Part three: it was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Alas, the great Windy City accomplished its goal. Through blood, sweat, and tears, Burnham and his army of architects erected the greatest fair known to mankind during the 19th century.
The big business, money crazed side of the Exposition was pleased, for all debts were paid off and the fair ended up being profitable. Chicago was not embarrassed on the financial aspect of the fair, despite spending double the amount that was allotted. However, as a result of the fair, one major pain in the sides of industrialists arose: organized labor unions. Samuel Gompers headed the most massive strikes against the merciless big business tycoons of America, and eventually spurred recently un employed workers to burn down the very fair they had toiled on for the past two years. So, as an overarching theme, good and bad came from the fair. Socially, and business wise as well.
Socially, the positives were immense during the construction and running of the Exposition. Thousands of people found decent paying jobs. Chicago elevated itself to more than a hog butchery. American pride in general swelled, for the fair was a national event. Fabulous new inventions were introduced. Men made honest profits. Olmstead (relatively) succeeded in spreading awareness about his nature based architecture. While the economy crashed around the nation, the fair, and anyone related to it, stayed afloat. Labor reforms were mandated. Women were empowered. The fair had many positives; however, the transition for the "white city" to the "black city" was drastic.
People wept during the closing of the fair. Beloved Mayor Harrison had just been murdered. The one source of light throughout the dark Gilded Age was about to be snuffed out forever.. The closing of the Exposition was a source of great calamity. Thousands of newly unemployed, starving workers joined the masses of already unemployed on the streets of Chicago. Harrison had tried to help the jobless souls out, but now he was dead. The spirit of Chicago was dead. Gone was that bright source of pride, and in came the ever clinging smog and debris. Violence and crime rose as the unemployed loitered the streets of Chicago. Strikes amassed throughout the nation. The economy continued its downward spiral. Most importantly, the darker side of the new industrial world settled in permanently. I think Pendergrast's and Holmes' lives are microcosms of America. I'll focus on Pendergrast. Initially, the deranged man was just like most immigrants, struggling to get out of the slums and low paying jobs. He was still living in the past, where the spoils system was relevant. Similarly, Americans, more specifically Chicagoans, were stuck in the naive world of pre industrial America. Everyone was trustworthy, and benign. Eventually Pendergrast goes even more mad, and becomes darker, more angry, more deranged. Similarly, Chicago descends into a darker realm. Crime rates skyrocket with the coming of the fair. Disappearances are normal. Eventually, Pendergrast loses it completely and commits murder, the darkest of all crimes. Likewise, Chicago enters the phase of the "black city".
Overall, part three was brilliant. The hard work of all men involved with the fair payed off, although not without casualties. Besides the laborers who died, Root passed away, Mayor Harrison was killed, and Olmstead's health further rescinded to constant pain. America triumphed, although not without casualties. The economy crashed, a darker society was born, and reforms were imminent. My one word the describe part three would be transition. For Chicago, the transition being from backwoods hog butchers, to the talk of the world, to the chaotic "black city."
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