in 1876, West Nirginia's ex-
hibit and the distribution of literature
didgreat good. 1t was nothing to COM
pare with the showing that may be
made in 1898, but it was creditable, and
IN view OF the limitations necessarily at
tending such an exhibit, effective.
When the exposition closed the exhibit
from this State was boxed up and
shipped to Wheeling, then the capital
OF the State, and depository was found
Tor 1t IN an otherwise unused room of
the State House. When a part of that
room was needed for other purposes the
articles belonging to the exhibit were
thrown on top OF one another or thrown
out. In three years the collection had
lost all trace of its original character,
and blocks OF crumbling coal, pieces of
iron ore and sections of trees were
kicked, rolled and thrown about the
building in q way that it was standing
joke and reproach.
When the capital was removed to
Charleston the State exhibit OF '76 pre-
sumably went with it, but it would
probably be hard to identity any part
OF it in the present State House.
What became of the West Virginia
exhibit at the later New Orleans ex-
position, such as that exhibit was, no.
cares.
These exhibits required the expendi-
tnre OF moneykand labor in their collec-
ton. The question is, could they not
have been used to better advantage al
eter the exposition closed than while on
exhibition there?
A PERMANENT STATE EXHIBIT.
WhyEot after the close of the Chicago
Columbian Exposition remove the West
Virginia State building to Wheeling.
erect it on the State Fair Grounds as it
stood at Chicago, and place iii it the
exhibit intact?
AT Chicago, as has already been ex-
bplained in the INTELLIGESCER, nothing
but natural products can be displayed
No manufactured article, except such
as are used Tor decorative purposes, can
be shown in the State building. In
restoring the exhibit here a different
plan might be adopted. Not only the
display in that building at Chicago, but
the products of the potteries, the glass
houses, the iron and steel works, the
: WOODEN factories and all the other
factories, which at the exposition must
be shown in other departments, could
be gathered in the house, arranged to
the best advantage, and made into a
pleasing and effective permanent State
exposition.
The hurried way in which the State
exhibit will inevitably be inspected Mt
Chicago would not be the rule here.
Visitors would find this exhibition of
especial interest for the very reason
that it was part OF the Chicago show.
and 1t would receive Il deliberate and
critical examination and thorough con-
siderati0n where there was nothing to
distract the attention
1t could be shown at the annual fair,
and then lett accessible ut all times. 1t
would prove an added attraction to the
fairs, and it would make Wheeling the
objective point OF all visitors coming to
inquire into the resources and products
OF West Virginia. man could come
here, inspect the exhibit and 90 direct
ly to that part of the State where that
thing was TO be found in which he was
interested.
WHAT IS THOUGHT or TIE PLAN
An INTELLIGENCBR reporter Yesterday
asked Mr.. George Hook, whose long
connection with the State Fair makes
LIS opinion valuable, what he thought
oil the project. Mr.. Hook ut once ap-
proved it, and gave evidence that the
idea OF permanent exhibit OF the re-
sources OF the State was not new 90 him.
lie was enthusiastic in his endorsement
OF the suggestion, and advanced argu-
ments in its favor that have a GOOD deal
OF force. He said the State Fair Asso-
citation would do its part. provide the
etc and take care of the exhibits.
The law usually provides in such
cases that all exhibits shall belong to
the State. MIR: John S Naylor, q mem
Der OF the State Board OF Commission
ers of the Worlds Fair, was called on
and asked if the plan suggested was
feasible. Mr.. Naylor produced a COPY
OF the law passed at the last session OF
the Legislature, appropriating money
that all exhibits, whether gathered bv
the commissioners or donated BY firms
or individuals, on which the State Com
niissioners pay the freight, shall after
the exposition be shipped to the Gov
ernor of the State to be taken care of by
BIN. This same provision was-yin the
appropriation for 1876, aud the result
hna been referred to- OF cnurrn tLaro