Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-07-11

quarter Of dollar il an excessive eharg
for the privilege Of riding . mile q . mill
and . quarter, even in . trim and peett,
electric launch operated by storage batter.
and through . most enchanting scene
There is an agitation in favor Of feducinz
the tolls to Is cents for round trip and L
cents for . one-way ride, but fear it vii
not amount to anything, and II we ride vi
shall have to pay the piper.
This electric launch concession b one O
the richie st prizes from financial point q
view in the exposition. Themen who owl
It are likely TO make great deal Of none!
before the summer b over. Their fftl
launches cost them only $50. 600, complete
The power to charge their batteries Is fur
| nished BY the exposition at cost The ex
position, besides, put in the seventeen
landings and gates used in the embarka
tion and Decentralization of passengers
The boats make a trip an hour, and theil
average earnings are $40 trip. 1t Is esti
mated that the owners Of this contract ar
now making profit Of about sa.0O day
and that they will make even more after
time, when the great crowds come to ths
fair Their prices are much too high, and
there Is a great deal Of complaint about
them. At night the company suspends
the one-way half fare trip. and il you want
to ride from one building 10 another by
the electric launch you must pay 30 cents
for doing so.
The problem of how to get to and frc
within the grounds is one of the bigges,
problems here. 1t has been suggested that
the exposition managers permit the estab
lishment of line of carettes or cheap om
nibuses running north and south, with
fares at ) cents. But the managers having
made their contracts with the wheel chair
men, the elevated railway people and the
greedy launch men, are not in position to
provide any additional means of transpor-
tation. If they do they will violate theiI
contracts with the other fellows, and suits
for damages will follow. 1t is a pity the
exposition sold itself out 10 the concession
aries in this way. and that it is now power
less to do the best that might be done for
the comfort of the people.
Looking at the exposition proper Is
good deal like study TO some people. 1t is
a great school, a fascinating one, TO be
sure, but 1t tires the eyes, the brain, the
neck, the soul and body. One wants a re-
cess from its confinement and application
and concentration, just as the children In
school must have a recess once or twice a
day. The Midway plaisanee is the play
ground Of the exposition school. 1t Is the
place to which the people go when they
are tired of their studies and want a little
rest and recreation, something to relieve
the mind and the eye from the tension OF
looking at and trying to understand and
remember all the exhibits of this world
object-lesson. The Midway is amusing
and in some places gay. 1t is place in
which one may have sport or rest quietly
in the shade, drinking his glass OF beer OF
slipping his lemonade while listening to
some of the best bands the Old
World has turned out. The great
problem for most folks is how to
get to the plaisance. 1t is prob
lem easily solved for those who are rich
enough to be able to afford the wheel
chairs, but other people have to walk; and
pretty long walk it is after one has con-
sumed all his energies in the exposition
proper.
It is pity the managers Of the exposi-
ton have sold out their authority in such
way that they are now powerless to do
ANYTHING in the direction of meeting this
public demand for cheaper and more ac-
cessible conveyances. II we could have q
line of carettes or chariots, or even plain
omnibuses, running from the administra-
ton building to the plaisance, and frsm
the Administration building around the
avenue of states, it would be a great boon
10 millions Of tired and limping visitors.
Meanwhile people who come to the fair
must remember that their greatest dan
ger is in trying to do too much.