The morning call., 1893-07-10
Where the Midwinter
Fair Will Be.
WORK TO COMMENCE TO-DAY
Talk About Finance, Exhibits and
Exhibitors at Meeting of the
Park Commissioners.

silion Yesterday than has been done dur
ing all the time since the project was first
mentioned as possibility.
Yesterday the site for the exposition
was chosen. the chief engineer and land
scape engineer selected, and arrange
ments made to commence work at once.
At IL o'clock Messrs. Stump. Andrews.
de Young and Mitchell of the executive
committee of the Midwinter Exposition
met with Park Commissioners Hammond.
Austin and Stow at the lodge in Golden
Gate Park for the purpose Of agreeing
upon site for The fail. Accompanying
the executive committee was Secretary
Alex Badlam, while Superintendent Nc
Laren was with the Park Commissioners.
The meeting was opened by the president
of the exec utive committee stating TO the
Park Commissioners the intentions and
desires Of the executive committee OF the
proposed exposition.
The committee. the speaker said.
wanted about sixty acres OF ground 10 the
most favora Bile loca zion that could be OBJ
tanned on which TO erect at least Tour
main buildings and some ten or twenty small
buildings, such as kosks. the Irish
village, ETC.. and wanted as we'll room for
a Midway PIasance which would contain
all or nearly all the wonderful features OF
the Midway PlaSance OF the great
Columbian Exposition. The speaker said
there would be upward of 5000 exhibitors
from foreign countries and the Eastern
States, to say nothing of the home EXHIBITS.
and that at the least calculation there
would be 100, 600 visitors from the East and
abroad to see the fair. The committee
had by careful investigation and calcua-
ton conceded that the midwinter fair
would pay financially If there were no
visitors from across the Sierras, but they
confidently expect $1,000 900 to be left
In this city alone, TO say nothing OF the
money that would he spent throughout The
State.
The permanent improvements made ia
Jackson Park, Chicago, should convince
the Park Commissioners that Golden Gate
PARK would be vastly benefited by the
holding of the midwinter fair. AS to
finances there was no fear out what there
would he more than enough money to
carry OUT all the projects contaminated in
connection with the California Mid winter
EXPOSITION, and the executive committee
therefore asked the Park Commissioners
in the interest of the State Of California
and the city OF San Francisco as well as
Gn'den Gate Park to render every assist
ance in their power. The site suggested
as around about rawberry Hill and its
lake. If the Park Commissioners had any
thing better to offer the executive CON-
mittee would most Willingly accept it.
Park Commissioner Stow said that he
thought there was better site and pro-
ceeded to outline it on the map. The Park
Commissioners wanted the midwinter fair
success. but they wanted the natural to-
Biography Of the park preserved as much
AS possible and wanted the park improved
and not damaged by the fair. In other
words, after the fair was over and the
buildings, ETC., removed, they wanted the
park in such shape as to be attractive
without the expense of thousands of dol
lars in repairing damages.
A long discussion followed in regard to
proposition allowing the railroad to run
directly to the exposition grounds. in or
der that the exhibits from abroad would
have to be handled only once, and the
Commissioners said that ii the site they
had selected was chosen there was 10 OBJ
lection 10 tine railroad laying temporary
tracks into the grounds, as they could do
so without njuring any of the drives or
permanent improvements.
Then the question arose as to the selec-
ton OF grounds that could be reached by
all the street railroads of the city, and the
Park Commissioners made strong point
in favor of the site they had chosen,
showing how every car line in the city
could lay temporary tracks and reach the
exposition with their passengers. The
argument over the site lasted more than
an hour. and then it was proposed that
the gen tlemen adjourn to the site itself
and view it. This course was followed,
and the Park Commissioners led the way
into Concert Valley. or Conservatory
Valley, as 1t IS sometimes called.
The site selected by them commences
about 800 feet east of Strawberry Hill and
runs due east to the Starr-king monu-
ment, just back Of the aviary. There are
three valleys comprising in extent about
tifty-four acres. The total length is 100
feet east and west. aud the mean breadth.
north and south. 1400 feet, commencing at
the extreme northern drive and running
south.
Strawberry Hill acts as break for the
northwest winds that constantly sweep the
park, and by erecting the main building
across the west end of the grounds at an
angle with strawberry Hill an almost per-
feet wind-break can be formed. There is
a natural depression that can easily be
formed into an artificial lake, while the
accessibility to all streetcar lines and the
railroad is much superior 10 the Straw
berry Hill site. Concert Valley does
not possess, however. the natural beauty
of the Strawberry Hill site. and it will take
an immense amount of work to put 1t in
proper condition for exposition grounds
The buildings will face east, north and
south, and the eastern end of the site will
w
on to the improvements already made, and
thus make it a big thing for the Golden
Gate Park.
1t having been determined by the Park
Commissioners that all the hauling for the
exposition should be done over roads tenn
porarily constructed for The purpose. the
Concert Valley site presented unusual ad-
vantages in this regard. The whole val
ley will have to he covered over with
loan in order to make grass, shrubs or
flowers grow on it. and such water as may
be used for the little lake, fountains, cas-
cades. etc. will have to be piped from the
Spring Valley Water Works. mile and
more away. at a cost OF $4,000 for laying
the pipe alone. Then after the valley is
all ready. fenced in, ETC., people who want
to ave their admission fee to the exposi-
ton can climb to the top of Strawberry
Hill and look down into the exposition
grounds and witness the fireworks, f0un-
tains of colored water, ETC., free of charge.
After a long talk, during which
some of the member, of the executive
of the Midwinter Exposition
underwent an extremely quick change of
heart" it was decided that the site pro-
posed by the commissioners was jnst the
hing. and everybody went back to the
lodge.
The president of the executive committee
called it 10 order, and on motion of Di-
rector Mitchell the Concert Valley site was