Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-09-04
THE VIENNA EXHIBITION
The American Dep" Observation-Disclosures.
Etcs
We clip the following from recent
letter to the New York Times:


struck by tho large quantity Of snoc
occupied by our exhibitors. Rourhl,
speaking, l should say that wo hav
just three times the amount of spac
necessary, and probably four times a
much as any other nation. From tn
very beginning, VIC were Quarrclip,
about space. We were constantly ask
ing for = m0re," and came near n wo
with England, because that country hat
possession OF a certain amount of space
which we coveted. Thousands of dol
!ars have been spent in enlarging on
department., our anpexes, and halls
and one spot, covered in a
ing absolutely idle. To scatter articles
about over all creation is not only al
expensive operation, bat great injus
tice to visitors. IN fact, our follics ar,
numerous, and I can only indicsA
them in few words TN sarder3o laer
e wv apeceforS u,oreaplotitable 4laitert
II sste4 %ess ssy,tast xks{Efz ;lkl)G g3
TOT these vast arrangements for goods
which could be better seen in one Of
the galleries, is morally accountable
to heAmerioan people for incrollitable
folly and for reckless extravaganza.
presume that several persons have
cried for 'hnore space" in succession,
nobody knowing just what was wanted
or just the proper thing to do.
FIGURES CONCERNING THE SHOW.
Whenespeaking of the gepefal tinar.
cial condition of the exposition, L in
tended to mention the reports in cir
culation here about probable con.
fiagration, and which has already beer
sent over by telegraph. How the report
first started is more than can say, but
not doubt can exist about the uneasy
feelings of many exhibitors. 'The expo.
sition is not only losing operation in
itself, but all the outside enterprises
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 are only soiled BY the dust.
When it 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 so exaggerated
that very few care to eat within the
grounds. In consequence, failures are
occurring every day. Tracy & Jewett,
the men who first made the charges
against the old commission, and upon
whose statements the reports to Wash.
ington were based, have failed and ran
away. They leave large debts behind
them, aud I am told owe one man
$4,000. They left their employees
here utterly destitute, and only a
moment ago 1 signed my name
to a subscription list started among
the Americans for their relief. Kune's
"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 it 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.
penses about twice as much as his re-
ceipts, it is very evident that 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 his
stock, 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 led to some rumors.
Last night, when returning from the
"Volk's Garten," where Ed. Strauss,
and two military bands had been max
ing music for large brilliant assem-
blage, was startled by the alarm OF
fire in the direction of tho. Prater.
Engine after engine rushed by at a
gallop, blowing q horn to clear the
way, and it was said that the whole
corps of firemen had been signalled to
the exposition. At my hotel it was ru-
mored the Weltausste1lung was not on
fire, but fred. The distinction will be
readily perceived. Taking cab went
to the spot; but was stopped ut the en-
trance by Gordon of police, and was
very soon b]ockaded in. After a time
word came that it. was not the expos1.
ton building that was on. fire.. but a
restaurant close by, that of Elsass-
Lorraine. Getting back was difficulty,
for ut the first cry Of fire everybody
rushed to the Prater, reemingly with
the preconceived idea that the build.
ing 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 I fear that it can he truth.
fully said that nine tenths of those
who have established themselves around
it would like to see their build
ings well on fire. It is losing game
all round, and some way out must be
found. By their rapacity the Viennese
killed the goose of the golden eggs at
once, and they can never do away with
the effects OF the newspaper reports
about their early greed. L. may add
that the resteurateurs who made
charges against the old commission are
now making other charges, and 1 be-
lieve they have counted amoDg their
assets, or for all assets so far as
know, the sum of 8, 600 forms said to
have been paid Baron SchW artz upon
his personal and private demand. At
any rate, these two men have caused a
large amount of scandal here, and the
names of levitt and Tracy will not be
pleasantly recalled in the records of
Vienna.