The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-06-28
A LESSON FoR CHICAGO.

II is feared that the experience OF Demo-
Gratis at Chicago last week will damp the
ardor or people who are planning a.visit to
the Worlds Fair next year. 1t seems that
the city by the lakes was visited in. May aud
June with 4 d0wnpour of rain which the
Chicag0ans desire the world to understand
was unexamped. 1t rained every day.
none of your light. pleasant rains, but
a cataract. as if the floodgates Of heaven
had been opened, so pTOiuse and so never
ending that the visitors had an escape from
drowning, and the cellars and Easements Of
the stores were flooded. With the rain
came torrid heat, such as one hears Of in
the Caribbean Sea, and this was diversified
by tbundcrstOrms, In which spells Of Tar
tarean gloom alternated with flashes Of
binding lightning Some days before the
convention met one Of these storms had
damaged the roof Of the building in which
it was TO be held; when the rains burst
forth they poured through roof and walls so
that each delegate had TO sit under his own
umbrella.
Nor was this all The cOmEissariat de-
partment which looked after the wants Of the
delegates appears TO have been singularly
inefficient. Both board and lodging were
held at convention prices. that is to say,
visitor who shared a room with two or three
others and lived on a beefsteak and a cup
of Bitter coffee paid about as much as one
pays here for a suite Of rooms at the Palace,
with all the Injuries of the season at the
table; but even at these prices accOmmoda-
ton was scarce. When the convention all
journed. after nominating Cleveland, at
quarter past IN the morning, the batiled
rvI- i0,n nd y
m0un@ully to its quarters. They had
worked all day. and were a band of tired,
hungry, thirsty and wofnout men. When
they asked IN a crushed manner, for food
and drink to refresh them, they were told
that in Chicago meals were not served at so
uuseemly an hour, and they skunk off sup
PEERLESS to bed.
Now, il Chicago does not want TO become
a bywoTd among the nations it will have to
turn over a good many new leaves before
the Worlds Fair opens. It cannot prevent
the rain, or the heat, or the thunderstorms.
But il can and it ought to provide shelter
and food for the thousands who Will 20 to
the fair at reasonable prices. lit does not
the exhibitors will exhi0itto empty brnches
before the time comes to close the show.
There is plenty Of room in Cook County 10
build hotels and lOdging-houses large
enough to accommodate an army. The
slaugIter-houses can yictual an army, the
elevators can supply grain enough, and the
market gardens round Chicago vegetables
enough 10 feed half a dozen armies. There
is no reason why there should be any scarcity
of food. aud no reason why 1t should lie
much deaTeT than usual. New York, which
loves Chicago with a love surprising the
love Of a brother. is already saying thar the
ChicaEoans propose to take every visitors
measure. and to strip him as soon as posi-
bic of everything he has but his clothes
and money TO buy a return ticket. 1t ought
to be made the special business Of leading
Chicagoans 10 demonstrate the falsitY of
this gibe.
Before the Centennial Exhibition met at
Philadelphia, Tom Scott and other long
headed men saw TO it that lodgings were
built to furnish shelter for the largest crowd
that could possibly come to the show, and
that the supply Of food vas equal to every
possible demand. There was some advance
in prices, but nothing very eXtTayagant
When the Worlds Fair was held in Paris
the other day, the same precautions were
taken. Foreigners complaiDedOf the ext0r-
tiOnate charges Of hotels and restaurants;
but ia Paris foreigners are always fair game;
the ordinary EreBcbman enjoyed his trip TO
the Tower Efel without spending much
more money than usual on pleasure jaunts
This result aid not come Of Itself II was
the fruit Of careful preparation and wise
f0rethought. If Chicago is wise she will
follow the example Of Philadelphia and
Paris. and will turn the present maledie-
tions Of the Democratic delegates 70 account
by guarding against unnecessary suffering
among the visitors TO the W0rid's Fair.