The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1937-01-29
Nations Of World
Allot Year 1899
! To New York Fair
World Exposition Already
Growing Up; Seeks Active
Participation of State

In the nation must inevitably take small
or prominent part. is out Of its infancy
Preparatory construction goes on night
and day at the Flushing Meadow Site
of 1854 acres at the geographical CEN
tire of New York City A steady flow OF
activities and announcements emanates
from the Fair Corporation headquarters
on four floors of the Empire State build
ing. Judging from Ill of these. the Fair IS
6 lusry growing institution that Will
reach full maturity-no question about
it-by the scheduled opening day. April
80. 1899
The task of grading the site is about
half completed. Battalions of men with
trucks have already moved over 3O00.-
600 cubic yards of dry fill in the process
OF turning the waste marsh lands of the
Flushing River basin into park ground.
Other battalions are scooping out mead
ow mat" for use IS fertile top soil for
the made lands. and in so doing excavate
the beds for the two large lagoons fea-
tured in plans for the Fair.
The first Of the 300 structures which.
according to estimates. will house the
1899 Fair. has been completed and is
rad, for occupancy. This is the head
quarters building for the field forces OF
today and the employment department
of the exposition period.
Scheduled for early in the new year
is the start of actual construction of the
5000. 900 Administration building. The de-
signs for this structure. let under ar
chitectural contract few weeks ago. are
nearing the day of their approval in the
Corporations offices. Upon completion
of this building. late in August. 1887. the
Fair headquarters, bag. baggage and sales
offices. moves to the exposition site.
1.-THE most splendid and significant edi-
fee projected for the 1889 international
exposition" the Theme building, as de-
scribed at Fair headquarters, is also well
along in its contractual period. The esti-
mated cost of this great building for the
'"Thematic Centre" of the exposition is
set at 81 100000 The preliminary designs
are to be finished in about eight weeks
and the final plans submitted within four
weeks thereafter Construction is sched-
uled to start Immediately the designs
are completed.
From this Theme centre will radiate
all that is to be the 1889 Fair as con-
CGlNGu ny It's lOuilOCIS dllA ACIluCl GU iiibo
concrete Technology and model by the
Fairs Board of Design.
"Our job from now on is to give phys
zeal expression to the plan and theme
of the Fair as announced and as set down
on paper in our headquarters, says
Grover Whalen. President of the Fair
Corporation.
Starting next April l, we plan to COM
plete the design of one major building
every ten days for period of seven
months In all, we expect to design no
less than 80 major buildings to house the
exhibits from every part of the world
Some 300 structures. in all. are planned
for the Flushing Meadow site. within q
few minutes ride from Manhattan"
Without solicitation on the part of the
Fair, more than $50 American business
house and institutions nave begun pre-
liminary conversations regarding their
participation and are already planning
exhibits Five of the great nations of the
world have already assured the Corpora
ton that they would erect their own
buildings, while no less than 80 other ma
lions have informally indicated their
desire to participate.
And then. on top of all Chis display Of
keen interest, comes the announcement
that the international Convention Bu-
reau, meeting in Paris, has allocated the
year 1889 to the New York Fair This
means that the New York Fair has ex-
elusive ranking as the "one international
exposition" of 1899, and assures it of the
active support of the 81 nations signing
the agreement
President Roosevelt has just extended
official invitation to the nations of the
world Governor Herbert H. Lehman, of
the host State of New York. has extend
ed invitation to the governors and resi-
dents of At states Grover Whalen. like
wise, has invited the governors in let
ter pointing out that "the commercial
consequences of the New York Worlds
Fair are so great and important that they
alone would justify the active participa-
ton Of every state"
Fair Commissioners are already In
South America and Europe. Still others
are on their way to the Far East and
other foreign shores. Major Dennis E.
Nolan. retired. as head Of the Depart
ment OF Foreign, State and Municipal
Participation. will himself make repre-
sentation to the governors and legisla-
lures Of the various states.
Meanwhile. under the direction of Har-
vey D. Gibson, President Of the Manu-
facturers Trust Company, and Richard
Whitney, former president of the New
York Stock Exchange. the prominent fig
ures in the financial capital conducted
q 28-day campaign to sell $27.829,5 500 in
debenture bonds Of the Fair to finance
the construction period
Every confidence is being expressed
that the Fair not only will "pay its way"
but that it will bring a billion dollars
more of revenue into Greater New York
and stimulate American industry in gen.
eral to an extent many fold that amount.
The total cost of producing New York's
Fair, including collateral improvements,
ID set at $125.00C. 000 Statisticians esti.
mate that the attendance will total more
than 100000 persons
The City of New York, the State Of
New York, and the Government Of the
United States. according to expectations,
will account for $35.000,000 Of the total
expenditures and thus lend an official
backing never before achieved.