The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-08-21
speefol Correspondence Of lie ble4f1n,n,

my last letter TO some OF the mistakes
that have been made in connection with
the Worlds Fair inside and outside the
grounds. was talking on this aud
other eubiects lately with Editor Medill,
OF the Tribune, who is always full OF in
formation upon any topic his callers
may start up, and he gave mo an inter
esting sketch Of the early contest among
the membera OF tho locating commission
as to where in Chicago the fair should
be placed, At one time it seemed GER
tain that it would be located on Lake
Front Park, the park that fronts the
breakwater haFbor between Van Buren,
and Twelfth streets, and had it not
been for Banker Gage, OF the First Ma.
tional, II would have been located
there, and that mistake would have
been blunder OF such serious, ii not
fatal character, that all other mistakes,
such as have alluded to, would have
been as dust In the balance by COM
parison. AS u matter OF fact the fair at
one time was actually located there ton
paper by direct vote oil the commits.
sion, and had the personeI oil the minor
ity been less influential than it was it
would have been built up in that park
and on so much OF the adjoining space
OF wator frontage as could have been
advantageously appropriated by piles
and flooring. Fortunately, however, 30
much friction was engendered by the
various interests involved, such rs those
OF the Illinois Central railroad and the
property.holders OF aristocrauc MiChi-
gan avenue boulevard. that the project
was held baCk from contamination long
enough to enable the minority OF the
commission to bring about reaction,
and thus save the fair as We see it to-day
in all the matChless glory OF the White
City at Jackson Park.
There was also another project as re.
CARDS the location Of the fair that would
have been worse in its fatal effects than
the foregoing project, and that was to
divide it up between the south and
west sides or the south and north sides,
and make two attractions OF it, and
thus boom two sides OF the city in
real estate way. Then, again, there
l was the more rational project OF loCat-
ing it in Washington Park, the twin
park CONNECTED by the PlNisance) OF
Jackson Park This project would have
materialized in all probability, but for
the memorable conditions imposed by
the park commissioners, which were
that the grounds should be restored to
their Status quo after the fair, forest
trees included, a task practically i'm
possible. To this stand OF the WASH
ington Park commissioners we owe the
presence OF tine fair where 1t is to-day,
and / think that every visitor to the
fair will agree that We owe them vote
OF thanks, and this, too, notwithstand-
ing the acknowledged fact that their
park would really have been an at
tractive location for the fair. Everything
is good, better and best by comparison,
and tho best in this case was the uniln.
proved aud unattractive waste known
as the south half OF jackson Park as it
stood at tho time OF the final vote in
December, 1890.
The real estate market OF the whole
Hyde Park region trembled in the bal
ance in those days, aud prices we're
made and un-lnado for realty within
the vicinages OF the two twin parks
named with "neatness and despatch"
according as the eavesdroppers got
wind OF what was going on in the Coun-
Gil chamber OF the locating commission,
l should remark that Hyde Park is a
generic term formerly applied to pretty
much all the territory south OF the late
city limits. 1t included Washington
and jackson Parks and all the contigu-
GUS country, all Of which is now in the
city, US indeed is all Of Cook county,
which explains why Chicago suddenly
became the second largest city in the
country.
The ostensibe reason for locating the
fair in 1890 at Lake Front park was be-
cause OF the distance to either Wash
ington or Jackson parks, say seven
miles, and because OF the utter made.
quacy OF then existing transportation
facilities between the city proper and
those parks The Illinois Central road
was practically the only means of got
ting there with any directness.. The
South Side elevated road project was as
yet only project. and the Crosstown
electrics on sixty.6rst and SiXty-third
streets, connecting the cable lines on
State street and Cottage Grove avenue
were not any further along. The con-
tention OF Mr. Medill, Mr.. Gage and
their minority colleagues was that tho
location at jackson Park, when once de-
termined on, would quicken into actual
life all incohNte schemes for rapid
transit facilities on the South Side OF
whatever kind aud character, elevated,
electric and cable, and that they would
vic with each other in speedily provid.
ing tho ways and means for moving
Worlds Fair visitors to and from all
parts Of the city. This is exactly what
followed tho selection OF tho site. Tho
Illinois Central road went TO work at
once and spent q million and half OF
dollars In laying additional tracks, in
building vladucts and In making u wide
four-track and six.track road bed at the
fair grounds, aud In preparing an i'm
menao equipment Of summer cars which
would run TO tho fair from Van Duren
street, without stop, in fifteen minutes,
at 10 cents per passenger. Tile electric
road was pushed through amidst many
misunderstanding out OF questions OF right
OF way, such as tho Manhattan com.
pany In New York has been lltigatlng
for years, and was completed and ready
for business on tho LIST day Of May. II
rivals tho Illinois Central in It's extent
OF equlpnont and In It's capacity to
move an immense number Of people 10
and from tho fair. II Transports at lOast
an average oil twenty-five thousand
people por day TO thefNir, carrying thom
all tho way from Congress street right
into tho midst Of tho fair grounds for
five cents, which, as tho London Times