New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-05-08
THE SITE OF THE FAIR.
THE BEST THAT COULD HAVE BEEN FOUND.
THE MANAGERS DID WELL TO OPEN ON TINE
WITH GOOD WEATHER ALL WOULD HAVE
BEEN READY-DIS COUHTESY OF

ATTENDANTS.
rynoN STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
Chicago, MAY Now that the great EXPOSE
ton has been actually opened. and on the date
originally chosen for the ceremonies to take
place. one can what applied skill, force and
energy can accomplish under the guidance of
creative talent so far as Chicago herself is con-
cerned the people now wonder that the So
called lake front site in the heart of tie city
was ever for a moment considered as possible
ground for the Fair, and yet two years ago
desperate struggle going forward here for
its location in this place Had the plans of those
who so strongly advocated the lake front claims
been successfully carried Out in that instance the
Exposition itself would have been dwarfed, to say
nothing of the results of the natural congestion
in that part of the city. 1t is impossible to con-
ceive of spot desirable for the develop
ment of this gigantic undertaking than thar which
was chosen. There is constructive feature
associated with the exposition attractive as the
introduction of the waterways or laeOons through
the grounds. Day by day. rs the improvements
advance, the general effect Of this detail of the
plans becomes more striking. 1t is the investment
of the spirit of poetry and romance. OF course
this effect is heightened by the architectural char
acter of the buildings. their massivenesS and
their contiguity Had these buildings been
ordinary iron or wood structures the presence of
the water would have afforded little in the way
of the picturesque but it is the style in which the
buildings are finished: the wonderful development
of the idea of browning everything with groups
Of statuary and single figures located at different
points: the application of the material known as
stai and the generally white surface of the
structures, tinted here and there by weather
stains: the great balustradc. the white walks
and roadways. the green grass plots, and the whole
.hr
flowers which combine to present such an unusual
architectural and landscape effect. This grand
central court, with its peristyle and arch on the
east ana it's portal to the lake its massive figure
of Columbia in gold, and its beautiful fountains
at the western end of the basin, presents a scene
which is enhancing to the artistic eye. and will
possess much that is interesting and even absorb
inc in the way of general attractveness to the
ordinary observer
Much in the way Of detail that has been accom-
pished at jackson Park would have been utterly
out of the question had the lake front been chosen
The latter is a level space about half mile in
length, directly in front of many leading hotels
like the Auditorium, the Richelieu, the Victoria
and the Leland, and within easy walking distance
of all the hotels in the central business part of
the CITY, IL would have been point easy Of
access to people from the North and the West and
the South sides of the city, and to all those who
entered by the various railway lines. But the
crowd would have massed itself so completely In
that section, from the opening hours in the morn
ing TO the closing hours night, that the discon-
fort would have been intoerable, and people would
have fastened to get away from here at the earliest
possible moment As IL is, jackson fark Is
located in a section of the city where there are
ordinarily no crowds at all, and where, in fact,
there was rather limited population previous to the
location of the Fair on that site The city itself does
not therefore suffer in its most central point from
what at times would have become crowdng mobS
of disorderly people The city to-day in the lmme-
diafe locality of the lake front Is almost I'M
passable from vehicles in the middle OF the streets
end the people on the sidewalks, and this is an
ordinary condition in Chicago on every Drlght
and sunshiny day. Add 70 this mass OF natural
corners and eoers in the course OF business anu OF
shopping the horde that would be drawn to TINS
section through the presence Of the FAR ana
progress along the streets would have been i'm
possible One might imagine, for instance, the
extension of City Hall Park, in New-iork, from
the Postofice TO Canal-st, and extending be-
tween Broadway and Thrd-ave., with great Expo
stion buildings thereon and WORLDS fair III
nrooroes Tn, effect upon the streets ana APP |
proaches can we'll be imagined: and 1t Is not 100
mich 10 say that this is exactly the erect 'ha'
would have been produced had the Location Oh 'he
lake front been agreed TO, with the adultlohai
disadvantage that the lake front is on the water
and there are only one side and two ehus 10 WV
space. instead of two sides and two ends a. wouiu
have been the in newborn. Inc '"i'"so
,aon,e themselves AZ we'll es visitors have reason
10 be thankful to the men who so perSis'eh'N
fought the lake front scheme, and who succeeded
IN choosing such an ideal place As Jachsoh al"
for such aiestic undertaking
ticier oft he m
resnect 10 their persistency in opening the FAR Oh
Nav I and charging for admission to the grouhds
,r;tbont having everything in readiness IL Is
callAd NOW and then imposition upon 'iic
rubl;c II Is not an imposition upon the puoite.
at all Tho fact has been constantly au''r"'c'
that everything backward; 'ha' III SOM III
stances the buildings We're not compete ''"'
hibits had not been put in place. ''iaI many 81
them had no. even been received ana '''a' '',,
grounds were in a horrible condition by reaso" Vi
mud when it rained and dust when IL ui' hoo ram
The entire month Of April has been deVo'eo "
. nuhlication of these conditions by almost every
newspaner in large centres IL IL oiiy iair W Wv
managers Of the Exposition to declare that 'he'
nlans have miscarried largely because OF ,ie "n
rrecodentedly bad weather which Chicago mas en-
ner;snced this spring They simply couia ho' |
work oft Of doors much Of the time anu many
Of the final repairs to the buildings c"niu noV
effectively be made while the rain was po",ins
down. All that could be done was pchs uo',
day and night, and if the ordinary weather o,
April he'd prevailed here during that month, not
only would the grounds have been in thorough!
satisfactory condition to everybody, but the eA
hibits would have been handled with more pron'p
ness after their arrival and the cons'ruc''o" u
pavons would have been materially au'
People who have come here from distance ".
Al; fran
papers, with the expectation tha' '''s Il
wrseotion itself. can only blame themselves IL
th.v rea,,r feel that they have come too sooh !
las not been lTPN |