River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1873-09-09
THE VIENNA EXHIBITION.
The American DEPARTING nt-FaiIures
Etc.

On entering the American Depart
ment at the exposition, one is at once
struck by the large quantity of space
occupied by our exhibitors. Roughly
speaking, | should say that we have
just three times the amount of space
necessary, and probably four times as
much as any other nation. From the
very beginning, we were quarreling
about space We were constantly ask
ing for more" and came near war
with England, because that country had
possession of certain amount of space
which we coveted. Thousands Of dol
lars have been spent in enlatging our
department, our annexes, and halls,
and one spot, covered in at
great expense, is now ly:
ing absolutely idle. 10 scatter articles
about over all creation is not only an
expensive operation, but great inius.
tice to visitors. In fact, our follies are
numerous, and can only indicate
them in few words in order to keep
my space for more profitable matters
but mtst say that whoever Is respon;
sible for these demands for space; and
for these vast arrangements for goods
which gould be bettet seen in one OF
the galleries, is morally accountable
to the American people for increditable
folly and for reckless extravaganza.
presume that several persons have
cried for more space" in succession,
nobody knowing just what was wanted
or just the proper thing to do.
FIGURES CONCERNING THE SHOW.
When speaking of the general finan-
cial condition of the exposition, ] in
tended to mention the reports in cir
culatidn here. about q probable con.
Migration, and which has already been
sent over by telegraph. How the report
first started is more than / can say, but
not n doubt can exist about the uneasy
feelings Of many exhibitors. The expo.
sition is not only losing operation in
itself, but all the, outside enterbrises
are losing also. The restaurants and
cafes, except those along the Prater
Alice, are universally empty, and thou
sands of napkins and white table-cloths
are only soiled by the dust.
When IL was found that, all the
petty little stands demanded prices
equal to the Trois Freres, every
body went to the latter place by prefer
ence, and now two or three really good
restaurants are taking nearly all the
custom. The prices are 80 exaggerated
that very few care to eat within the
grounds. In consequence, failures are
occurring every day, Tracy y JeWett,
the men who first made the charges
against the old commission, and upon
NH Aatn 40 10 -, Il
ington were based, have failed and ran
away. They leave large debts behind
them, and / am told owe one man
$4,000. they left their employees
here utterly destitute, and only d
moment ago / signed my name
to o subscription, list started among
the Americans for their relief, Kunes
american. Restaurant and Bar :"
has also failed, and has been turned
into an Austrian beer-shop, (although
the Stars and Stripes still float above
it., and II Is said that others here will
speedily follow suit When business
man has TO borrow $25, 600 to start an
establishment, and then, finds his ex
pehses about twice as much IA his re-
ceipts, it is very evident thai he will
continue only so long as his hope holds
out. The moment he finds that he
cannot pay expenses, much less inter
est on his capital, and replenish big
Atotk,, he is going to fail. The
important question is the man.
ner of getting out of business.
Some prefer to leave between two
days some prefer good incendiary.
Two or three fires have already set
people thinking upon this question,
and reflection has fed to some runiots'
Last night, when returning from the
"Volk's Garten," where Ed. Strauss,
ana two military panup nuu "gv.. nan
ing music for large brilliant assen1s
blage, | was startled by the alarm Of
fire in the direction of the Prater.
Engine htter engine rushed Ivy at q
gallop, blowing horn to clear thu
way, and ii was said that the whola
corps of firehien had been signallei td
the exposition. AT my hotel it was ru-
tnored the Weltanssteilung was not Oh
lire, but fired. The distinction will be
readily perceived. Taking cab went
to the spot, but was stopped at the en-
trance by Gordon Of police, and was
very soon blockaded in. After time
word came that it was not the exposl.
ton building that was on fire, but n
restaurant close by, that Of Elsass-
Lorraine. Getting back was difficulty,
for at the first cry of fire everybody
rushed TO the Prator, fcemingly with
the preconceiyed idea that the build
lug would be burnt sooner or later. and
that the hour might have then come
So far as the main building is con
cerned, the bare suspicion is a great
outrage, but fear that il can be truth.
fully said that nine tenths of those
who have established themselves around
II would like to see their build
ings well on fire. IL is a losing game
all round, and some way out must be
found. by their rapacity the Viennese
Killed the goose of the golden eggs al
once, and they can never do away with
the effects OF the newspaper reports
about their early greed. / NAV add
That the restaumteurs who made
charges against the old commission are
now making other charges. and | be-
heVe they have counted among their