New-York tribune., 1885-02-08
THE FAIR BADLY MANAGED.
HAS THE PUBLIC MONEY BEEN wAsTEDi

A LARGE DEBT-wHAT A SUBSCRIBER sAfs-ALL
OF THE ExdIBrrs NOT YET IN oRDEE-INJuR-
IoUs DELAYS.
lrRoM An occ AsIosAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRrBUSE
NEw-ORLEANs, Feb. 3.-It is difficult to
learn the exact financial condition OF the Expo
sition As stated IN previous letter, there is dell
cheney of hundreds OF thousands of dollars ac-
cordng TO the statements made to Congress last May
as to the subscriptions then paid in and the amounts
now given to the public which include the receipts
up to this time. 1t is said that the management Is
1919 900 behind but that dos not include %l2o,ooo
advertised in premiums, nor the S45,00O promiseu
to the womans department which has not Deen
paid, other large sums proim scd to the coiored
and other departments and to States III those sums
were to be paid it would probably require about
$500. 900 to balance the books But as these sums
are not all considered legal obligations no attempt
will be made under present difficulties tomeet them.
Mrs Howe and her assistants gathered several car
loads of EXHIBITS for the woman's department., but
they have been unable yet TO display them because
they could got no money to tit up their space ana
pay other expenses. Lectures and concerts are now
beng given by the women to secure the $3,Ooo
considered absolutely necessary to display their
exhibits
Tho discharge of nearly all the carpenters. the
turning of OF electric lights. and tho partial
cessation of work IN many parts OF the buildings
for lack of money have greatly delayed matters
But subscriptions enough are probably now beng
taken in to meet the expense of continuing the
necessary worl, of preparation. The Art Hall as
yet has hardly anything in it. 1t is said that the
pictures and statuary now at hand would fill it,
but they are warehouses. IL may be that they are
held for payment OF storage The building winch
was TO bo used TO EXHIBIT cotton and its preparation
for tho manufacturer is yet incomplete. Ihe
elevators are not running in the Main and Govern
ment buildings and theexhbts in the galleries are
therefore visited by few persons. There is great
deal of work yet to be done before everything Will
be complete. The Mexican exhibit which Is the only
foreign display of any great account, VIII not DC IN
complete order for some weeks yet. lhe Mexican
Government appropriated 800 900 for this display.
and will have a full showing of the products OF that
country. Why the Mexicans are SO far behind in
their work of preparation is difficult to tell But
no fault can be found with them. They arc fully
abreast of the Exposition management Mexico
contemplates holding an international exposition
AZ the City Of Mexico within n few years, when
the United States will be expected tn recIprocate
for the generous outlay that nation has made here.
Why did not the people of NewOrleans promptly
furnish the money necessary to carry forward TINS
great enterprise 7" was tue question asked recently
OF leading business man.
Because we have not sufficient faith in the man
agcmcnt blindly Ia intrust money in then hands.
as Uncle Samdld" was thereby. -Wcwantto know
that il will be wisely expended. We not question
the honesty of the management but we have some
doubts about It's ability. Why have not the
managers, who are the only ores ha:Ing accurate
knowledge of the condition Of affairs subscribed the
II oncy themsclyesf Mr. Richardson, the president
Of the Bo rd the richest man IN the south but he
only subscribed -. 800. That is rs much as any
other one subscribed. 80 far as | know. In
propnrtion 10 my means gave larger sum myself
doubt IL the whole Board Of Management sub
scribcd over $4,000 No publication has been
made of the list Of subscribers and the sums paid
in aud there has been altogether too much secrecy
about the affair ] understand that one of the most
active managers largely interested in the restaur-
ants on the ground that another Is interested IN
hotel building there aud that others have an
interest in a charter for railroad. the disposal OF
which has stood IN the way of the building of n
steam roud 10 the grounds. These the kind of
stories floating about. They may be baseless but
they have deferred people from subscribing because
tho Board OF Managers meet In secret and 10 has
been dilicult To lud out much about their trans
actions. Wo sec politicians and others inirustcd
with responsible executive positions when We know
they are not competent 70 fill them. There was no
attempt made TO secure experienced business men
the people Of this city have not been quite 50 en-
thusiastic rs they might otherwise have been"
Talk of this kind is common in New Orleans.
The time originally fixed for the opening of the
Exposition was December |. IL was postponed
until the middle of the month. and now, seven
weeks after the opening day. 1t IS still long way
from being complete Either there has been great
waste Of money. elso the plans were laid on
grand scale without regard TO where the money
was 60 come from TO carry them ont. Many people
havo been here and gone away disappointed not
because thcro nothing TO sce but for the reason
that much that had been advertised, and which they
had come expecting to see, not here to be seen.
Ono of tho Government representatives, who has
served in the samo capacity at foreign Expostions
and at Philadelphia. complains because no social
courtesies have been extended by tho people of
Ncw-Orleans. He says that this is common COM
plaint; and it is a very different experience from
what he had at every other Exposition.
ais the Exposition worth yisitingp is question
frequently asked by letter. Certainly it is There
has been mlsnanagement, and an attempt has been
made TO do too much with too little money. Yet
there is great deal to be seen. The Government
building, which contains also the State exhibits and
those OF the womans and coiored departments and