Columbian Exposition.
Early in 1890 an act was passed by Congress, providing for an exhibition of arts. industries, manufactures, and products of the soil, mines, and sea in 1892. This exhibition was designed to be a commemoration and celebration of the 400th anniversary of the discovery of America by Columbus, and hence was designated “The World's [249] Columbian Exposition.” When the question of a site for the exposition came up for determination, the four cities, New York, Chicago, St. Louis, and Washingtion, were competitors, and on Feb. 24 Chicago, which had given a good guarantee of $10,000,000, was awarded that honor. Congress at once appropriated $1,500,000 towards providing for the successful management of the enterprise. A commission of two persons from each State and Territory was appointed by the President on the nomination of the governors, and also eight commissioners at large, and two from the District of Columbia, to constitute the World's Columbian Commission. It was directed that the buildings should be dedicated Oct. 12, 1892. The exposition was to be opened on May 1, 1893, and closed on the last Thursday of October in the same year. In connection with the exposition a naval review was directed to be held in New York Harbor in April, 1893, and the President was authorized to extend to foreign nations an invitation to send ships of war to join the United States navy at Hampton Roads and proceed thence to the review. The national commission being chosen, the President appointed ex-Senator Thomas W. Palmer, of Michigan, to be permanent chairman, and John T. Dickinson, of Texas, permanent secretary. Col. George R. Davis, of Illinois, was chosen director-general of the exposition. The ground selected in Chicago for the erection of the buildings included the commons known as Lake Front, consisting of 90 acres at the edge of the lake adjoining the business centre of the city, and Jackson Park, containing over 600 acres. All the great buildings, except the permanent art building, were to be erected in the park. The entire work of the exposition was divided into fifteen branches, each of which was placed under the control of a director of acknowledged ability and national fame. These branches included the Bureau of Agriculture, the Departments of Ethnology, Fish and Fisheries, Mines and Mining, Liberal Arts, Publicity and Promotion, Fine Arts, Machinery, Manufactures, Electricity, Horticulture, Floriculture and the Woman's Department, besides the Bureau of Transportation and the Department of Foreign Affairs. The total estimated expenditure for the fair was $26,000,000.The imposing naval parade in New York Harbor proved to be an event of surpassing interest. The fair was opened by President Cleveland; a poem, Prophecy, by William A. Croffut, was read, and the usual initiatory exercises occurred, but several weeks elapsed before all the exhibits were in place. Some special features of interest were the various congresses which assembled at Chicago. Aside from religious and educational reunions, there was a literary congress in July, which discussed copyright and general literature; the Jews, Roman Catholics, negroes, and engineers held special “congresses.” In the autumn a monster “parliament of religions” assembled, at which were present representatives of the leading Protestant denominations, as well as of the Roman Catholic and Greek Churches. Confucianism, Buddhism, the Brahmo Samaj, Judaism, Mohammedanism, Theosophy, and Shintoism.
The attendance, despite the business depression, was large from the United States, particularly from the West. The visit of Columbus's descendant, the Duke of Veragua, excited much popular interest, as did that of the Princess Eulalie of the Spanish royal family. Restorations of the caravels of Columbus followed his track across the Atlantic, and were conducted to Chicago by way of New York; another noteworthy restoration was the viking ship, which also made the journey to the fair. The question of the Sunday opening of the fair called forth considerable controversy, and reached the courts. As to the general character of the exposition proper, opinions have varied. No mention of the fair would be complete without a reference to several popular features—the gigantic Ferris wheel and the Midway Plaisance, with its various “villages,” Cairo street, etc. Two great fires-one in January, the other in June, 1894—swept away the great buildings, excepting the Fine Arts Building, which has been converted into the Field Columbian Museum, now amply endowed.
