The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-07-05
WORLDS FAIR GOSSIP.
A WAVE OF ENTHUSIASM PREPAR-
ING FOR THE OTHER SIDE.
1t VIII Be Started by the Reports, Sure
TO Be Favorable, of the Ministers from
Foreign Countries to the United States.
Progress of the Work.
Especial Correspondence

CHICAGO, June "a gigantic wave or
! Worlds fair interest and enthusiasm may
be expected to sweep over England and
| the continent before many moons. 1t will
be started by the reports of the foreign
| ministers accredited to this country, who
| recently came to this city, fguratively
| turned Worlds fair headquarters inside
| out, tramped around the Enclosure at
| jackson park, drove over the boulevards,
| feasted at sundry banQuets, and went back
! to Washington one and all with the firm
| impression that Chicago was a big town,
and that the Worlds fair was going to be
as big, and perhaps bigger, in proportion.
| The reports of these visitors to their vari-
| Gus governments, should it be possible in
| the future to resurrect them from the
| archives, would probably prove mighty in
| teresting reading.
Different people look at things through
! different glasses, and while one particular
| thing may commend itself to the favorable
| consideration of the Briton, the Frenchman
may be attracted by something entirely
| opposite. So with the Germans, and the
Swiss, and the Russians, SO on ad libitun.
| 1t would of course be violation of diplo-
! matte methods for the various ministers to
| furnish General Palmer or Promoter Gen
| eral Handy with copy of the matter that
! they will send abroad concerning their re-
cent visit to this city, but, all the same,
there is not the slightest reason for the
! suspicion that the tenor of their communi-
cations will be anything but favorable.
| BY the time, moreover, that these port
| fOlios have reached the respective capitals
of the respective countries, the foreign
commission that has been appointed for
| the purpose Of interesting the English and
| Continental press in the enterprise, and Of
counteracting the effects of the erroneous
and misleading statements that have been
! sent across the water regarding the adj
vance of the preliminaries and the general
progress of the fair, will have entered ac-
lively upon the work before it.
l believe l am violating no confidence in
saying that one of the features of the pro-
gramme of this commission is big ban
quet in London, to be held under the aus
pices of the American colony in that city,
and at which the Prince of Wales and
| other scions Of royalty, together with in
fuential statesmen and members of the
nobility, will eulogize the United States
generally and the Worlds fair in particu-
lar, and give the efforts of the commission
q boom that will be widespread in its re-
suits. In France also, and in Germany,
the feeling in favor of a hearty cooperation
Is already so strong that the commission
ers' pathway ought TO be strewn with roses.
1t is interesting in this connection to note
that l. Amerique, the new paper just issued
in Paris for the benefit of the American
colony, is almost entirely devoted to news
concerning the exposition. This is simply
a sign of the times.
There is no reason to complain of the
work that has 50 far been doaa at Jackson
park. The contractors have taken time by
the forelock and the word expeditions" is
hardly broad enough to convey the full
meaning Of what has been accomplished
within a few weeks. The writers of ro-
nance seldom realize that they are simply
employing figure of speech in writing
about towns that have grown up on prai-
rieS within week or a month. Such re-
suits might be possible when the town is
composed of wooden buildings erected
upon solid earth But such a mush-
room growth as this would be worse than
useless for Worlds fair purposes. 1t is
only a few weeks since the site of what is
going to be the greatest international ex-
position that the world has ever seen, was
a great stretch of land, some of it prairie
and more of it swamp. Now there are
canals and lagoons where there were
swamps, and graded and level ground
where there was rough, uneven prairie.
Everything is in readiness to receive the
foundations of the various department
buildings. Out Of the main lagoon alone
over q million yards of material has been
taken and distributed round about. As it
is at present the site is not particularly
pleasing TO the eye, but the appearance Of
activity which it presents Is calculated to
create enthusiasm, and it is little wonder
that thousands of people, not only citizens
of Chicago, but visitors from far away
points, changing day by day. like a dis
solving view, tramp around in the sand
and the mud, and manifest an absorbing
interest in the labors of the workmen.
The Californian commission has returned
home and proposes to get down to work in
dead earnest. The men from the Pacific
coast have manifested enthusiasm in the
enterprise only second to the patriotic
citizens of Illinois, and had their pluck and
determination been emulated by many an
other commonwealth which has been lag
gard in interest, it is doubtful whether the
entire site would have been large enough
for the domestic display, to say nothing of
the space that will be required by foreign
ers. The legislature of the Golden Gate
has made a very liberal appropriation, but,
nevertheless, the commission has hung up
a second stocking, and proposes TO raise no
less than 500 900 by counties.
Assessments have been levied, not by au-
thority OF law, but as a matter of sheer pa
triotism and good nature, and the iDdica-
tons are that the counties viii give up all
that is asked for and probably more. Kern
county, for instance, has hoisted IT'S banner
with a contribution of $4,000, just double
what was asked of it, and San Francisco,
Alameda, Sonoma and Colusa counties
are falling into line. By the end of this
month, moreover, a Worlds fair commit
tee VIII be IN existence in every county,
and California viii have a general bureau
Of promotion and publicity of its own.
There ought not to be anything too good
in Chicago for the sons of California, no
matter how many strong they may come
in 1893
Despite the failure of the New York
legislature to make an appropriation for
proper representation, it is not likely that
the Empire State will fail 70 figure in the
official catalogue. The Sons OF New York, Of
Illinois, an organization composed Of many
men OF national fame aud influence, are
already moving in the matter, aud through
their efforts there Is no doubt that
popular fame will be kindled IN New YORK
state, and that all the money needed for an
elaborate display viii be forthcoming The
fact must not be forgotten that many New
Workers are heavy subscribers 70 the cap
ital stock of the exposition, while very
many more, whose exhibits az Philadelphia