New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-02-13
BUFFALO'S BIG SCHEME.
WORKING HARD FOR A PAN-AMER1CAN
EXPOSITION IN THAT CITY
THE PLAN TAKEN Up WITH ENTHUSIASM. AND
MANY Subscriptions oFFERED-sTATE

Albany. Feb II (SpeciaD.-The Pan-American
idea Of Mr.. Blaine has borne fruit In the ex-
position which will be held at Buffalo in 1901. IL
Congress and the Legislature OF this State aid
the project. The exposition is an embodiment
Of the reciprocity idea. to speak. and the
premature attempt of Mr. Blaine TO bring the
nations OF the New World into closer commercial
relationship lies at the foundation Of the spon-
taneous movement OF South and Central Aneri-
can merchants and American manufacturers to
show all the rest Of mankind what the New
World has accomplished In art. science ana
industry during the space OF one hundred years
The same relations between the originating
genius OF Mr. Blaine and the hand OF President
Mckinley which existed in shaping the tarin
legislation OF a decade ago have been carried
into the exposition project almost as II by rate
Mr. Mckinley who, as chairman 81 the Ways
and Means Committee. Incorporated the Blaine
reciprocity clause in his tariff bill. signaized the
result of that legislation when as President. h.
drove the first stake of the Pan-Amercan EX-
positiou at the encampment Of the Grand Army
in Buffalo In 1891. giving tangible shape to the
great work begun by Mr.. Blaine Of cementing
all American States by the bonds Of commerce
and common interests. The action Of President
Mckinley gave an impetus to the project OF an
exposition which had taken root in the minds
Of the people OF Buffalo. and it has outgrown
all they first had dreamed for H.
The Pan-American Exposition, also is the out
growth Of Atlanta's great exhibit of few years
ago but the people Of Buffalo are more amb-
tious than those Of Atlanta. Omaha or Detroit
They went on record before the Senate Finance
Committee in Albany on Thursday last as want
ing world exposition, something that would
vie with the Centennial at Philadelphia and the
Worlds Fair at Chicago. They declared that
a merely local affair like the Tennessee Cen
tenuiaI at Nashville or Detroits two hundredth
anniversary celebration would never suit them
They would have the foreign exhibits or none at
all. Yet the idea of holding 1t is not theirs.
George b. Bapst. OF Buffalo, told the Senate
Finance Committee in Albany that during the
latter DAYS Of the Atlanta Exposition the exhibit
tors there from Central and South American
States had meetings and the idea developed
that it was time to carry out the idea Of Pan
American exposition on the line Of Mr.. Blaine's
reciprocity idea.
AN OPPORTUNITY SEIZED AT ATLANTA.
The Exhibitors Association had banquet
and the question came up as to where 1t shouid
be held Two Buffalo men were there in charge
OF the New York state exhibit. They were cap
tain John NJ Brnker and Richmond {. HILL
and they were quick TO seize their opportunity
Niagara was just beginning to be harnessed 70
the great electric power system, and the possi-
bilities Of the stretch OF level country between
Buffalo and the Falls were manifest; Ihey TOOK
a compass and drew a circle around BuHaIo 81
40 70 Take in New-York and Chicago Four hun
dred and fifty miles they made IT, ana II ihciuueu
four hundred cities and a population Of 3S,000.-
rid
. city where twenty-six railroads converge. and
which IS greet lake port. the NTH port IN point
~ commerce in the whole United States. There
are six hundred miles of tracks within It's limits
This and the marvellous power from Niagara
to turn all the wheels in the exposition Duilu-
ings were considered and the problem was
solved Buffalo won the day and II mas hau
no rival for the exposition.
Nothing was more inspiring TO the promoters
Of the project than the enthusiasm with which
e. was taken up. Ten thousand persons in the
citv Of Buffalo have promised to contribute and
when the ball was started the newspapers pup
ushed sometimes six and eight columns of names
dow - subscribers to the enterprise. and kept
# IN for two weeks Some Buffalo men told
legislative committee in Albany that they could
raise $500 COO in a week a banquet was given
amount in three hours A week passed ana
G, ooo ONO had been pledged There had never
heer ANYTHING Ike it before in Buffalo. and the
subscriptions ran UP TO SlfoV'V"o peio'e '"'
aood of generosity began to ebb.
Ruealo has 100000 inhabitants; Chicago has
t,os, I ZOO ODO and II took Chicago several
,oo,,s 70 raise the first s10000O0 for the
worlds Fair when there no doubt about us
II took the people Oh
Chicago. also a period of several months ~
roise tho s5OOOOOO which they put into that
rroiect Naturally. the Buffalonians are proud
~. ,,.era careful they say. not 10 take prom
ises from the imprudent. They warned the -"
,bueiasts and shut off entirely Subscriptions oi
,,eonlo they knew could not afford to give fou
cor,t afford 70 do IT, so don't try they SAID re-
oo,adlv IN order that the subscription hst
should not be inflated.
THE SUBSCRIPTION LISTS SOUND
Than after the million and "a half mark was
almost reached. they asked committee OF panR-
- .o, tho LIST with care. This commit
zoo declared that Of the whole amount only
49, oon ,,.as % factory hands working people
go o.rare whose notes were not nesoudoie'
Hra family OF a father. wife, sons ana uausn-
80 subscrihod 81 600 and sent certlneu che'hs
sor tho whole amount George trDah IT. Vi
10 Ds,Io soid here last Wednesday that the en-
rIoves in his mill had subscribed largely. re
told them. as the money would not be needed TOT
nearly two years they might give up =? cenrs a
,.,,l, FROM their pay. 50 a year ana II any VI
,bo,, ebould leave their employ during the TWO
Years the members of the firm promised to MAKE se
good tire deficiency. should they 3e uhaoie 10 10
nay Mr. Urban declared that ne uiu 10. '.''''n IN
tther. was $4,000 in the whole amount OF
81 -6n no0 subscribed which could not he col
lected. -, ~. lr,,,i,,ee he
,houebt themselves OF Congress. d. , Alex
~ ono Of their Representatives. introduced
bin for an appropriation OF s"VoVo" LOT
- eminent exhibit The bill had the hearty
ttorsenent OF the President. and the ways
and Means Committee reported it favorabiy on
Wednesday last. II will come before the houss
on the first suspension day. February ~ an"
thev hone that by that time the Newly orK state
Legislature will have given them such s'tons
Endorsement by passing Dlll Which mas ose,i
introduced auproprating SoDVo for state
nxhihit that the United states and each IN
dividual state viii not hesitate to give similar