Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-05-05
THE WORLDS FAIR.
Something About the Progress
of the Enterprise.
BUILDING TO BE BEGUN IN A MONTH

Bids To BE Called for at Once for the
Structure for Mines and NIining-one
Thousand Men at Work Preparing
Jackson Park-A Site Selected for the
Mexican Exhibit, Which Will Be a
Grand One-Religious Feature of the
Exposition.
CHICAGO, May 5-Work on the first big
building for the Worlds fair will begin
within a month. Chief of Construction
Burnham was authorized yesterday to
call for bids at once on the mines and
mining building He was likewise di-
rected to close a contract with Frank B.
Stone for material to be used in the con,
struction of temporary railroad tracks
throughout the exposition grounds. This
action on the part of the grounds and
buildings committee is significant 1t
means that after twelve months of prep
aration signs of progress will soon be Wis
ible. Almost everything that has been
done so far has been of preliminary ma
Uure, but from this time forward the re-
salt of every blow may be seen.
Eighteen Miles of Track Wanted.
Il am ready now to call for bids" Chief
Burnham said as he came ont of the
committee room. "The specifications
are all prepared, and notice to contract
Ors will be given at once. Besides author
ing work on the mines and mining build
ing, the committee gave instructions for
laying network of railroad tracks in the
exposition grounds. These are to be used
in delivering building materials.
About eighteen miles of track will
lie required for the purpose. Much OF
this will be put down while contractors
are preparing their bids on the mines
building, so that when the contract is
given we Will be ready to deliver material
as rapidly as it is needed" Mr.. Burn
ham thinks that the mines building will
be under way in three weeks.
viii be Hard at Work in June.
After that the work will go ahead with.
ont interruption. In quick succession
contracts will be let for the agricultu i
and electrical buildings, so that the early
days of June will find the exposition
grounds swarmiug with laborers on the
b buildings. Chief Burnham yesterday
nominated William Pretty lyman, of Chi
cago, for director of color He will have
Charge of all the color effects, both in.
terror and exterior, Of the exposition
buildings. The temporary railroad tracks,
to deliver building material in the
grounds, are estimated to cost $50, 900.
Preparing the Park Grounds
Macarthur Bros. have more than half
finished their contract to put jackson
park in shape for the buildings. About
1000 men and 300 teams are busy in the
park. Most of the shovelers have dropped
their spades and are now with the gang
that manage the dump cars. This part
of the work viii go on much faster than
the stripping process. = dozen teams
and dump cars make a bigger show in a
dag than several scores made. in week.
-Four dredgrs are scooping up great guam
titles of sand along the lines of the la.
goons that lead in from Lake Michigan
The Great Mexican Exhibit.
Don Leonardo Fernandez has secured
spsc e for Mexico's 81, 001, 900 exhibit. The
! req resentative of the Mexican government
met Director General Davis and Chief
Urban yesterday, and after careful ex-
animation Of the map, picked out a loca-
tiol az the southeast corner Of the area
reserved for displays Of foreign govern
ments. This brings the Mexican build
ing directly north Of the United States
government building. \ lagoon lies be-
tween them on the west, and to the north
| west will be the buildings of other foreign
| governments. The area assigned to Dor
Fernandez is large enough to accommo
| date building 100 by go feet, the cost Of
which is yet 10 be determined.
The Director of Arts.
Professor Halsey c. Ives, of Washington
university, st. Louis, has decided to &C
| cep5 the position of director Of fine arts il
the Worlds fair, provided the duties o.
the office do not require him to leave The
university and the faculty think hi;
| acce ptance Will be beneficial to the uni
| versity.
| PROPOSED RELIGIOUS CONGRESS.
| Free Expression of Opinions of Ever!
Christian Variety.