Omaha daily bee., 1893-10-01
LAST uONTU OF nm r,,p

LAST " OF THE FAIR.
II the decision Of the Worlds fair
authorities is adhered TO, as it probably
will be, that great enterprise will be
finally closed on October 81. Effort is
still being made to induce the commits
sioners to continue the exposition, the
principal plea being that nearly or quite
nine-tenths of the people of the country
have not seen it: but while this reason
for an extension certainly does not lack
impressiveness, it is outweighed by other
practical considerations. 1t is highly
improbable that any considerable num-
Der of people from remote parts
OF the country would visit the
lair after the period OF inclem-
cnt weather begins, and there is
strong reason for believing that the at
tendance after this month would not be
sufficient to pay the running expenses.
1t would be necessary to provide for
warming the buildings, which, if en-
tircly practicable, could be done only at
great cost. Then there are many of the
exhibits, some of them the most attrac-
tive, that could not remain These and
other obvious considerations of a practi-
cal nature make with such force against
the proposal to continue the exposition
into the winter that it is not at all prob
able the commissioners can be induced
to change their decision to close the fair
at the appointed time.
An interesting and rather p%erplexing
question in connection with the winding
up of this great enterprise relates to the
disposition to be made of the buildings.
The idea at the inception of the under
taking was that the structures might be
a valuable asset, but it is now appre-
hended that instead of being u esource
they may entail a heavy expense for
their removal. The fair corporation
gave n bond to the park commissioners
in 10000 to insure the tearing down of
the buildings and the restoration of the
grounds to their original condition, and
1t Is said tho commissioners are now
fearful that this bond will be forfeited
and the buildings allowed to stand, sub
ject to the action of the park au-
thorlties. In that case the tax
payers of Chicago would be called upon
to provide for another large eXpcndi-
ture. The buildings cost about $40, 0OO.-
600. Yet no one has been found willing
to risk a bid for the contract of tearing |
them down on individual account, and
there appears to be no way of disposing
OF them hat would be of any advantage
to the city. AS soon as the gates are
closed and the exhibits withdrawn these
great white monuments to a nations
enterprise and liberality, these splendid
examples of architectural skill and in
gonuity, must become, it seems, a vast
incubus to worry and fret the authorities
OF Chicago indefinitely and to make a
further heavy demand upon the revenue
of the city. That the buildings will
have to come down there is no question.
The problem is as to what shall
be done with the great mass of ma
terial, much of which is useless for any
other purpose than that to which it has
been applied. 1t has been suggested
that the white palaces" be kept stand
ing for a national exposition in 1900, but
it Is doubtful whether they could be
kept in condition during seven years for
such a purpose. They would hardly
Withstand the storms of summer and the
blasts of winter for such a time.
1t is now settled beyond all doubt that
the exposition canno be a financial sue
cess. Up to this time the paid admis-
sions have been about IA, 800, 900. By
the close of October they will possibly
reach $4,000, 900. This will fall fully
$4,000, 900 below the number expected
the fair opened, and which it was
estimated would be necessary to make
the enterprise a financial success. To
extent it has peer successful as an
object lesson in the practical, scientific
and artistic achievement of the world is
perhaps a debatable question. That it
in a pre-eminent degree demon
the enterprise, the energy and
the liberality of the American people no
one will attempt to gainsay. BY far the
most stupendous undertaking of the
kind in the worlds history, it will
be generations before an at
is made to equal it.