Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-10-25
WANT SOME CHANGES.
Suggestions From Business Men for
the Exposition Society.
GOSSIP ON DECREASED PROFITS.
The People Want More Novelties and
Amusement Features.
MANY PLEAS FOR LOCAL MUSICIANS

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profits fell SIS, 900 below those of last veal
has caused much gossip in Pittsburg as te
what should be done to keep up the stand
ard of the great show. From interview
with prominent men all over the city the
following ideas and suggestions were made
Vice President Daniel c. Ripley, of the
Exposition Society, was seen, but he de-
clined to talk about the matter, as he had
been out of the city and did not know what
was done at the meeting. He attributed
the falling off in the receipts to the fact that
there were so many strikes among the
laboring classes and they did not have the
money to spend.
S. s. Marvin, of the Board of Directors,
said:
'The fact that our receipts fell SIS, 600
short is due to the people-the masses-not
supporting the Exposition. This, in part,
is due to the many strikes and financial en-
barrassments encountered by Pittsburg peo-
pie this wear. Then another great draw
back was that we did not have any novel
ties this year. While our exhibits were
ahead of all former years, and even better
than any other exposition 1 ever attended,
we did not have the novelties and they are
the drawing cards.
''The country or outside attendance was
just as good as last year, as our books will
show. The railroads made just as large an
effort to bring people to the city as ever.
AS near as can figure it out about 10000
Pittsburg people did not attend this year.
This number accounts for our shortage.
NEARLY WIPED OUT THE DEBT.
'This money will not be made up I do
not see how it could be- The whole S45, 900
will be used in paying the debt. This will
decrease the debt to about $50, 0c0 or $4,000
Then if we can sell all or even part of the
remaining bonds we could pay the floating
debt
GAS far as I know there will be no change
in the organization. 1 do not think any
changes are necessary. The management
work it hard enough, but they are not sup
ported by the people.
eve will pay more attention to novel
ties next year, and think the Exposition
will surpass all other years. In our meet
ing yesterday we talked over many things
that would be good drawing cards. Nothing
is definitely decided upon, but I think one
of the attractions will be a display from the
Government, either from the Marine or
Smithsonian Institute"
''The Exposition has not been the success
it should be- said Mayor Gourley, "but
whether it is the fault of the management
or the people is a question. 1t seems to me
that something in addition to the display of
products should be provided to draw crowds.
The gate receipts constitute the only reve-
nue.. Therefore, every available plan to at
tract attendance should be used.
CAN SEE IT ALL IN THE WINDOWS.
''In small way a large number of the
displays at the Exposition can be seen every
day in windows on our principal streets
People will not visit the Exposition more
: than once in a season to see these alone. I
have no doubt great many went time after
time simply to hear the musis. Something
%rnore on that line is needed"
Controller Morrow said: can Exposition
should be what the name implies. 1t should
be display of our home products and in
dustries. If additional attractions are
necessary to draw crowds they should be
1.-THE great fault with the Exposition"
said H. E. Stafford, 'fis the lack of compe-
tition among exhibitors. A system of prem
iums for the finest displays would arouse
interest not only in those who own them,
but the visitors also"
A PLEA FOR LOCAL MUSICIANS.
T. C. jenkins smiled when the question
was put to him. "Oh," said he, 81 have
not given the matter much thought. True,
the expo" is great feature for Pittsburg,
and if the management lost money this year
L can't understand it. There is no rent to
pay, the exhibits are gratuitous, and the
only expenses worth mentioning, is the hir-
ing of the New York band. For my part,
1 think our local Great Western
band would answer the same purpose. The
chances are the majority of visitors didn't
appreciate or understand the class of music
rendered, and only student of fine arts
would enjoy it. AS for the good it does
the iobbers like our firm, the Exposition
did not benefit us a whit. Of course, it
brings people to town, but not of the spend
ing kind who patronize the stores in gen.
eral There is too much repetition of dis
play, and it was great big drygoods ex-
hibit this year. One can see that in the
shop windows"
James Flood, general manager of the
Arbuckle Company, is a keen observer and
an intelligent man. He said regarding the
subject: would rather not express my
self fully on the matter. You say the
management claim a decrease in profits as
compared with last year. l hardly know
what remedy to suggest to better the con-
dition of affairs. understood it was a re-
markably fine industrial and business dis
play. Perhaps the introduction of more
amusement features would serve to attract
certain element, who do not care for exhibits
of various kinds. There are men at the
head of the management who have made
study, and l see no reason
why, with all their practical knowledge and
ideas they could not be able to select at
fractions which would be financial mag
net The retailers about town desire the
profit from visitors; we as wholesalers and
jobbers do not cut any figure with them"
DEMANDS FOR MORE AMUsEMENTs.
J. Milton Taylor, the Wood street whole |
sale drygoods man, advanced very SEN
sible argument in the manner following:
"My idea of the way the Exposition
should be conducted is to make it a source
of amusement in place of advertisement |
The newspapers are for this purpose. What |
the average person wants when visiting a |
show is something he hasn't seen before |
new and novel attractions-that will |
proper for the enterprising business
man to show his wares off most ad- |
vantageously, but too much monopoly of |
space with this sort of thing gives one |
ennui. The retail clothing and drygoods |
firms toward the. last posted large piacards |
up in the booths announcing that the goods |
therein would be sold very cheaply on ac- |
count of slight damage, ETC. This don't |
think is right; too much of Cheap John
air about it. The people out of town say to
themselves: ooh, what's the use of going to |
A. - fba IL.