The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-05-23
SIDE SHOW FOR THE FAIR
A CHICAGO SYNDICATE AFTER
TIE COLOSSEUM.

Visit the Par-A director IN the
Scheme Details the Plans-Engineers
Say it Can be Done-Artists and
Art Lovers Protest Against the Pro-
posed Dissertation.
From the Nelo York Sun.
CHICAGO. May 14.-To bring the CoIos-
scum at Rome TO Chicagol That is the
plan which DR.. John Altken, a retired
physician Of great wealth, living at 8, 1871
Prairie avenue. has prepared and submitted
to the board Of reference and control of the
| Columbian fair commissioners, which will
consider it at its next meeting. And he
has not submitted it In jest, either. He has
worked out his plan to infinite detail, has
prepared figures to prove the feasibility OF
his idea, and, backed by a syndicate OF
capitalists representing money enough to
buy the United States treasury before a re-
publican congress had Quilted it, he will APP
pear before the commissioners and explain
his plan.
A Sun reporter saw DIR. Aitken at his
home this evening, when the doctor ex-
planned at some length his idea and the way
in which he would carry it out.
"At first sight the idea seems ridiculous"
said the doctor; "but when / have shown
you some figures l think you'll agree with
me that it is feasible.
II have been to every word's fair since
that Of 1851, and have studied the subject
thoroughly, SO that think am better pre-
pared to speak ON the matter than any
other man in Chicago. have interested
number OF gentlemen in the matter, and we
have formed syndicate to bring the Colos-
scum to this country-under certain condi-
eVar nE
divulge the names Of my associates as yet.
Amo lg.t them are many well-known Chica-
goans-indeed, man known for his hospi-
tally to strangers in our city is one, aid
| another is gentlemen who has visited the
far east in high official capacity, both of
these gentlemen being also connected with
the management of the fair-a well-known
merchant Of this city, some of the Phiiadel>
phia capitalists. and some of the foreigners
who have invested so much money in this
| country. Ex-Congressman LAWYER is also
with us. Further than that | do
not care to say, except that nv
friends represent more than $500, O00S
600, and that arrangements are being
made to incorporate the syndicate under
the laws Of New Jersey. The corporate
name will be the Chicago Roman Colos-
scum Company. We apply Cor corporation
in New Jersey merely because the corpora
ton laws of that state are more favorable
than those of Illinois. II we had had more
time we should have had the Illinois legisla-
ture pass special act for us. Perhaps that
may come later.
"Now as to the plan. We shall propose
to the commissioners to set aside for US in
jackson park, in a separate Enclosure, a
space OF ten acres. Within that we propose
to erect the Colosseum, and, if a sufficient
strip Of land can be obtained TO erect a
section OF the Appian Way. Just think"
added the doctor, interrupting himself, "of
| the advantage to every one who
visits the fair, OF seeing these two peerless
monuments of antiquity, the Appian
Way and the Colosseum-storied relics of
the past, the contemplation OF which Is a
liberal education. So greatly, indeed, have
the educational possibilities of our plan i'm
| pressed themselves on some well-known
| philanthropists that some have taken stock
| in our company for that cause aIone-Col.
| Shepard Of New York, the Rev. DIR. NAL
| lory OF New York, the Rev. DR.. Talmage.
| They understand what power for good
the Colosseum will be in Chicago.
1.-THE Appian Way-assuming it to be built
will be managed as a turnpike, though it
might be opened on Sundays and HOLIDAYS
| free OF charge. The Colosseum itself, within
its own enclosure, would be reached only on
payment of small entrance fee. or
| course, the exterior of the Colosseum could
| be seen and studied without charge. Now,
| nearly 1900 900 persons visited the Paris
| exhibition in 1878, where there was no es-
| pecial feature. In 1889 more than 10000
COO persons visited the exposition, and
OF these enough assembled the Eiffel tower
to bring in $500, 900 to the com
pany. Since that exhibition closed the
| tower has been maintained, and the stock
holders in the Eiffel company are entirely
| satisfied with their dividends Furthermore
| "a al tnu 10 Anf.
| although there is no exhibition there. Thus
you see that good thing is a good thing
wherever 1t is, and that a feature at a
| worlds fair helps the fair as well as helps
| itself. With our Colosseum In running
| order we estimate that not less than 81, UO0.-
| 600 persons will enter the fair and that fully
lT,WO,OO0 will visit the Colosseum grounds.
1.-THE action Of the Eitfel tower directors
| in charging extra for admittance to the
tower affords us precedent for doing the
same thing here. Our charge for entrance
would be small, say 10 cents; that would
! allow the visitor to wander at will through
the ground floor of the vast building; to
reach the upper stories further small fees
will be paid. Then we shall apply to ths
| directors to hold the opening ceremonies in
| the Colosseum; we shall hold races
! and festivals therein-on the stats DAYS the
great oval will form superb place of meet
| Ing for the visitors from each state and it
is possible that we may make arrangements
with Buffalo Bill. the Hon. William F. Cody
| -H
| DIR. Aitken lay back in his chair, and
gazed at the reporter with sparkling eyes.
Buffalo Bill in the Colosseum he said.
Just think Of that--just think of that
| Doesn't that idea cast the Elffel tower into
| the shade!
well, to continue: Even with the low
rates of admission we estimate that we
shall take in So 100000 in the six months
during which the fair is to be open: that is,
about per cent. month on a capital of
500, 100000. Then we don't close when the
fair ends We keep open as long as we
choose, and move from place to place-to
| New York, London, aris-anywhere, in
! fact, that we desire.
| Now, "a to the mechanical and engineer
ing difficulties to be overcome The Colos-
seum-the Circus Maximus, it il called
classically-is 500 feet long by 52S feet wide.
covering an area Of 1928, 4l6 square feet, or
about Z acres. 1t is four stories in hight.
| As you know, it is not entire, much of it
having been removed to be used in building
modern Rome. In fact, 1t is only recently
that the spoliation of the great building was
stopped-only since the acce ssion of Victor
Emanuel. So about five-ninths of the
original building still remains, and that
part our proposition is to erect in
| this city. At the office OF our conn