Gone to the Fair
“I believe it is the greatest thing of its kind which has ever been attempted. It will be a valuable thing as an educator of the people. Everyone who could possibly do so should visit the Fair.” –Gen. Russell A. Alger, April 30, 1893
When the World’s Columbian Exposition aka the Chicago World’s Fair opened to the public May 1, 1893, there was enormous anticipation and excitement, as there was before each Exposition. This Expo was to celebrate the 400th Anniversary of Christopher Columbus discovering the New World. The only previous American effort was the Centennial International Exhibition held in Philadelphia in 1876, a fan favorite but huge money loser.
The purpose of the Expositions was to showcase the various states’ and countries’ products, natural resources, and assets. The idea of opening up new channels of commerce and tourism were of paramount appeal, while also educating visitors about the regions’ main attractions. Collectively, new inventions, discoveries, and styles of architecture from around the world were also featured. Numerous new products and trends made their debuts at the Expos.
The Statue of The Republic is a sculpture in Illinois by Daniel Chester French. The original statue was a centerpiece of the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893.
The Chicago World’s Fair was important to showcase the rebirth of the city following the disastrous Great Fire of 1871. The planned space was wide open, not condensed as with other Fairs, so spacious lagoons, canals, and gardens could be laid out around the sprawling individual structures being erected; state and national pride dictated the fanciful architecture of each. Chicago earned its nickname “White City” because of the painted white “staff” – a hard plaster of Paris concoction – the dazzling neoclassical buildings were constructed of.
Visitors couldn’t believe their eyes when the gates opened that May as they took in the Fair and all its attendant sights. Magnificent, gleaming structures and near palaces of every description; fabulous fountains; life-size reproductions of Columbus’ three ships plus a Viking ship; spectacular works of art; a full carnival midway; and hundreds of life-size statues, dwarfed by the 65-foot-tall statue of The Republic, which stood in the Great Basin before the Court of Honor. And to think all of this was built to last only six months, the duration of the Exposition!
Once the sun began to set, the main switch was thrown bathing the spectacle in millions of electric lights, compliments of Nikola Tesla’s ingenuity. Visitors had never seen anything like it.
General Russell Alger had been asked to speak over the course of the Fair several times, including before the opening to the general public. He was so amazed with what he witnessed each time, he thought it a superb learning opportunity for every American. He encouraged everyone to visit Chicago while the Expo was on, and to plan on spending several days to visit the various buildings to learn about different cultures and regional products, and to take in all of the new inventions, foods, and discoveries offered in the main exhibition buildings.
On November 2, the General arranged for 14 private railroad cars to carry between 600-700 of Detroit’s poor Newsboys plus their band to the Exposition, all expenses paid. Divided into 12 groups, each had a chaperone to look after them and guide them. A few members of the Alger family who were chaperoning plus the directors of the Detroit Newsboys’ Association rode in Gen. Alger’s private rail car, the Michigan. Once in Chicago, President Palmer of the Expo’s national commission also looked after the lads.
At the appointed meeting time, the boys marched several blocks from their headquarters to the old Michigan Central Depot chanting their familiar, “What’s the matter with Alger? He’s all right!” They were all fed then embarked on their big adventure.
First, they were taken to ride on the amazing new invention of engineer George W. Ferris: a 250’ diameter wheel that rotated 36 cages holding 60 people each. It was a massive success with the kids as it was with Expo visitors. They ran through the midway and were directed through various buildings with more kid-friendly offerings. They saw the aquarium and checked out the many statues and art. At dusk, they started back to the waiting train cars and another meal, sad their once-in-a-lifetime adventure was coming to an end.
That is, all but two boys.
“Jeems” Harrison and Chick Bowles were still lingering at the battleship Illinois when they saw their train leave without them. This would have been disastrous if the Fair was still open to the general public. But Alger had arranged for special access for the Newsboys so they wouldn’t have to contend with the mass of visitors and could be easily “cat-herded” for safety purposes. The two boys grabbed a street car to downtown Chicago as the buildings were now closed at the site. They asked the conductor where Harlow Higinbotham lived, the President of the World’s Fair. The conductor reportedly told them, but the kids got lost in the unfamiliar city. Eventually they wandered into a butcher shop and asked the same question. This time, the kids safely found Higinbotham’s home and recounted their incredible tale to him. He fed the kids, put them to bed, and contacted Gen. Alger advising him he was putting them onto the next Detroit-bound train.
The next day he got a telegram back from Alger advising, “Shipment received.”
To view a video of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair, click here.