The free press., 1893-05-18
THE WORLDS FAIR.

THE WORLDS FAIR.
Administration Building, Wo:ld's
Fair Grounds, May i2,lsaS.
II seems that the Presidents
thumb did not set the machinery in
motion. after all. The shafting in
machinery hall was not ready and
President Clevelsnd's button only
start. d one Of the engines. IL was
not untll four days after the sup
posed opening that the shafliDg
was in place sufficiently to enable
the machinery to be started in
moderate way and even yet the
work is very far from being com.
plete. As exhibit. we're unfinished
in every other building there was
no reason why machinery hall
should have been supposed to be
ready. But it will go down into
history that when the president
touched the button the machinery
started on it's six months trip. A
hundred years from now, when the
centennial of this exposition is
held, the facts in the case will
make no more difference than it
does to us now TO know the actual
facts concerning the career of Col-
umbus. 1t is not at all probable
that we have his history accurate,
for history making was very i'm
perfect 400 years ago, but so long
as we do not know the difference,
aud errors can never be corrected,
the story is just as good Que way
as another.
Hence let 1t he recorded for the
next generation that Cleveland's
thumb did the business.
GETTING READY.
There are thousa' d. Of men at
work, now that the opening ex-
citement is over, getting the ex-
vositit n 10 order. Two or three
weeks more of such work as has
taken place since the opening will
see things fairly in shape suftici-
emily SO to permit Of an intelligent
description. 1t 10 evident that the
public does not intend to come at
present and the month of May Is
bound to be Disappointing. The
turnstile only show about fifteen
daily visitors thus far. A
good many fear that the disap-
pointment 10 attendance will con-
.inue after the Exposition is IN full
readiness if the business situation
Of the country does not improve.
THE CoNCEssIoNNAIRE.
There are sufficient number of
visitors already to register loud
protests against some Of the sex.
penses." The toilet closet conces
sion to Sanitation company, where
you are taxed five cents for admls
sion, give rise to much grumbling.
The company having the concession
was to put as many free as pay
closets in each building, but they
have not done 90. In the Fine
Arts and Fisheries buildings they
could not find room for any free
but you may be sure that
there was room for the ones where
a pickle makes the turn-sti!es 60
around. Signs are conspicuous di-
recting the visitor TO the pay toilet
rooms, but you need search war;
rant TO find the free ones. The
company was to take
care Of both free and pay stations
but as matter Of fact they only
care for the latter, purposely max
ing the free ones repulsive.
This concession was an idea bor-
rowed from the Paris exposition but
IN dong so The price was doubled.
French customs (ot this descrlp-
ton at leasD are not destined to 5e
popular in this country, but as a
matter of personal comfort yon had
better keep stray rickel in your
pocket after you get IN the grounds.
1T COSTS TO EAT.
There is slso loud outcry against
restaurant charges at the Park and
unless there is an Improvement,
you will want to get your breakfast
and dinner on the outside and
bring your lunch in your inside
pocket. OIty restaurants have not
advanced prices but at the Expo,
sitiOn the concessiOnaires have evs
identity been coached by reading
the life Of William Kldd-pirate.
The imported English bal. maids at
White Horse Inn barely allow the
visitor to escape with his life. Ev.
erything on his person will be re-
qursd to SETTLE the bill if he orders
a drink.
A French restauranter evidently
supposes we are all Ward McAllis-
ters and handle our food with our
fingers, as he charges ten cents ex-
ira for a knife, fork and plate.
The plate is cold at that, but the
people who pay the ten cents are