Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-02
THE GREAT WORLDS FAIR.
The Idea of Such q Project Originated
This Civ.

The Idea Of Such q Project Originated in
This City.
The opening of the great worlds fair in Chi
cago yesterday, to which the whole country has
been looking forward for months with feel
ing of PRIDE Will at the same time bring regret
to Washingtonian, who believed the exposition
should have been held in this city, and satisfac-
ton that the immense project received its first
impulse and was pushed to fact in this city.
Though others may have attempted to obtain
the honor, 1t is a matter of record, that many
Washingtonians will recall, that the worlds
fair which was opened at Chicago yesterday
is the out-growth Of the three Americas
and worlds exposition which it was pro-
posed to hold at Washington. The author and
protector OF this enterprise was Mr.. Alexander
ID. Anderson, who obtained sufficient backing
from the citizens of the District to devote
his time to it. In an interview which was
printed in the New York Herald
Of November IS, 1884, Mr.. Anderson forecasted
this idea. On the LIST of January in the follow
ing year he submitted the proposition for the
exposition In writing to the president
OF the Baltimore and Ohio railway, and
at public meeting held in this city
city on the 25th of February, 1886. he pre-
sented the plan In detail to the citizens of the
District At this meeting the project first took
definite shape. Headquarters were opened.
officers and committees appointed and
actNe Work LOOKING toward congressional
approval OF the project was begun. In the
summer of the same year the local board was
transformed into q national board of promo
ton. Notices were sent out and re-
sponses OF approval were received from
the governors OF forty states and ter
ritories, the mayors of fifty-five leading
ing cities, 176 presidents and secretaries of
boards of trade throughout the country and
the officers of thirty state and terri
torial oranges. The leading national conven-
tions held during 1856 to 1888 inclusive
movement. On June 10th of the latter year the
foreign affairs committee of the House through
its chairman. Rep Perry Belmont, submitted
a report in favor of the project and naming
Washington as the place at which it should be
held.
Up to this time the idea of holding the exposi-
ton at any other city than Washington had not
been considered, but when this report was sub
mitted, New York stepped in and at
that the west took q hand in the
matter and entered her protest against New
York having the exposition. The west became
arrayed against the east, and finally Chicago
won the prize. In the debate which occurred
on the floor of the House and Senate over the
report, credit was duly given for the part that
the city of Washington had taken in this
work.
Representative Charles E. Hooker of Missis-
sippi said in the course of his remarks:
1T is but just to say of these non
Columbia that it was the people of
this District who. before any place was desig-
mated for the site of this exposition, established
a board of promotion. and for four years have
been earnest advocates of holding this great
fair at the capital of the nation.