Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-08-28
The RAILROAD WORLD.
a PERMANENT RAILWAY mu.
scum FOR CHICAGO.
The rranseontihen,ai Association
rostpones Its Mee,ine-A rish,
Prooaelc-Braies and Couplings.
PRorosED RAlLwAy MrsErM

Apropos of current propositions IN %.
taolish n Columbian museum. the ma.
tsriais OF which would be selected from
tue exhibit at the World. 5 fair. Major
fSngborn says that "Chicago has The
opportunity Of the century, in marking
the birth, evolution and development
WITHIN the century Of the greatest single
industry on earth-,he railway-by the
establishment of museum 50 devoted.
and which would he the first Of the Kind
In the world" Continuing he says:
1T seems strange that with all the
wonderful progress of the century. no,
alone IN railway development, but in the
mechanic arts as Il whole, there has not
been a mechanical museum founded.
bat there has not; or, In reality. such
beginning as could be dignihcd 10y
speaking OF Il as a commensurate nu-
cleus. Throughout Europe several mu.
seulns have mechanical and railway relies
u value, but make no special effort to
Illustrate evolution and development. II
may remain for Chicago TO lead the
world In museum or institution devoted
to one material interest. compared TO
which. from the everyday world aspect.
almost all the other single industries
become insignificant.
Nothing Ike the worlds railway eX-
hiblt, which now stands IN the transpor.
tauon building ut the fair, was ever
before attempted. and ii is not likely will
be again for years, owing TO the great
expenditure Of time and money. There
ae important parts of the exhibit that
cannot be duplicated, and therefore his.
lorically the showing must remain as
impossible to repent. 1t is known already
throughout the world. for the entire world
has contributed TO IL, there not being a
country In which mile of railroad track
has been laid that Is not represented in
some way. The entire collection Of orig.
inal historical locomotives, full size repro
ductions, drawings, water colnrs, photo
graphs, etc, covering 30.OD square feet
Of floor space. and embracing, In add.
ton. 1900 square feet of wall space,
together with almost half as many more
drawings, photos. and the like, which
could not be shown for the want OF
space, can be secured for the city by
simply agreeing that II be kept intact
and shall constitute the nucleus of q
strictly railway museum. Ii cannot be had
for general museum or any combine
tlon with museum TO be devoted In
part to any other interest.
1t might be that France would &c
leave her locomotives. Germany her ears
ns well as locomotives and England
her entire train Then Pennsylvania
the New York Central. the Old Colony
the Canadian Pacific, Pullman. Wagner
Harlan q Holhngsworth and other com
panies have here such as would con
stitute grand contributions or loans TO .
railway museum. Then, also, there ar,
the strikingly comprehensive showing,
of the operation Of the air brake, sigma
systems, and other appliances whicl
might be secured. / doubt not but whn
the locomotive manufacturers could b,
induced to let remain in Chicago un eX
ample of each of their highest develop
ment. Such museum upon such
basis would mean something and play
part In the future railroad history OF
the world that would be felt. Its cos
would be nothing us to its outcome, ant
never before in history has the opportun
ity been offered TO establish an institu
tion of anything approaching the import
ance for so small sum. comparatively
as required In this instance-that repre-
sented in the construction of a building
and its installation and maintenance.