Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-11-16
Rapid Development Of a
Great Enterprise.
Not Thought OF Until the Last
of June, It Will Be Com
pletea and Open Six Months
From That Date-A Few of
the Special Features.


The California Mldvin,er Utter.
national Exposition will 20 down into
history as an illustration Of the most
rapid development Of great enter-
prise that the world has ever seen
1t was not until the last day OF June,
1913, that the proposition to hold an
'nternat!onA! fair ia San Francisco.
IN midwinter, was even SO much AS
thought OF. On the evening Of that
doy, AT banquet in Chicago, when
several of the foreign Commissioners
70 tho Columbian Exposition were
present., some one of the speakers in
ciHenta!iy remarked that part of the
foreign exhibits would probably go
from Chicago TO Chilli before being
returned home. The thought imme.
d'avelY came to the mind Of Hon. NJ.
ii. de Young, the California member
OF the United States Columbian Com.
mission, that if these exhibits were to
be available for display elsewhere,
why not secure them for California.
and why not, at the same time, adj
ver,ise California; climatic aGvan
tages ny holding great international
exposition by the side of the Golden
Gate at the season when the greater
part of the rest Of the world sits hud>
died around It, fires, or wrapped in q
mantle Of SNOW?
On the following day, Mr.. de
Young Communicate this ,houch: to
several ether prominent Cahforniars
who happened.,o be in Chicago at the
time, and by ,hrir combined efforts the
N'dwintor international Exposition
began at once 70 assume shape.
When tho idea was first hroached.
II met with deciied opposition in some
/ Quni6eIs, and with rid'cule in Others,
Whale tie good people Of San Fran,
cisco, themselves, though never under.
estimating their ability, were a!mos,
incline" to pooh-pooh 'he project from
the start. a few there were nmo, r
thct", however, who arose to the
necessities OF The case, and the resu
was thu formulation Of a plan for an
| exposition which should include many
nt the choicest exhibits f.om CHICAGO,
AS many new ones from abroad as
might ce obtainab!e, and consider,
ABLE list of local California exhibits
and other practical features Of Pacific
Coast pto6uction--an exposition, il
fact, which should embodv ever.
element of interest and attraotiveness
ard which shout draw 70 Caliiorni.
thousands upon thousands Of people,
VINO had for years been waiting for
better excuse to make d winter Journey
20 the Land Of Sunshine, Fruit ani
Flowers"
Ground was first broken for this
Exposition on the l4,h dav Of August,
aud, within a fortnight alter, con-
tracts had been let COR the erection Of
ave uain buildings to cost about
500 600, though where the mone,
was to ccme from WIS yet by 10
means certain.
y popular subscription list Rad
started IN San Francisco, and some.
thing Ike quarter of million of
dollars was quickly raised; and the
rest seemed hard t. ge', but 1t came
on little by little, and when work on
ih. So FIVE great buildings BEGAN, new
Suh>crpti"r hegan to POUR in, until |
row the 100000 has nearly bee,
>ui cciil ed, ard there is enough more
m onev in siglt from the sale of con,
cessions and from the rental of space
in tie EXPOSITION building TO warrant
the assertion that the California Mid
winter Fair Viii be open on the first
dag Of Jsrunrv, asst six mouths after
It's inception, aud tina, when the gates
swing ajar, it will not have a dollar of
but that the receipts for
adm ssions Will not need to be diverted
tfom the direct pa! mrnt Of the rum
n'nc expenses Of the Fair during the
six months If it, duration.
The five buildings grew apace;
p -na'ty of 500 a day was a part 81
he Exposition contract with She build
rs, i they failed 10 tipish the bulls
ogs wtthin ninety days from starting.
The result, was that no five such huill-