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Chicago Post Aug 12/93

WORLD'S FAIR AND WAIFS.
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How the Children Had a Big Day in Spite of the Exposition's Stinginess.

CHICAGO, Aug. 12,--Editor of The Evening Post: Early in July Taylor E. Daniels, superintendent of the Waifs' Mission, conceived the idea of giving the children under his charge, as well as many other needy and helpless ones, a day's recreastion and picnic, and to that end began to seek the best location for such purpose. Many suggested to Mr. Daniels that of all places to take his waifs for a day's pleasure the world's fair was the best, as the little ones would see there that which would never come here to be seen again. Mr. Daniels, agreeing with these suggestions; at once opened correspondence with the world's fair management to secure for his charge and other poor and helpless little ones, free of expense, admittance to the fair grounds for one day, that they might see and learn things that they would remember during their lives.

Expecting, of course, a favorable reply to his request, he made all the necessary preparations for the day's enjoyment whenever the same should be designated. In the meantime the Illinois Central Railroad Company had proposed to carry the children to the fair and return free of charge. But judge of the surprise of Superintendent Daniels at receiving a letter from the president of the world's fair directory under date of July 22 declining to admit the Waifs' Mission to the grounds of the world's fair free of charge. This reply was a stunner to Mr. Daniels, and what to do then in order to carry out the object of the picnic for the little homeless ones was uppermost in the mind of the superintendent when one of his assistants suggested that he would at once see Colonel W. F. Cody, of the Wild West Show, in regard to the day off for the children, and to this end Colonel Cody was waited upon at the grounds of his show at Sixty-third street. This was on July 23, the date of the receipt of the letter, and when the colonel heard of the refusal of the world's fair to entertain the city's orphans and waifs he at once said: "Yes, my show is open for the entertainment of your mission. Let the little ones come to the extent of 20,000, the children shall have the best I have; bring them on, my show is free to them; they shall have every benefit within my power to bestow while they are under the canvas of my show." The day was then agreed upon and July 27 was the time. J. Irving Pearce, of the Sherman Honse, furnished the ground adjoining the Wild West Show for the picnic and Superintendent Daniels provided a splendid lunch, including nut, fruits, candies and indeed everyting necessary for a real feast for the children who were to partake of the pleasures of that day's picnic.

The day came and with it the children, the Illinois Central bringing them to the Sixty-third street depot, which is opposite the Wild West show. Who the children were and where they came from Mr. Daniels may tell in his own way. Here it is:

"From 7,000 to 8,000 children is a conservative estimate. They came from the following localities: River district, North Side--Larrabee street and the poor regions parallel on both sides of the north branch, Chicago avenue and the eight or ten streets north and south of that artery. Milwaukee avenue district--Including the cross streets from Chicago avenue north to North avenue. Sweat-shop district, West Side--Halsted, Desplaines, Indiana and Green streets and all the sweat-shop district of Twenty-second street, etc., and all that poor district between Twelfth street and Twenty-second street. South Side, the levee district--Archer avenue, etc. Nationalities--American, German, Italian, Greek, Swede, Polish, Russian, Jewish and a few French from Blue Island avenue."

Thus it is shown that from seven thousand to eight thousand children were accorded the happiness of one bright and shiny day's pleasure, where they saw that which it falls to the lot of but few children in this country to see, Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. And while the world's fair management refused to admit free the city's waifs on that July 27, it did admit free to its grounds on that day 41,904, many of whom it is thought were abundantly able to have paid full admission fees and whose business did not call them there under a free-pass system. They entered the gates, however, free, while the poor and orphan children were denied that privilege, though they were the wards of the great City of Chicago, which had $5,000,000 invested inside the bounds of the white city, but inside the gates of which was denied them.

CHARLES C. P. HOLDEN.
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[Word?] Aug 12

It has been supposed by the general public that nothing could be added to the interest and attractiveness of Buffalo Bill's Wild West, but Col. Cody and Mr. Salsbury have all along had a novelty "up their sleeves" ready to sprin gon the public at the most opportune moment, and they consider next Wednesday, Aug. 16, as the accepted time. On that day without in the least curtailing their presetn elegant programme they will add to it a feature that will be one worthy the closest attention, and one of distinctive attractiveness, with specially painted and accurately correct scenic and other surroundings, a representation of the "Battle of the Little Big Horn; or, Custer's Last Charge," will be given in the immense arena, and many of the actual participants in that bloody fight will take part in the mimic representation to be presented at the Wild West.

Col. Cody was chief of scouts in that campaign and his knowledge of the subject, aided by Chief Rocky Bear, Painted Horse and Plenty Horses, now at the Wild West, as well as other participants in that American Thermopylae, have succeeded during the past few weeks of constant rehearsals in perfecting a representation that should startle the ordinary amusement seeker and should prove one of the most educative exhibitions ever offered to the people of any country.

Chicago Mail

SEVENTY YEARS OF THE FRONTIER
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History of Alexander Majors, Originator of the Pony Express.
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STORIES OF EARLY DAYS
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Freighting and Empire Making--Aubery's Great Trip--Buffalo Bill's Book.
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Two books lately printed should find place on the shelves of every American, more especially of every western American. It is not that the works are of singular literary merit, although neither lacks claims to value. One of these books is entitled "Seventy Years on the Frontier," being the memoirs of Alexander Majors of Denver. The other, under the title of "Buffalo Bill," was written by John M. Burke, or, if he can not be recognized under that style, Maj. Jack Burke.

These works are valuable contributions to the history of the west. They tell of the incidents of the settling of an empire, the everyday details of the life of those who blaze the way of civilization. They speak of a class of men fast being removed; the paladins of the prairies who will never be replaced. The frontiersman will presently live only in the memory of gray old men and will be seen only in base imitations on the sensational stage.

Ingraham Has Heard Both Songs.

Mr. Majors' book was edited by Col. Prentiss Ingraham. It was a happy collbora-

(IMAGE)
ALEXANDER MAJORS.

tion. Col. Ingraham himself has heard the music of the Comauche's yell and can tell the difference betwen the impatient soprano of a bullet on the wing and the pleasing pipe of the lute. Col. Ingraham has helped make history himself, as well as write it.

Forty years ago no man west o fthe Mississippi was better known than Alexander Majors. From the Big Muddy to the sun-kissed shores of the Pacific he was rated a square man and a brave one. He was a Christian and a temperance man. These qualities alone would mark him. One might be either and excite ntohing more than adverse criticism possibly, but the man who neither cursed his fellow-man or mules when fretful, nor drank with his friends when joyous, was esteemed an uncommon person--so much so that it required much force of character in the early days to carry around such a load of good habits and goodly principles without exciting invidious comment.

A Remarkable Record.

Yet Mr. Majors, frontiersman and freighters, the orginator of the pony express, the employer in his day of more killers than Sherman took with him to the sea, was never known to swear or drink whisky. To eastern folk it may seem that undue stress is laid on the possession of these virtues. To the man who traveled the west prior to ten years ago it is unnecessary to apologize for dwelling upon Mr. Majors' abstention from cordials and cursing.

Alexander Majors was born in Kentucky, Oct. 4, 1814. When 5 years old he was brought by his father with the rest of the family to Missouri. Missouri was largely settled by Kentuckians, which affords some reason for the bluff integrity of the men of the common wealth and the good looks and virtue of the women.

The Majors family crossed the Mississippi at St. Louis. Then, as now, a monopoly on the transportation across the stream existed. The predecessors of the bridge company which now sandbags travelers on the threshold of a great state were three Frenchmen.