The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-03-23
A DECIDED NOVELTY.
Plan for Railroads. Display at Paris
Exposition.

Plan for RnilronJs' Display at Paris
Exposition.
The plans for a great Joint American
railway exhibit at Paris In the exposi-
ton of 1900 proposed at the meeting of the
leading officials in Chicago last December
are now rapidly nearing completion. They
provide for a most elaborate display and
will insure the most novel aud entertain
ing exhibit ever presented in similar ex-
position, although occupying very limit
ed space. The project outlined for the
roads is thus described ~ Charles b.
Vaughan: The coming together of the
cember TO discuss the matter gave the
plan its first impetus A committee, COM
posed of General Passenger Agent Knis-
kern of the Chicago and Northwestern,
General Passenger Agent Eustis of the
Burlington. General Passenger Agent Sc
bastian OF the Rock Island and Assistant
General Passenger Agent Higgins of the
Santa Fe, was then formed, which later
agreed on a plan of action. At the meet
ing / had a number of small relief maps
which helped to demonstrate the character
of the undertaking. There we're also pres
ent Mr. Albrecht a member OF the Royal
Wilhelmi, Bavarian artist, and Edward
j. Barr, a skilled electrical engineer. Each
of these gentlemen spoke of the exhibit
from their respective standpoints, giving
II hearty Endorsement as did in general the
railway men present. John II McGibbons,
secretary of the United States commits
sioner general to the Parts exposition. eX-
planned the position of the United States
officials IN regard to II. and spoke strongly
~, 49, = Al.
panies acting together. Since then the cor
dial, active and moral support of the stand :
ing companies. and railway interests rs
we'll, has given added strength.
AT present regular form of agreement
to join the exhibit is being signed and APP
proved daily by railway companies In every
part of the United States. This active CO.
operation makes possible permanent or
'ganization at an early date and nsures the
| inauguration of the work incidental to tho
| many parts of the exhibit. The plan SUP
mitted to and first approved by companies
with headquarters in Chicago provides for
| the construction of an enormous upright
| relief or profile map of the United States
/ on which all elevations and natural fea-
! lures of the country will be shown IN
| proper proportions and colors with booths
| on each side Of the spectatorium for the
| use of the companies interested. The mar
! itself is to be on the scale of one inch to
| the mile, and will be 140 feet high and 2SC
| feet in length, approximately The route
| of every line OF railway In the country will
| be shown by electrical devices. That is, by
| turing a button the route of one road, for
! instance viii be shown in miniature lights
! against a background OF the whole great
! map of the country The name of the road
| will appear in large letters at the front o.
| the lecture platform. and while any par
| ticular road is being displayed nothing else
but the natural features of the country
| will be seen. Meantime, short, entertain
! ing talk will be given, telling about the
| particular road, its organization, the coun
| try through which Il passes, the products
and other similar Information.
II has also been suggested that a cine
matograph in the evening and kineto
| scope in the daytime. showing moving
| pictures taken from the trains, say Of thu
Amer views on each road would be mos
attractive adjunct to the illumination am
talks given OF and concerning the yariou
roads. To bring out into still stronger re
lief the immense railroad system OF III
country ii is proposed to show all tn
trains In service on the various road
going into the plan, in their approximate
positions at a given hour OF the day. Thi
would be done by miniature transparencies
The lines are TO be exhibited separately, a
described above. in alphabetical order ex
cent when the total railroad resources o
the country are shown, when they will b
all illuminated simultaneously.