Identifier: lifecharacterof00bake (find matches)
Title: Life and character of William Taylor Baker, president of the World's Columbian exposition and of the Chicago Board of trade
Year: 1908 (1900s)
Authors: Baker, Charles H. (Charles Hinckley), b. 1864
Subjects: Baker, William Taylor, 1841-1903 Electric power-plants
Publisher: New York, The Premier press
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
r to give the fair groundsa picturesqueness which they otherwise would nothave had. Then Chicagos dream began to become areality, and the exposition finally loomed up in all itsartistic, enchanting and grand proportions as a newlandscape, and a new city began to take completedform there out of the original prairie waste. It isnow but a memory of a beautiful vision beside theLake. Then came the question of the exhibits to be in-stalled within the several palaces which had been pre-pared for their reception. The entire world was can-vassed for this purpose by emissaries sent out on atour of the different countries for the purpose ofinteresting them to their advantage in participatingin the great work. All this met with flattering suc-cess, and the nations came as with one accord to dis-play the best results of their individual civilizations.Then the gates were opened and the people came inarmies from all over the world, and although thecountry was in a state of panic and hard times, yet
Text Appearing After Image:
a 3 ^u WORLDS COLUMBIAN EXPOSITION 161 the attendance was extraordinarily large. Some ofthe single days attendance were record breakers, suchas Chicago Day which brought three-quarters of amillion people to the fair grounds. It is evidentenough without emphasizing the fact, that to accom-plish all this meant an organization equal in abilityand effectiveness to any in the land, and the fact thatFather presided over it in a manner entirely to hiscredit, and to the satisfaction of the directors and thecitizens of Chicago, is a source of great pride andsatisfaction to his friends and to those who are relatedto him. The Fair was dedicated October 23, 1892, by theVice-President of the United States. It was openedto the public on May 1, 1893, by President Cleveland,which act was signalized by the simultaneous unfurl-ing of the flags of all nations, the starting of the elec-tric fountains, the dazzle of electric lights, and theunveiling of the statue of the Republic. The total costof the fair

Note About Images