SHOET SKETCH OF THE WORLD'S COLUMBIAN 



EXPOSITION. 



On January 24, 1890, the House of Representatives, by a majority 

 vote, designated Chicago as the place for holding the Columbian Expo- 

 sition. The final ballot stood: Chicagb, 157; New York, 107; St. 

 Louis, 25 ; Washington, 18. The bill, as finally amended, received the 

 approval of President Harrison April 28, 1890. Its full title reads : 

 "An Act to provide for celebrating the 400th anniversary of the dis- 

 covery of America by Christopher Columbus, by holding an interna- 

 tional exhibition of arts, industries, manufactures and the products of 

 the soil, mine and sea, in the city of Chicago, in the State of Illinois." 



On December 24, 1890, Chicago having compUed with all the con- 

 ditions nominated in the bill, President Harrison issued a proclamation 

 inviting the nations of the world to participate in the celebration. 



By provision of the act the buildings of the exposition were to be 

 dedicated October 12, 1892, afterwards changed to October 22, and 

 the exposition opened May 1, 1893, to continue till October 30, 1893. 



Articles imported for exhibition from foreign countries were admitted 

 free of duty, but, if afterwards sold for use in the United States, were 

 subject to payment of duties. The United States government was not 

 to use a sum in excess of $1,500,000 for its exhibit. A naval review 

 in New York Harbor (see page 70) was ordered for April, 1893. 



The Inteenational Expositions. 



* Approximate estimate by exposition authorities. 



Government. 



The government of the exposition was vested in two bodies : the 

 World's Columbian Commission and the World's Columbian Exposition. 



The World's Columbian Commission was composed of two commis- 

 sioners from each State and Territory, including the District of Col- 

 umbia, and eight commissioners-at-large. The State and territorial 



