, 1891-10-24
MRS. HENDERSON
WHITES HER AST INTERESTING
LETTER FROM CHICAGO.
Bernhardt,s Wonderful Houses
The fall Buildings AgaiM-A
walk Through the Expo
sIt3osn Grounds.

Special Correspondence of the Tribune:
CHICAGO, Oct. 20, 1891.-The question Of
high buildings came up again in the coun-
Gil a few nights ago and before the public
se44iee committee Of the real estate board.
The latter decided 10 recommend to the
board that the height of buildings in Chi
cago be limited to twice the width Of the
street on which it is located, the height in
no case to exceed 1876 feet. The doctors are
of the almost unanimous opinion that the
exclusion o. lighy and sir which results
from the erection of tall buildings is GER
tainly detrimental to health, and certainly
these tall, narrow structures with their flat
roofs are most unsightly objects. Archi-
tects say that the danger is not what Gen.
Fitzsimmons apprehends, but the certainty
that the contractors will skin on the iron
and on this and that, and some day there
will be collapse.
Bernhardt last week performed Cleo
patra to $4500 houses, with four matinees.
The average receipts throughout the en-
gagement have been $500. Sardou's Cleo
patra is pageantry instead of poetry, but
for compensation there is Bernhardt in
her most sinuous poses. She receives, it is
said, $1,000 for each representation, so that
the fortnight's engagement in Chicago,
twelve evenings ano six matinees, will net
her $4,000.
THE EXPOSITION GROUNDS.
The bracing atmosphere led me to long
walk around the exposition grounds and
busy scene indeed met my eye. Seven or
eight buildings in course Of erection, among
them, the Woman's building, Horticultural
hall, the Mining building, Fisheries, the
Forestry department., and the Manufac-
lures and Liberal Arts. This last combi-
nation alone, covering forty acres, A large
force OF men We're yesterday employed IN
breaking soil in the park proper grounds,
the portion heretofore given up to the
amusement and recreation of the public
for the art building, to be soon followed, in
the vicinity, by the English and German
structures An editorial in the morning
Tribune says: "The reason why sales
around Jackson Park are scarce, IS that
nobody in that vicinity wants to
sell. All the large owners either
will not sell under any consideration and
refused to put price on their land. or else
name a value that takes the land out of
market. A well known broker says: "You
would be surprised if you knew the num-
ber of applications we have received for
space around the Worlds fair site during
the next two years. If all the firms that
expect to sell and display goods outside Of
Of the fair grounds were brought together
on one piece of land, I dare say they would
take up nearly as much space as the fair it
self There are are many firms who donot
care to be governed by the restrictions that
must necessarily be enforced on the fair
grounds. Only a short time ago an appli-
cation was received from an Eastern firm
who want space of1C0 by 600 feet, located
as near as possible to the
MAIN ENTRANCE OF THE FAIR.
4Ioa1 6r,7 tetO Or J11y 2n0 o,,J a+iIJ
another 100 by $50 feet all want more space
than can possibly be allotted to them in
the exposition and that is the reason thev
want outside accommodations. Dr.. VIII
loughby bought 40 acres at Stony Island
avenue and oixty-eighth street in 1879 at
$500 an acre, or $685. D altogether. A few
months ago he leased two corners of it,
each 100 by 100 feet, for a total rental Of
$22,5C0. In other words he receives nearly
as much rent for half an acre for two years
as the entire tract cost him. The same will
be true of nearly every other desirably To-
Gated tract in that vicinity. Now prices
have gone up on Stony Island to Sc a
foot, and one of the corners is being held
at $1,000 foot, and croakers are silent.
REAL ESTATE MEN
generally approve of the action of the
real estate board in postponing discussion
on the question of restricting the weight
of buildings small wonder that property
owners prefer to build skyward, rather
than laterally, since land in close proxim-
ity to these monolitls in the business cen
ter sells for $4,000 to $12, 90 per foot.
This is the last occasion I shall have to
address my many Olympia friends through
your columns, from Chicago, as / go south
probably next week, to re-join my son.
Please send my copy of The TRIBUNE to
me at Bay st. Louis, Miss, meanwhile I
bid kind farewell to one and all from
This wonderful oitU which has hann NV