The morning call., 1893-08-31
A Sensational Report to
the Governor.
CALIFORNIA AT THE FAIR.
Charge That 1t Is Not Properly Rep
resented by Those in Charge
of the Exhibit.

the Worlds Fair in Chicago, is not pleased
in regard TO the manner in which the Cali
fornia exhibit has been conducted. as ap-
pears from the following, which is copy
of letter he forwarded from Chicago to
Governor Markham:
CHICAGO, H., August 8. 1893
G0uernor IL. II. Markham, Sacramento.
CdL-DEAR SIR: The present manage
msnt OF the California building at the
Worlds Fair and exhibits there made un-
dou0tediy deserves more than 0rdnary.at-
teDtiOn. The fact that the peoples money
has been appropriated so literally for the
purpose OF making good and honorable
showing among the States and nations of
the world demands il.
y OF being pensiOner on the money fur
nisied by the State and counties, but an
exhibitor and visitor having the best in
terest OF the State at heart, and having
contributed more than any other individual
for that purpose, and having been in the
California building every day since it was
opened, l take the liberty of presenting to
you a few facts for your consideration and
information, so that you may act as your
best judgment may dictate in regard to the
furthering of the Stite's interest here.
That great mistake has been made in
the selection of men to represent the State
is patent to every visitor who stops long
enough TO see how the business is man.
aged.
Our building is novel to the Eastern Wis
itors and our exhibit splenG id and very at
tractive, and if it had been or was man.
aged with any degree of ability it would be
the grandest and noblest work ever done
by any State in the world.
AS am sure it was your desire. as we'll
as the intention of the Legislature in max
ing such liberal provision for this exhibit,
that it should fully represent the glories
of our Slate, l. in common with many Call
fOrnla visitors, cannot refrain from de-
nouncing this management, when we see
daily how the great benefits that should
and would be realized by the State become
so dwarfed by the weak. selfish and spleen
ish conduct of the State officers In charge.
Early in the month of May, Commits
sioner Robert McMurray arrived at the
State building and assumed control of
every department, and from that time on
system of discontent, disregard, disre-
spect. gossip and personal jealousy relgned,
and has almost completely crushed all i'll
terest in the great exhibit, and the oppOr-
tunity to make the exhibit what 1t would
have been under even an ordinary business
management.
A great waste of money has been made by
the use of paid pets and supernumeraries,
some drawing large salaries for services
about which they never pretend to do or
know anything. Dummies occupy the
offices ald are wholly Indifferent TO every
visitor who goes to them for information
about California. All of them have some
pet scheme or locality to work on the sly
for personal benefit. from peddling railroad
cards 10 drumming for some real estate
firm.
DR.. Bird came here as general manager,
elected or appointed by the commission.
and draws a large salary as such; but
since McMurray'S advent, he has never
10. eodN alr...
order independently but what he was
crushed by McMurray with the threat of
discharge held continually over his head.
The mapagers of the county exhibits
have been entirely disregarded by the
State managers, and are treated by NJ
Murray and his successors ABOUT as cour-
teously as if they were japanese servants.
and yet the State would have been highly
honored If the manager of either of the
counties of Santa Clara, Fresno or Sacra-
mento had been in charge Of the State
management.
A few days before McMurray left he
brought in a stranger to California, a
wOFkhand that he used TO know, and
jnmped him up over all the Californians
present, and made him superintendent of
the building and everything and every body
in 1t. This man, whose name is Brigham,
knows nothing of California. and evil
IDENTIFY never had any experience in the
his actions plainly show. This was the
crOwning insult TO Californians.
Under the McMurray management the
following are some of the pc rformanees:
Professor Allen of San Jose of the State
Normal School. who had charge of the
educational department, was so often
sively and optemptibly treated that he
went home and lett that important exhibit
TO take care of itself, and it has since been
virtually unknown.
Mr.. Forbes of Alameda placed splendid
exhibit of the mineral waters of the State.
Mr.. McMurray prohibited him from per-
mitting visitors to sample the waters
within the building, as his letter to you
fully explains.
There is no place provided in this great
building where visitors can get drink of
cool water. but at all three entrance doors
are bars, at which stonG-lunged fellows
are whOoplng up for sale a miserable
drugged water they call California Orange
Cider" evidently made of vinegar. mo-
lasses and water, which they sell at the
r0bbing Ia.e of 10 cents glass. Five OF
the county exhibitors contributed S. EACH
and purchased a filter and placed it in the
building so that visitors could have q
drink Of water, but the orange cider fel-
lows take all the water from it, and it
stands there worthless to visitors.
c. Nj. Wells, secretary of the commission.
u
general drinking saloon on the roof gar
den (as the roo. is called, and these were
run under State management until Ii be-
came so disgraceful In the way Of exorb-
tant charges, sloppy ana stale lunches,
wine and beer that To maintain any show
of decency the gallery floor outfit had TO De
removed. Mr.. Wells then resigned as sec
retary, or rather stopped drawing his pay,
but kept his two sons on the payroll, who
are about as valuable to the State as a
couple of owls. and moved the whole affair
up on the roof. where about as disgracefnl
a "dUggery" is run as can be imagined. and
II is commented upon by the thousands OF
respectable visitors WHY the beauty, wealth
aud grandeur Of California should be so
clouded and disgraced by drinking and the
tough conduct of her representatives.
Mr.. McMurray established a souvenir
department and placed 1t under the ex-
elusive management of one of the lady
managers, who placed two OF her friends
on the payroll with herself and daughter.
The chief industry represented there is
horned toads," at 30 cents each, fur
Dshed by a saloon-keeper from Southern
California, and it worries the ladies no
little to explain to the visitors what kind
of trees the horned toad grows on, and
what the people of California use them
for, that they should become such an i'm
portant industry.