The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-09-02
WHAT IS LEFT OF CHICAGO FAIR


 WHAT IS LEFT OF CHICAGO FAIR.
 Apropes of the park talk, it has been
 rather amusing to have some of our treasures left over from the Worlds
 Fair brought into noice again by the Commissioners in connection with their
 possible sale. z...-.. =
 That poor old statue of Columbus, which many of us thought was orna- menting some rural park, it seems, has
 been reposing on the rubbish heap all
 these years in Washington Park. It
 was proposed this year by the Com l missioners to have a ''rummage sale"
 and to offer to the unuspecting public
 bargains in Ferris wheels, Columbus
 statue and Spanish carvels. The Ferris
 wheel, which for several years past has
 been losing money for its owners in a small beer-garden on the north side, was first; to accomplish a sale, and
 was knocked down under the auction
 eer's hammer to the highest bidder for
 $1S00. This is rather low figure, when
 one remembers that the original cost of
 the wheel was $32,OOO, and a trifie dis
 couraging. too. when you are told that there are. 100000 of bonds outstanding against it. and a further indebtedness of $1OO,000. Thus is this marvel of en-
 gineering skill destined to become old junk in the hands of it's new purchasers. | It has not been reported that the bronze expanse of poor old Columbus had proved attractive to any one, and pub l lie sentiment drew the hammer away
 from the carvels before 1t was too late to save these picturesque objects for the lagoon where they lie. When the cara vals were given to the park a certain
 sum of money went with them from the government, if our memory serves us
 correctly, to keep them in order. Whether this money has ever been ex- pended it is hard to tell, but certainly | they are in a very dilapidated condition at present and a menace to every one who goes near thern. Yet with 1t all they are by far the most picturesque objetcs in the park. Seen at sunset on | the lagoon they are beautiful, and it seems a pity they should have been allowed to fall into the state of decay in which they now are. The picturesque sails have been used to cover the little Japanese houses. which were left from the fair on the Wooded Island. Jack
 son Park is not as yet d beautiful park Its tres are small, it's spaces large, generous. and sweeping. but with no striking objects of interest to hold ones lattention. The impression of the park | is that of an excellent low-toned back
 ground. which. to have any value, needs some highly coiored or char llacteristic objects in the ground. Just such objetcs exist in the German builds | ing, the little Japanese buildings on the Wooded Island. and the Spanish cara wells, and that any of them should have been allowed to fall into state of dila- pidation is more than a pity. Why the caravels are worth more to Jackson
 Park than fourteen cages of wild ani- nials, but should such a gift have been
 made, no doubt it would have been
 kept up to the last notch. In view of such sentiments as these, the Park Commissioners withdrew their
 offer of sale, but that the poor old ships are to be better cared for in the future remains yet to be seen. When the question of selling the vessels came up, numerous quaint belongings pertaining
 to them were brought to light. Twenty very decorative flags were discoverd, six large and two small cannon, chain
 powder flasks, stone cannon balls, shields, and arquebuses. Had the good condition of the caravels been main- tained. these articles would have made the old ships doubly interesting.
 Another subject which brings up men,
 ories of the Worlds Fair days is the
 scheme for placing one of the movable sidewalks, such as was located on the long pier in 1893, in subway under the
 main business streets. A company under the name of Multiple Speed and
 Traction Company of Chicago is now
 working for a franchise with the City
 Council. As those who were at the
 Columbian Fair will remember, the movable sidewalk consisted of three platforms moving at different rates of speed. From these graded platforms
 passengers could step till they reached the last one, which went at the fastest rate iof speed, on which there were seats. It certainly would be novelty in the transportation line. As yet it is only scheme in the minds of the pro- moters, and in the minds of other peo- pie liable to remain so, though 1t certainly has some good points, American Architect, a..