The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-04-15
RLIg Of WORLDS FAIR
THREE SHEETS OF Loaded GLASS
NOW IN STORAGE WARE
HOUSE
MAY BE SOLD TO PAY CHARGES
Were I'm Minnesota Building During
Chicago Exposition and Were
Sent Pack for Use in
New Capitol.

which called forth the admiration of
thousands. there lie at the Peoples Stor-
age company, on Wabasha street, three
sheets of decorative glass that have
history and are at present, sthesseenter-
piece of a controversy that promises an
interesting finish.
Made in 1892 by Brown, Hayward &c
Co., then art glassmakers of ST. Paul,
the sheets, three in ALL. filled a promi-
nent place In the Minnesota building at
the worlds fair at Chicago, their pres
ence in the large dome Of the building
furnishing light to the interior Of one
of the prettiest structures on the ground
and forming an almost speaking adver-
tisement for an industry then credited
only to the artisans of the old world.
Beautiful in color, and each sheet loaded
with prsmatic designs emblematic Of
the new world and the North Star state.
this display was one Of the attractions
of the building. and during its exist
ence shed it's soft and sparkling rays on
thousands who halted in their tour Of
sightseeing to admire them.
Today. their glory obscured by the dust,
and their beautiful designs the hiding
place for a family of spiders whose web
by travels have encompasSed them with
strands of silk, they lie in the dark
recesseS Of storage house on Wabasha
street awaiting the edict of the law that
They have played their part; no one
wants them; even sentiment refuses to
step III and give them back their former
glory
The three sheets have been In hiding
SO long that their existence had almost
been forgotten, until they were removed
the other day and placed in the sales
room of the Peoples Storage company,
with the sign For Sale" attached. Their
m he nP ant
household wreckage caught the eye Of
moro than one antiquarian. and this
started an investigation that promises to
bring them forth from the obscurity in
which they have lain so long.
INTENDED FOR NEW CAPITOL
According to Manager Howard, OF the
Peoples Storage company, the three
sheets of loaded glass were received at
the storage room in 1894. they being sent
to St Paul as q portion of the wreck
age after the removal of the buildings
at the close Of the exposition 1t was
the intention to use them in the new
capitol building, and it was for that pur-
rose they were preserved. In some man
ner, however, their existence was for
gotten, and when the attention of the
architect, CasS Gilbert, was called to
them, he pronounced them worthless, as
no provision had been made in the plans
for their USE ast,a,.-.. ~,
Bills for the accumulated storage
nave been sent to the various governors
who have occupied the executive chair
since the fair closed, but each refused to
pay the amount. One Of them inyestt-
gated the matter, but finding that the
capitol commissioners did not want the
glass, advised the company to sell It.
Acting under these instructions the
three pieces Of glass were set. up in the
sales room, but prospective purchasers
have been few, and the designs will be
confiscated, under authority of the law.
In a few weeks, if the bill is not paid
Mr.. Howard says that Gov Van SAINT
was included among the recipients of
b1hs for storage, but he also has given
the matter no attention
In size the sheets of glass are twelve
feet high and five feet wide, each prism
or color forming the design being loaded
by hand. The original cost of the work
was $3.50 a foot and the whole can now
be purchased for $780, That is the price
placed upon them by the storage COM
pany- The storage bill, Mr.. Howard
says, amounts to about $751; He is under
the impression that 1T was presented to
the capitol commission to be used in the
new building
KNEW NOTHING OF THEM.
Mr.. Canning iSeabury, the St. Paul
member of the capitol commission. de-
MED this statement. Speaking Yesterday
or the matter he said their attention
was called to the glass by the PEOPLES
Storage company who evidently desired
to get what money was coming to them
by reason of storage. Prior to that
they had no knowledge Of the existence
of the designs. They We're then Inspected
by Mr.. Gilbert, the architect, who was
only permitted to do so after threat
that he would pass the entire matter
oy, and he pronounced them worthless
for use in the capitol, saying that the
plans would have to be altered entirely
If place was to be provided for them
Since that no further attention has been
given them.
Gov. Lind. who also remembers them
by reason of a frequency Of bills for stor.
age, says he passed the matter over to
Mr. Gilbert for investigation, but he
pronounced them of no use and not
worth the storage, at that time some
fifty odd dollars. Again he could find
nothing to show that the state was
responsible for their being there and ac-
cordingiy declined to pay the bill.
Gov. Van SAINT when appraised of the
fact last night that he had been the
recipient of several bills for storage
from the Peoples Storage company. said
that 1t was news to him They might
have been received. however. but he had
no knowledge of the fact. He was also
unaware that the state owned such q
thing as piece of decorative glass
lie will look into the matter today.
With the passing of years the exist
ence of the glass seems to have been
unknown. but a number of people i'm
bued with the sentiment that surrounds
this almost forgotten relic Of Minncsota.s
part In the greatest industrial exposition
the world has ever known, are making
an effort to reclaim it, and steps VIII in
all probability be taken to have the
state pay the storage. and use the glass
in some manner. 1t is centended that in
view of the fact that another million
dollars has been set aside for the further
completion and identifying of the state
capitol. some provision can surely be
made for the incorporation of the three
pieces Of glass into the new building.
That the glass has a value apart from
the sentiment that surrounds is. is shown
by the fact that parties representing
the S. e. Olson department store Of
Minneapolis, have heen in st. Paul with
view of purchasing it for use In the
ornamental entrance that will decorats
the building on the Nieollet ~avehue side.
The glass is now on exhibition IN the
storage rooms on Wabasha street, and
can be seen from the Eighth street
entrance.
nnTYH5uI1r rt1r $780,