The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-12-22
TILE DARK SIDE OF A FAIR
SOME OF PHlLADELPHlA's SAD LES
SONS FROM TIE CENTENNIAL.
Thousands OF Dollars Were Lost In Schemes
for tho Entertainment Of visitors-fhe
Globe Hotel specuiation-A Warning to
Other Ambitious Cities.


PHILADELPHIA. Dec. l9.-No doubt
many citizens Of the rival cities that are
claimants for tho Worlds fair expect
that il they secure the exposition for
tunes will be plentiful and the wealth OF
every citizen augmented 10y the influx
of visitors. But they would do well &c
profit by the experience of Philadelphia
in the past and be cautious how they N
vc,t their hard earned money IN an en-
dcavor To enrich themselves. While ne
doubt the Centennial exposition Of 1876
was profitable to this city and its III
habilants' generally, and especially IL
the stirring up which makes Phlladei
phia today less sleepy and more enter
prisng thau il once was. yet thousand
Of dollars were lost in visionary schemes
for the rapid cnrichIicut Of the individ
ual citizen. There wcro but few citizen
who did not have their minds filled wit
magnificent dreams Of the riches whicl
millions Of foreign strangers would
pour into their laps. and great prepare
lions were made to provide food, cloth
ING beds. annscmcni and every Othci
luxury and necessity Of life which the,
were willing to exchange for forcigi
coin. lBut the fuliilimcnt of these gold
en- dreams was the exception rather thar
the rule.
Tic most famous Of the CULTS in whici
Philadelphia capital vas swallowed wa
the Globe hotel, which il well known e
every one who visited the ccntennia
MANY prominent Philadelphians were 49,
tcrcstcd in the company formed, of whlcl
Gen. II. II. Bingham. the father Of COZ
grcssional postal legislation, was prcsi
dent Other men Of more than loca
fame who we're interested were llamn
ION Dlsslon and David If. Lane, thclOca
poIitlcal maguatcs; Peter A. Il. Widencf
and W. J.. Elkins, the street car men
cx. Governor William NJ. Bum, Charlr.
II. Gross. the late attorney general
Lewis G. Cassidy. Samuel JOsephs an'
Thomas j. Bargcr. The amounts sub
scribed bv the men ranged from 500 W
to $50. 900, and the ideas held rs to Tho
result Of the speculation were enormous
ly cxtravagant The lowest estimate q
the profits made hv tine enthusiastic
Stockholders placed them at not less thar
two millions.
Some idea Of the oxtravagant view
held on the subject may BIZ gained from
the fact that when the ordinance. grant
ing the company permission to build th'
hotel, was presented in councils. it Is al
thoriiatiycly stated that the ring whlci
az that time controlled the city father
demanded $3.50 coo as their share of tn
expected plumber. The passage Of TIM
ordinance was necessary because Of {
law which forhids the erection of franz
buildings within the city limits, as a pre-
caution against fire. and the hotel vast
be constructed of Iath and plaster. Tai
blachmailing scheme was thwartcd. how
ever. by the members Of the compan.
making personal appeals TO the editor
Of the local newspapers 10 arouse publn
sentiment against this high handed out
rage. The newspapers. headed by In.
Ledger. frightened the ring from cnfort
ING lis demands, and saved the capita
( lists that much Of their money.
The ordinance once passed, the cree
ton Of a building to accommodate 90
guests began This was thought bat {
small estimate Of the number who wCule
be clamormg for admission TO the hos
telry. but then there were a host O.
other hotels to be built, and the stock
holders did not wish to seem graspn.
and decided that they would I've contcn
with a profit Of three or four millions d
dollars. As an example OF the lavish
ness and regardless Of expense way II
which they went about the construction
of the hotel it may be said that the al
torncy who drew up the contract for th.
erection of the hotel was pad s. 800 70
his services, and it was not considered
an CXtOrtIOnate price.
The hotel cost S2j0,OO or this, Sl2.
800 was paid the Pennsylvania raiIroa'
for q six months lease of part Of tn
ground upon which the hotel was t.
stand and the same amount Of money /,
The centennial commissioners for a SINAI
plot that was within the limits Of til,
park. and 500 for the rent Of min
eral fountain, which happened to be a
;hc farihcst end Of the latter strip. A
fitting director for SO vast an enterprise
John \. Rice. Of the fremont house
Chicago. was secured at salary o.
81 900 a month, after James Brcslm, o
The Gllsey house, NcwlOrS. had refuse,
$50 600 TO desert his interests in tina
city TO take charge Of the Globe hotc
for the limited time for WHICH il existed
But IT il cost n good round sum TO bull.
lac hotel, the privileges were sold at cor
responding rates. Sam Joscphs and an
other stakeholder paid $4,000 for th
right 70 sell liquor The barroom was ;
hall 100 by 40 feet.
In spite of all these elaborate prepare
tons the building was a failure fnau
cially. 1t was not completed in time foi
the opening Of the exposition, and this
beside being a source of embarrassment
,7s q source of loss. Not only this, bu
with the Unsuitable greed for visitor.
money which vas characteristic Of NAM
Philadelphians at that time. on the day
when the doors Of the new hotel wer,
thrown open the ihous nd or more EN-
ployes struck for an increase of pay onl,
half an hour before the time fixed fol
serving the first dinner. As rcfusa
meant utter ruin TO the hotel, a compro
mise was effected and the dinner served
after only a Slight delay. The most dis
aStrous blow that struck the hotel WA.
the decision Of the centennial commits
sioncrs to keep the exposition closed Oh
Sundays
Unreasonable or not it must be admit
ted that strangers have an idea that
Philadelphia is slow, and therefore q
horror of a SUNDAY here. and as a result
Of the closing of the exposition on one
day in the seven, many OF them spsnt
from Saturday to Monday in Washing
ton, New York OF the seashore and often
remained away longer than they intend