President, Mrs. Potter Palmer; First Vice President, Mrs. Ralph Trautmann; Second Vice President, Mrs. E. C. Burleigh; Third Vice President, Mrs. Charles Price; Fourth Vice President, Miss K. L. Minor; Fifth Vice President, Mrs. Beriah Wilkins; Sixth Vice President, Mrs S. R. Ashley; Seventh Vice President, Mrs. F. B. Ginty; Eighth Vice President, Mrs. M. B. Salisbury; Vice President at Large, Mrs. R. D. Harrison; Secretary, Mrs. Susan G. Cooke.
There is also a body known as The World’s Congress Auxiliary, which is an organization authorized and supported by the Exposition corporation for the purpose of bringing to Chicago a series of world’s conventions of leaders in the various departments of human progress during the Exposition season of 1893. The auxiliary has also been recognized by the Government of the United States as the appropriate agency to conduct this important work. Its general announcement has been sent to foreign governments by the department of State, and an appropriation for its expenses has been made by act of Congress.
The Auxiliary consist of an active membership of persons residing in Chicago or sufficiently near to attend committee meetings without inconvenience and a nonresident membership divided into advisory councils of the different departments of progress and honorary and corresponding members. Each committee has its own advisory council, composed of eminent leaders of the world in the department to which it relates. Honorary and corresponding members are persons not assigned to a particular department, but whose prominence and influence make their aid and co-operation desirable.
The officers of the Auxiliary are:
President, Hon. Charles C. Bonney; Vice President, Hon. Thos. B. Bryan; Treasurer, Hon. Lyman J. Gage; Secretary, Hon. Benjamin Butterworth. There is also a President of the Woman’s Branch of the Auxiliary, Mrs. Potter Palmer, and a Vice President, Mrs. Charles Henrotin.
The dimensions and costs of the various buildings are shown complete in the following table:
| BUILDINGS. | Dimensions in feet. | Area acres. | Cost. | |||
| Mines and Mining | 350 | x | 700 | 5.6 | $ 260.000 | |
| Manufactures and Liberal Arts | 787 | x | 1687 | 30.5 | 1.100.000 | |
| Horticulture | 250 | x | 1000 | 5.8 | 300.000 | |
| Electricity | 345 | x | 700 | 5.5 | 375.000 | |
| Woman’s | 200 | x | 400 | 1.8 | 120.000 | |
| Transportation | 250 | x | 960 | 5.5 | 280.000 | |
| Administration | 260 | x | 260 | 1.6 | 450.000 | |
| Fish and Fisheries | 163 | x | 363 | 1.4 | } | 200.000 |
| Annexes (2) | 135 | diam. | .8 | |||
| Agriculture | 500 | x | 800 | 9.2 | 540.000 | |
| Annex | 328 | x | 500 | 3.8 | } | 200.000 |
| Assembly hall, etc | 450 | x | 500 | 5.2 | ||
| Machinery | 500 | x | 850 | 9.8 | } | 1.200.000 |
| Annex | 490 | x | 551 | 6.2 | ||
| Power House | 80 | x | 600 | 1.1 | ||
| Fine Arts | 320 | x | 500 | 3.7 | } | 500.000 |
| Annexes (2) | 120 | x | 200 | 1.1 | ||
| Forestry | 200 | x | 500 | 2.3 | 100.000 | |
| Saw-Mill | 125 | x | 300 | .9 | 35.000 | |
| Dairy | 95 | x | 200 | .5 | 30.000 | |
| Live Stock (3) | 65 | x | 200 | .9 | } | 150.000 |
| Live Stock Sheds | 40.0 | |||||
| Casino | 175 | x | 300 | 1.2 | 150.000 | |
| Total | 144.4 | $5.990.000 | ||||
| United States Government | 350 | x | 420 | 3.4 | 400.000 | |
| Battle Ship | 348 | x | 69.25 | .3 | 100.000 | |
| Illinois State | 160 | x | 450 | 1.7 | 250.000 | |
| State Annexes (2) | .3 | |||||
| Grand Total | 150.1 | $6.740.000 | ||||
The first two of these are erected by the United States Government, and the third by the State of Illinois. They will form a striking portion of the group of buildings surrounding the lagoons. In addition to these buildings at the north end of the Park, buildings will be erected that are to be devoted to individual States and the foreign Governments structures, probably one hundred in all. The latter will surround the gallery of fine arts at the north end of the lagoon. On the Midway Plaisance the visitor will find special features, such as the bazaar of all Nations, the street of Cairo, the Constantinople Street, the Japanese village, the German village, etc.
Among the various buildings in a more or less advanced state of construction, the Administration Building at once challenges attention, being regarded as the finest. It stands at the west end of the great court in the southern part of the site, facing eastward, the transportation facilities and depots being immediately in its rear. The Administration Building cost $450,000, and its lofty dome is observable from all parts of the grounds. It consists of four pavilions, each eighty-four feet square, one at each of the four angles of the square and connected by the central dome, which is 120 feet in diameter and 220 feet in height. The design of this building is after the French renaissance, the first story being on the Doric order of architecture of heroical proportions, the tiers of each pavilion being ornamented with fine sculptures. On the second story the Ionic style prevails. There are four great entrances fifty feet wide and fifty feet high, covered with huge arched vaults. Above the entrance doors are enormous screens of glass, through which light is given to the central rotunda. Galleries connect between the different pavilions. The internal features of the building are even more magnificent. Between every two of the grand entrances is a hall thirty feet square, giving access to the offices. The rotunda is octagonally formed, the first story consisting of eight great arched openings, corresponding in size to the arches at the entrance. The second story, fifty feet in height rises above the balcony, and from this rises the interior dome, 200 feet from the floor, in the center of which is an opening fifty feet in diameter and through which light falls from the exterior dome overhead. The interior of the dome is richly paneled and moulded, the panels being ornamented with sculpture and paintings of numerous size and splendid design. The corner pavilions are divided into offices for the administration, lobbies and toilet rooms. The fire and police departments are located on the ground floor. In the second pavilion are the ambulance offices and other departments; in the third, a bank and post office; in the fourth, a restaurant.
Next in magnitude to the Administration Building, perhaps, is the Transportation Building, which is one of a group of edifices forming the northern architectural court of the Exposition. It is situated between the horticultural and mines buildings, facing eastward and commanding a view of the floral island and part of the lagoon. The building is simple in its outlines, but rich and elaborate in detail. The cupola of the Transportation Building, reached by eight elevators, commands a most beautiful view of the entire exterior Exposition. The main entrance is in the form of a single arch, richly carved and decorated with bas reliefs and mural paintings. The main part of the building is composed of a continuous arcade in which numerous minor entrances are pierced, while almost at every place are grouped terraces, drinking fountains, statues, etc. The main part of the building is 960 feet front by 250 feet deep, from which extend a huge annex one story in height, covering about nine acres. In the annex, the more bulky exhibits are to be found. Along the central avenues scores of locomotive engines will be found, highly polished and greatly adding to the grandeur of the effect. In this building will be found exhibits of everything connected with transportation, from a carrier pigeon to a traction engine.