The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-05-21
JONATHAN At Paris
Ferdinand Peck Tells of His
in That Behalf.
PLENTY OF ELBOW ROOM
Big Show viii be Completed
Before Opening Day.
PLENTY OF ELBOW ROOM

| commissioner general of the United State:
to the Paris Exposition of 1900. reached
New York on the American line steamer
/ st. Louis today. He was accompanied by
| Mrs. Peck and j. H. McGibons, director OF
exploitation, of his staff. When asked
about the results of his trip to Paris, Mr.
Peck said:
! During my brief stay in Paris much
was accomplished for our American ex'
hibit in 1900. This is the formative period
of our task. The plans of all the United
States buildings have been approved BY
/ the French authorities, though many
! changes ere made in them to conform to
/ the requirements OF the French govern
ment and to meet the limitations of oul
appropriation. Work upon these buildings
| will begin Immediately. There viii be
! five buildings in the main grounds and two
in the Bots de Vincennes, the annex TO the
! exposition, which viii be made a most i'm
| portant part of the whole Our national
! pavilion will be the only expensive build
ing we will construct. This Will be on the
bank of the Seine alongside of the struc-
lures of about thirty other nations, with
Austria on one side and Turkey on the
other. Our other buildings will be an
nexed to the main structure built by the
French administration and will be for ex-
hibition purposes only. These will include
! annexes to the main agricultural build
Ing adjoining the American section, an
annex to the manufacturers building in the
Quincences, and addition to the forestry
building, also to the merchant marine
building, in which water transportation
models will be exhibited, with our weather
bureau, etc.
AT Vincennes we win build a structure
for American machinery in operation and
building for our life-saving service. We
Will divide with the rench Exposition com
pany the cost of the building for railroad
exhibit and for automobiles. We secured
site upon which our bicycle manufac-
turers will lerect a beautiful structure
The Bots de Vincennes is about six miles
from the main grounds and will be very
accessible by railroads, and by the Seine
river, connecting with a tramway for one
mile, which latter route will be known as
the American route, the boats and cars
carrying the American flag I believe a
very large proportion of the visitors to the
exposition will go to Vincennes, as it will
be made prominent and most attractive
and the trip. especially the river route
will be delightful We secured over 5000
square feet at Vincennes. far beyond our
expectations. We also added to our agri-
cultural space and 20 per cent of our wall
area for fine arts. besides retaining the
privilege OF exhibiting sculpture through
out all our space. BY the courtesy of Ger
many and Switzerland we also added con-
siderable to our mining section.
M. Picard, the French commissioner
general, authorized me at our final inter
view on Friday. the 18th, to state that
everything would be ready ahead of time
and that in some buildings installations
could be made next August The iron
structural work of all buildings is prac-
tiCaHy in place"
did you find the French officials cor
dial in your relations with them?"
They could not have been more so, from
President Loubet, who is charming and
able man and most friendly to our nation.
to architects and subordinates of the ex-
osition management. This was illustrated
in the incident of NJ. Picard the head of
the exposition, being personally present
when the site of the United States build
ing was formally turned over to us. He
had not honored any similar occasion be-
fore, though many of the foreign nations
have secured their sites.
1.-THE new minister of commerce, who is
at the head of the governmental depart
ment, representing the republic in it's re-
lation to the exposition, was most friendly
and showed every consideration for our
wants. NM. Delauney-Belleville the d.
rector of exploitation, is the practical man
Of the exposition. He is most able, prompt
and fair and his courage and ready de-
cisions remind us constantly Of the meth
DDS of the typica, American business man.
He has to deal with the representatives
of 1fty-one nations and must often say
NO. but always with a good reason One
OF the most helpful to us OF the officials
was NJ. Krantz. who was the French COM
missioner to our Columbian Exposition in
1898, since which time ne has been in pub
lie office. He was selected minister Of pub
lie works last fall. ] had an appointment
with him ten days ago. from which he
was suddenly sommoned TO the session OF
the chamber of deputies and TO his great
surprise he was made minister OF war
few minutes later. I believe he wiz re-
store entire confidence in the French war
department. and that VI. Krantz will prove
the coming man OF France
Mr.. Peck said regarding the exposition
work on this side that he has been in
slant touch with his heads OF departments
in his absence and was confident that the
situation was satisfactory, notwithstand-
ing the many difficulties involved IN So
Letting exhibits over such a vast expanse
OF country. il So many cities. and 70 sat
isfy exhibitors: task which. owing to
their comparatively small area. does not
apply 20 the other great nations. The
commissioner general expects TO leave for
Chicago Monday.
Washington. D. c. Nav 2o.-John ASdi-
son Porter. secretary 10 the president. and