“The Act of Congress authorizing the Fair was approved April 25, 1890. This was followed by the President’s Proclamation, inviting all nations to participate, which was issued December 24, 1890. The World’s Fair Grounds were dedicated October 21, 1892. Preceding the opening of the Fair, May 1, 1893, was the grand Naval Review in New York Harbor, April 26, 27, 28, 1893.”
“How about the appropriations, friend Bonney? Where did the money come from?”
[Illustration: STATUE OF THE REPUBLIC AND MANUFACTURES BUILDING.]
“From various sources. The States and territories appropriated nearly $5,000,000, and foreign countries nearly $6,000,000. The capital stock amounts to $5,000,000, the City of Chicago Bonds to $5,000,000, the Souvenir half-dollars (appropriated by Congress), to $2,500,000, and the Debenture Bonds to $4,000,000.”
“What is the total value of the exhibits?”
“The total estimated expense is $21,250,000.”
“It is expected that there will be about 20,000,000 visitors.”
“The gate receipts from them would amount to $10,000,000. How much ground does the Fair cover?”
“The total number of acres in the Exposition Grounds is 633, of which Jackson Park occupies 553 acres, the Midway Plaisance, 80, the space available for buildings, 556, and the Interior Waterways (61 acres) and Wooded Island, 77.”
“Now I wish to know something about the size of the different buildings. Which is the largest one?”
“The Manufactures Building is the largest. It is 1,687 feet long, and 787 feet wide, covering 44 acres of floor. Its cost was $1,600,750. Of the other buildings, the Stock Sheds cover 25 acres, the Machinery Building and Annex, 23.2 acres, the Agricultural Building and Annex, 19 acres, the Transportation Building, 17.9 acres, the Electricity Building, 9.3 acres, the Building of Mines, 8.5 acres, and the Building of Horticulture, 8 acres. The total number of acres covered by buildings is 240.”
“Twelve million two hundred and sixty-seven thousand dollars.”
“How many other World’s Fairs have been held, and where?”
“Between the years 1851 and 1889, eight World’s Fairs were held,—two of them in London, four in Paris, one in Vienna, and one in Philadelphia.”
“How does the size of the grounds here compare with those of the other World’s Fairs, Judge Bonney?”