Ferris, himself fed up with construction delays and Burnham's pestering, had told Gronau to turn the wheel or tear it off the tower.
In "The Devil in the White City," Erik Larson explores the tensions surrounding the construction of the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago. Ferris, frustrated with the continual delays and pressure from Burnham, decides to take decisive action. He instructs Gronau to either make progress by turning the wheel or to remove it entirely, reflecting his desperation to push the project forward.
This moment encapsulates the intense competition and challenges faced by the fair's builders and visionaries. Ferris's choice illustrates the lengths individuals went to maintain momentum in a colossal undertaking, highlighting the broader themes of ambition and adversity in the book.
