San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-09-29
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE
ST. LOUIS, Sept. 81, 1895.

| DAILY LIGHT-A trip across
country from our quaint and grow
Ing metropolis, the queen city OF
that vast empire, Texas, to this
brick and mortar metropolis of the
Mississippi valley, only reveals the
coming greatness OF that south
western empire Of which San An,
tonic today is the chief city and oil
whose future greatness she is to be
the bright particular star. There
is nothing between that and this,
; of which the man who pins his
faith to San Antonio and the south
west need feel fear. The fields
reveal no more fertile soil than we
lay claim to, the cities no more
certain signs Of prosperity than
are seen at home, and the COndi-
tions Of climate are no whit su-
perior to our own. 1t is true that
progress here is more marked than
there because the years have grown
into generations of development
since the seeds OF this great city
were planted by the shores of the
"Father of Waters" while in our
remoteness only few years mark
the period elapsed since the rail-
way bridged the intervening miles
and made us a link in the great
chain Sof cities connecting the
Northern lakes with the Mexican
border.
Where there is so much to inter-
est and so many points from which
to divert observation, 1t Is little
difficult to choose, but as st. Louis
is today agog with spectators, all
eyes looking for the coming OF
"King Hoto," it may be well to de-
vote column or two to the SEX.
position" of which the advent Of
Hoto is one of the marked features.
This is.nowl the twelfth annual
exposition Of what is officially
known as the "St. Louis Exposition
and Music Hall Association" 1t
is the result Of liberal devisement
and wise effort on the part OF pri
vate citizens, for the building up
Of the trade OF the city, and this by
the organization and perpetuation
of an exposition that opening its
doors during forty days in the fall
of every year calls to the city its
tens of thousands OF visitors and
buyers from every state in the
great valley of which 1t is the COM
mercial mistress.
The ground on which the build
ing stands was donated to the city
for public square by j. III. Linas,
but his heirs waived their rights
for an exposition building, and the
ordinance has passed by the city
chartering the exposition associa-
ton. 1t lies in the very heart Of the
city, within two blocks of the post
office and for 20 hours out Of "a
cable and electric cars pass and re-
pass, carrying passengers to every
section Of the city, to the railway
depot and the suburban towns,
without the corporate limits.
Ground was broken for the
structure in August 1888 and the
first exposition was opened in
the September of 1884. Since that
time the disbursements have ex-
ceeded $2,000,000; the insurance
carried is $4l7, 500; insurance
charges 900. During three years
six million people have entered the
doors of the exposition; its bonded
debt of $4,000; floating bebt
of $4,000; interest charges of
10000; and, $4,000 for boiler
house, machinery, furniture and
fixtures, have been paid and the
association is free from debt with
out ever receiving dollar from
government, state or city. 1t has
paid it, own way out Of its one ad-
mission fee of % cents and has a
reserve in its treasury. Last years
exposition Melted the association
over $4,000 profit, despite the at
traction of the Worlds Chicago
Fair, and hard times.
Some idea of the plant may be
gathered from the following fig
ures:
Excavation-60,0OO yards of earth.
Building-length 43S. feet, width
1873 feet, height 10S feet.
Brick-about nine millions used
in its construction.
Iron-600 tons used in its con-
struction.
Large Music Hall seating capa-
city 1915; stage capacity 1900;
dimension 200 feet long, l2O feet
wide and so feet high.
Entertainment hall seating capa-
city 1850.
Entertainment hall 100 feet long,
GA feet wide.
Floor area of exhibition space
including art galleries 100000
square feet, over five acres.
No fire in the building.
Boiler house across the street on
east side Of Thirteenth street.