People's Pilot, Volume 3, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 November 1893 — FADING GLORY. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

FADING GLORY.

Splendors of the World’s Fair Tumbling Into Dust. Buildings of th* Whit* City Being DeThe Prospective Columbian Museum—A Grand Woman's Work. Chicago Correspondence., From the present aspect of affairs at Jackson park it would hardly seem possible that so short a time had elapsed since the place was teeming with the people of all lands. There is a tinge of sadness in the air as we view the crumbling glories of the most wonderful city ever erected by human hands. In place of the surging masses eagerly intent upon the accumulated wonders of the entire world we now behold only an occasional wanderer amidst the rapidly vanishing splendors of the White City. The edict that was sent forth from the Administration building on the last day of the fair was imperative, and no sooner had it been circulated than disintegration immediately ensued. On

•very hand the men are now as busily engaged in tearing down as they were but a few months ago in building up the fair. From every portion of the grounds comes the sound of hammer and saw aijd along the smoothly paved avenues, which so recently resounded to the footfalls of countless thor.aands of eager sight-seers, tracks are laid, trains loaded with exhibits are being moved from the buildings. It was thought that some time would elapse before the general breaking-up would take place, but the rapidity with which exhibitors got their effects together was something bordering on the marvelous. Within twenty-four hours after the official ending of the fair foreign exhibits in all the fair buildings were being bundled into boxes and carted away, to be speedily shipped back to the distant countries from which they came. Articles that had been sold during the fair were hurriedly claimed

by their purchasers, and impromptu sales and auctions were the general order for several days or until terminated by the advance of destroying wreckers. There was a determined effort on the part of Midway concessionaires to continue their entertainments a few days longer, but the fair officials were immovable, and the foreigners who had reaped so rich a harvest in American coin from their innumerable schemes were compelled to shut up shop, and, like the Arabs of ancient story, folded up their tents and silently stole away. The rapidity with which the work of demolition is being carried on will insure the speedy clearing of the grounds and a marked change in the appearance of the park. Where, during the summer just past, has reared aloft the snowy structures of the magic city of white ere winter is again fully upon us will be naught but heaps of wreck

and rubbish, and the vanished splendor of our great Columbian year will be like a tale that is told and a dream that is past. We hope, however, to perpetuate somewhat of the glory of our great exposition in the permanent institutions which are in a fair way to become established; in the Columbian museum, for instance, which it is believed will soon take substantial shape. Within a few days past a magnificent donation for such purpose has been made by Marshall Field, Chicago’s leading dry goods merchant, the same be ing one million dollars, its payment mad# conditional upon the subscription of *• sum sufficient to carry out the project in a manner becoming so great an enterprise. This was speedily followed by a promise of two hundred thousand dollars by George M. Pullman, of parlor-car fame. Other Chicago capitalists are in line with the project •and it is safe to predict that at an early day the Chicago Columbian museum will become an assured thing. Numerous collections of historic .relics and curios have ueen already of-

feted and valuable relies of the different shows of the Midway Plaisance have been secured for the prospective museum, among them being the queer musical instruments of the Javanese, which are especially prized on account of their being the property of the sultan of Solo and the only instruments of the kind ever sent out from the island of Java. The plan for the new museum is to reconstruct the Art palace on the city lake front near the Art institute in a somewhat modified form, where it will Be equally accessible to the whole city and most centrally located, and into it is to be gathered all objects of interest which have occupied prominent places in the Columbian exposition. The amount required for the proper establishment of this museum will be in the neighborhood of five million dollars. It is thought that with Mr. Field’s one million and other subscriptions amounting to nearly half a million there will be no trouble in raising the necessary amount. World’s fair stock to the extent of fourteen hundred and thirty-thirty-seven shares has also been donated to the enterprise, and it is thought that two million dollars will be realized in this way. Such being the facts the prospects for a magnificent museum look exceedingly rosy. There is another proposition before the people of Chicago, made by Potter Palmer, of hotel fame, which looks to the erection of a woman's memorial building on the lake front, for the purpose of commemorating the great work done by women at the world’s fair. Mr. Palmer has expressed his willingness to subscribe two hundred thousand dollars to such an enterprise. The proposition is very favorably received by all, in view of the untiring efforts of Mrs. Palmer to make the whole fair a success. Buch a building would serve as a memorial of one of the grandest women of our times, for such Mrs. Potter Palmer undoubtedly is. Grand in her ability as a leader of women and serenely grand and gracious in her elevated station in life. The proposition of Mr. Palmer will undoubtedly receive the hearty support of the women who have played such an important part in the building up of many of our charitable and reformatory institutions and who are so earn estly devoted to the furtherance of our city’s welfare. In regard to the attendance at the world’s fair the latest, figuses, which are revised and final, place the total of paid admissions at 21,479,001. The total number of passes was 6,059,380, making a grand total of per-

sons who passed through the turnstiles of the great fair. From the latest returns we also learn that the subscribers to world’s fair stock in Chicago will receive ten cents on the dollar, after the necessary ex penses of clearing the fair grounds are defrayed.

MARSHALL FIELD.

THE ART PALACE.

MRS. POTTER PALMER.