The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-03-05
WORLDS FAIR TALK.
Mr.. WeIIman Writes Of His Visit
to Chicago.

The Congressman Who Recently Visited
the Metropolis of the Central West De-
lighted-Chicago's Rapid Growth-Its
Business and Its Enthusiastic People.
Especial Correspondence
WASHINGTON, March 3.-Having been
out to Chicago to see the Worlds fair
grounds and buildings have some Cos
sip to tell you that is not particularly
related to affairs at the national capital.
Chicago is without question the most
interesting city in the world It is a
marvel in itself, source of continual
amazement to it's visitors, but in its
Worlds fair it has different sort of
marvel a distinct and quick creation,
typical of Chicago itself and yet as
I broad and many sided as the world for
whose use and entertainment it is in
| tended.
l am not going to describe to you the
| Worlds fair grounds as they are today,
| except to say that the progress made
there amazed and delighted all the SEN
ators and representatives from Wash
ington who recently Travelled to Chicago
to see them. Statesmen who went there
suspicious, distrustful, fearful that the
exposition was to be something local or
provincial; that it's art and architecture
were to be Chicagoesque, or that things
were to be cheap and undignifed, came
away full Of enthusiastic admiration for
what has been done and confidence in
what remains to be performed.
Chicago is essentially city of superla-
tives. 1t is the city of "the greatest"
1t has had the greatest growth known
among all the municipal communities Of
| the world. 1t is greater than any other
concrete city in area. It is greatest in
parks and in boulevards. It is greatest
in tributary railway mileage, one-fourth
of all the railway tracks of the world
meeting within it's limits. 1t is greatest
in grain, in live stock, in lumber. 1t is
| greatest in number of vessels leaving
and arriving at it's port. 1t has the
greatest hotels, the greatest auditorium,
the tallest buildings. It has the great
est newspapers in the world, is the great
est subscription book publishing center,
and on the authority of Edwin Arnold
has the most perfect newspaper building
and plant on the globe.
These are only few of the greatest
things which Chicago has, and while one
stands&ghast at the great monopolies
and great fortunes which she is building
up, it is comforting to reflect that she
will also soon have two Of the greatest
libraries in America-the Newberry and
i, 4l,o& +ho 6f,ioono
university, which John D. Rockefeller
has just endowed with another million
dollars, she is building up with charac-
teristic energy one of the greatest insti-
buttons of learning on this continent.
By long odds the best of her greatest
things is Chicago's public spirit. For
tunately indeed is she in possession of
this superlative. Famed throughout the
country is Chicago for her propensity to
brag. Who has not heard of Chicago
''wind?' But when you go to that city
and SEQ what Chicago "wind" really is
you like it. tits genuine love for and
pride in his city which leads the typical
Chicagoan to boast, wherever and when
ever he finds opportunity, of the great
ness and the achievements of the munic-
ipality to which he owes allegiance sec
ond only to that which he owes to the
stars and stripes.
In Chicago public spirit is the rule and
not the exception. The men who have
nothing but their days work to depend
upon join hands with the men who have
made their tens of millions in working
for Chicago. At jackson park, when
the visiting statesmen and journalists
were inspecting the Worlds fair prepa-
rations l saw Fl. N. Higinbotham, the
financier of the firm of Marshall Field
G. Co., which does an annual business Of
SAC, 000, 000 year, and who is himself a
millionaire, walking side by side and
arm in arm with Bob Nelson, the Ia
Dor leader, who probably doesn't own
thousand dollars in the world.
At the Commercial clubs banquet
Philip D. Armour and Senator PETER
sat side by side-one the twenty million
aire packer, the other the high priest of
the Farmers Alliance. Chicago, you
see, is a city of contrasts as well as SUI
perlatives. This public spirit brings men
of all sorts and conditions together.
Where is there another city whose
millionaires, business and professional
men would give up their own affairs
month after month for the public good,
as the men Of Chicago have been doing
since the Worlds fair work was started
in earnest? While in Chicago l WAS
much impressed by the energy and self
sacrifice Of prominent men in the cause
which now lies near their hearts. A
hundred of the most successful men OF
the city left their business to escort the
visitors about i'll jackson park. The
Commercial club, which is composed of
forty millionaires, gave the citys guests
magnificent banquet, and every one OF
the millionaires was there. These are
the men who have built up Chicago.
Their work Of planning and scheming
could not be laid aside altogether even
Tor the pleasures of the table, and no
ticed many consultations going on in
quiet Corners. About 1 o'clock in the
morning, as the guests were dispensing,
MI Fred Peck, That Chicago man Of
matchless energy and public spirit who