Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-10-12
DELAWARE FIRST AT THE FAIR.
The Merchants and Manufacturers Build
Ing the Greatest Wonder of All the Mar
wells at the Worlds Fair.

The Merchants and Manufacturers Build
Ing the Greatest Wonder of All the Mar
wells at the Worlds Fair.
II seems that the State of Delaware is to
take honors among the highest of any of
her sister States at the Worlds Fair. BY
common consent 1t now appears that the
greatest wonder of all the great marvels to
be seen at the Worlds Fair IN Jackson
Park is the Merchants and Manufacturers
Building, structure erected by Della
ware firm, the Edge Moor iron works.
Its stupendousness as an effort OF archi-
tectural engineering is only now being ap-
preciated by the masses. Long ago pro.
fessional people conceded it to be one of
the greatest sights Of the great Fair. But
now the fact of its immensity and the
wonderful success Of the mammoth struc-
ture, as the effort of single iron building
firm is getting to be understood. Last
week group Of a dozen or SO of gentle
men were standing awaiting their turn to
take the big elevator ride to the roof of the
immense structure. One OF them re-
marked:
"Well, I'll tell you what, in profess
sional sense, there is no such wonder on
all these Fair grounds as this building. l
mean Just the iron structure, the shell of
this building. Nothing like it has ever
been seen OH the face of the earth. In
deed had seen the plans of it before the
building was put up l should have ques'
toned the possibility of successfully erect
ing it. | cannot yet stop wondering at it,
at its strength and beauty. There has been
nothing to equal, or come near to it, in
any of the great exhibitions in London OIL
Paris"
Another gentleman then drew attention
to the name OF the builders, the Edge
Moor Iron Works. seen on the different
spans and iron joists. well, added the
second speaker, "all L have TO say is tina
they have produced the greatest wonder
| in professional sense, that IS to be seer
at the Columbian Fair"
A representative of EVERY EVENING who
was present called the attention of the
| takers to the fact that the builders are
| Delaware firm.
II don't take back one iota of what
say,h the first speaker replied. But taxi
| my word for it when this Fair is all over
you will find that the record is that tn
| greatest glory, in a strict scientific ant
business sense of this immense Fair /
this splendid structure. | don't say tina
Delaware as a State will get such a certiti
cate from the Worlds Fair Commissioners
but ] do say that the State of the unioi
that lays claim to the building Of tn
Merchants and Manufacturers Building
deserves the Blue Ribbon and the very
| first honors Tor demonstrating 10 Tn
whole world what the United States cal
do in this most useful and practical of al
businesses, that of iron construction
Other remarks were as follows: "Io
might put all the churches in Chicag
within It, and st. Peters at Rome in adu
tion, and YET it will hold them all. :"
"Yes and its roof is higher than tn
Ferris Wheel by score or so Of feet"
The Merchants and Manufacturer
Building is 1877 by 1857 feet dimension:
and has an area of A acres of floor space.