Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-10-24
HOW THEY LOST IT.
The Failure Of New York to Secure
the Worlds Fair.
BEMOANING THEIR LOSS.
Commedsrs Ingrsham's Heroic Action
About Former Speakers Of the Houss-Ths
Coming Elsction-How . Leading Candidate
Wa Defeated In IsAo.

A THE WORLDS FAIR OR THE CO.
a lumbar exposition has been made pollti-
| cal issue in the exciting state election now be-
ing canvassed 30 earnestly in the state of New
York, i am enabled to give smother interesting
| history Of the failure Of New York to secure
| that great prize. I was detailed by an evening
journal Of that city to write up the affair, and
was consequently brought into relations with
the leading members Of the committees in
| charge. Your readers will remember with what
promises Of success the affair was inaugurated.
The first meeting called by the mayor was at
tended by almost every man Of prominence in
the city ano Brooklyn. All the wealth was rep
resented, all the various business interests, and
the display Of earnestnass was an assurance
OF success. Flated at the prospect, wrote
glowing accounts Of the meeting, picturing
future for the enterprise dazzling in its prom
ised result Money was subscribed and GER
tain percentage was paid in to enable the COM
mittee in charge Of the details to rent commo-
dious apartments, organize small regiment
OF clerks, and. embellishing the walls with pros
pective palaces to be built, the work began.
Inc nrst check my confident enthusiasm
received was when I called on the Hon. An
drew d. Green one morning to bespeak his in
nuence and to obtain Information Of the prog
ress OF the organization, when was informed
BY Mr. Green there would be no worlds fair at
New York; it might be at Chicago, but not at
New York. The plans began by invading the
Central Park, of which the people of New York
are jealous and repei any inroad on that one
spot, which has retained its personality" If
may use the word, through all the changes Of
municipal power. The committee appointed to
select the site agreed upon and recommended
Q location beyond the fair buildings on the
northern end of the park and extending up the
city almost into Harlem. 1t was soon discov-
cred that one Of the committee on the site-a
wealthy contractor-had become the owner Of
nearly every foot Of vacant ground to be util-
lied FOR the fair under the Recommendation Of
the committee on the site. That planted dis
trust In the minds Of the public in general
". Andrew II. Green had given years Of his
life to the Central Park management and under
his administration it has grown into beauty
and extent, and it was guarded by him and the
citizens generally with jealous care, and to the
absorption OF any part Of it an opposition was
AZ once.a1rayed. As nothing in New York ,an by
any possibility be divorced from politics that
was another Of the shadows that closed upon
the enterprise. The mayor Of New York was a
member of Tammsny. and would be in office
iLr'ng the years Of preparation for the great
event. and in some measure would control the
membership appointments required to conduct
such an enterprise to success. and the expendi-
ture OF the millions would. the opposition to
ammany argued, form the basis
OF large elecNoneering fund for
the presidential election of 1892. The commit
tee In charge OF the needed legislative
action, both national and state proclaimed itself
to be immaculate in the transaction of its bust
ness. When, therefore, they came to Washing
ton 1t was to demand favorable action, not to
seek it. They met here an ear nest body Of men
from other cities and were beaten by the supe-
rior energy and tact they displayed. The re-
turn Of the committee from Washington to
New York was far from being triumphal one.
The interviewers were on hand and all sorts of
reasons were given for their fai One oan.
tleman stated ne had been approached by MEM
bers Of the third house. who offered, for a con-
sideration. to secure the required number of
votes to give New York the fair. No one famil-
and always have been gentlemen here ready to
bargain for any number Of votes foi any re-
CURED object but their ability to secure votes
never materializes.
scHENcK AND TIE PnIvLEaEs OF THE FLOOR.
There is good story told Of the late Gen.
Schenck. Mr.. Randall. when Speaker, met the
general one day and asked him why he never
came to see his old friends at the Capitol, for
the general had been conspicuous by his alb
sence from the scene Of his former attendance
for years. He said in reply: IF you were to
invite me to dine with you you would not exact
from me an obligation that would respect your
spoons and other silver, would you? Well, the
House Of Representatives obliges every ex-
member to take an obligation which is an adj
mission that he is capable OF using his privilege
to the floor to put money in his purse, and so
don't care to be subjected to such an implied
possibility"
You can no more take from New York its
commercial and trading interests than you can
divest 1t Of its vast financial character. There
Is speculation in its eyes in every public demon
stration, AZ witness the Grant monument.
THE COMING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
il being fought in New York now and the
cause Of the defeat Of the location Of the worlds
fair at New York enters into the canvass
with considerable power. When it was too late
the city of New York awoke to the loss of pres
tige it had sustained. Both parties are striv-
ing for the stake that the thirty-seven votes
in the electoral college may be secured for the
party winning in this fight Under the new
superintendent bill the electoral college will
consist Of $50 votes Necessary to a choice, 226
cratic party claim the solid south and Della.
ware, Ill votes. and the 10 votes Of New Jer-
sey, Connecticut and Montana $50 votes. The
vote Of New York, added to the sure
states counted by the democrats, would
elect President by one vote. The republican
organs claim 223 votes, which includes Califor-
mia, Indiana and the three new states, but to
win they need three votes more. New York
would give them large majority in the cleo
toral college, and without it they must carry
New Jersey or Connections or Montana. The
Importance, thei sfore, Of the vote of New York
becomes apparent, and hence every effort is be-
ing made By both parties. 1t is the pivotal
state now a. 1t will be in the fall Of 1892 The
loss If the worlds fair to New York and the
consequent large amount Of money diverted
from her citizens in trade IL Q very potent
factor in the fight.
TIE CRYSTAL PALACE.
New York has not very cheerful precedent
to dwell upon in this worlds fair business. for
the fearful failure Of the crystal palace in 1858
stands forth as a warning and may have had some
influence in retarding the subscriptions, which
we're not spontaneous. The crystal palace was
built in what is now Reservoir Park or
Bryant Park. as 1t has been recently named. In
honor Of William Cullen Bryant at 42d street.
II was then out Of town. The Fifth Avenue
Hotel was unbuilt, and Corporal Thompson's''
road house occupied that site. There were no
cars, elevated or otherwise, that ran anywhere
near it. 1t was journey to feach 1t, and for
that or some other reason it was dismal fail
| ure, and eventually was burned to
the ground. Some years after the fair
ard the palace had passed into the realms
Of legendary lore Horace Greeley was visit
ing Paris and was arrested by one of
the French exhibitors, who claimed damages
| from Mr.. Greeley, who was one Of the board
| Of directors, and he was held under the French
law in some way responsible. He was locked
up in the debtors prison, where he remained
with commendable patience until released by
giving security. Mr.. Manuel B. Field in his
very interesting book, Memories OF MANY
Men and Women" describes very humorously