Evening star., 1936-03-01

Inc WOTlQS COluINDlau EApooAIlOii,
held in Chicago in 1893, originated in a
movement just fifty years
ColuMplan ago to commemorate the
rxr.s;+;o, 500th anniversary of the
p''A''""' discovery of America by
a great fair to be located in Washington.
The Star of February 26, 1886, thus de-
scribes the initial proposal of this plan:
"A large diagram hanging upon the
wall of one of the parlors of Willard's S
Hotel last night showed how 1t is pro-
posed to utilize the Mall and adjoining
public grounds for the purposes OF a
grand international exposition to be held
in 1892 to commemorate the discovery OF
America by Columbus. Points were in
dicated where buildings should be placed
along the Mall in the Smithsonian. Agri-
cultural and Monument Grounds and
White Lot The meeting was held in
this parlor last evening in response to a
circular sent out to number of citizens
for the purpose of perfecting a perma-
nent promoting organization. There
were about forty gentlemen present. Mr..
Hallet Kilbourn called the meeting to
order and upon his nomination Com
missioner Webb was chosen chairman.
Mr.. A. D. Anderson was elected secretary.
"Mr. Kilbourn stated the objects of
the meeting to be to consider the PROPOSE
ton of establishing a permanent eXposi-
ton here under the auspices of the gen.
eral Government and spoke of the ad-
vantages enjoyed by Washington as the
location of such an exposition. His idea
was to urge Congress to establish per-
manent exposition here, to be opened in
1887, to celebrate the Tooth anniversary
of the adoption of the Constitution. Such
an exhibition could be easily enlarged
into a grand international exposition in
1892.
"Mr. A. D. Anderson, who was con-
nected actively with the New Orleans
exposition, read statement. He said
that the subject had already been care
fully considered by st. Louis, Chicago.
New York and the City of Mexico. It
was evident that great world fairs could
not be successfully held in four American
cities at the same time. In this connec-
ton the mind naturally turned to Wash
ington, the Capital of the United States.
The chief advantage of this city, he said.
is it's park or Government reservation.
extending from the Capitol to the Ma
tional Observatory, and including the
Potomac fats, soon to be reclaimed and
beautifed. Situated as it is in the heart
of the city and within a few steps OF
Pennsylvania avenue and the principal
hotels, it has great advantage for ex-
position purposes over the parks of other
cities, located, as they frequently are.
five or six miles out in the suburbs.
"He sketched briefly a plan for the
erection of buildings by the United States
Government and other American gov
ernments in these public grounds. On
the reclaimed fats, he said, would be
ample room for an American geological
garden. The plan, he said, should be
consummated in 1892, when the Prest-
dent of the United States, the Presidents
Of the fifteen Spanish-American Repub-
lies, the Emperor of Brazil, the King OF
Italy, where Columbus was born, and the
King of Spain, from which country he
sailed, should unite in unveiling colossal
statue of the illustrious discoverer OF
America, which should be located in the
center of the permanent exposition
grounds of the three Americas at Wash
ington.
"A resolution was adopted directing
the chair to appoint committee OF
twenty -one citizens of the District to
consider plan of operations and report
at future meeting, the committee to
be announced hereafter"