The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1893-07-27
NO ExToRTIoN AT THE FAIR.
It Costs to Do Midway Plaisance,
but that Is a Side Show.

To the Editor Of the Neto York Times:
l have just returned from visit to the
Worlds Fair, and ana anxious to inform
those of your readers who are about con-
templating visit to the Columbian Ex-
position thatlthe many extortions imput.
ed to Chicago do not exist.
was prepared to be asked $5 for a
ride short distance, and a similar
amount for small room in hotel. l
staid at first-class hotel, and was asked
no more for the room:I occupied than at
any time during the several visits have
made to Chicago.
When leaving the city ordered cab
to take my trunk and self to the station,
some twelve blocks away. Getting out
of the hotel elevator and asking where
my luggage was l was told by the port
er that it was already in the carriage,
and came to the conclusion-a most nat
ural one-that the porter was in league
with the driver, and would ask me sew
eral dollars. Upon inquiry, however,
found that the charge was but so
cents. Could one expect anything more
reasonable?
Another exortation q wish to speak
about. read that it would cost some
$3S to see everything in the Fair. do
not hesitate to say that it does not cost
one cent (aboye the admission to see the
grandest exposition ever offered the pub
lie.
The main buildings, fourteen, and
some thirty-odd OF the buildings of States
and Territories, as well as fifteen Of for
eign countries, are free to every one.
The midway Plaisance, although in
the Fair Enclosure. is altogether dis
tinct feature and separate thing-a ''side
show as it were-an exhibition of the
different European and Eastern nations
showing their manners. customs and
amusements. A price from 10 to so cents
is asked for each of the exhibitions.
Even were they not visited it may yet
be said the Fair has been seen, and
so large and beautiful are the exhibits
in the Exposition proper that two weeks
devoting as much as ten hours day,
would not fully acquaint one with half
of what the ingenuity of man has
done.
If one wishes to spend the money,
should most certainly advise seeing the
Midway Plaisance. 1t is money spent
with much satisfaction, for one il not
Gully enabled to see how the Laplanders
and Esquimaux live, to witness the
''danse du ventre" of the Persians, but
one also gets good idea of the habits,
customs and amusements of most of the
savage tribes, even those of the South
Sea Islands. Fora few dollars you are
enabled to visit, as it were, the entire
world-an object lesson, indeed.
In conclusion, and in further justiti-
cation of the charges made by the ex-
hibitors in the midway Plaisance, the
public no doubt, is not aware that these
attractions are all private enterprises
and are not integral parts of the EXPOSE
ton proper, where money, as much in
some cases as $500, 600, has been invested
before one cent is realized, and the ex-
pense entailed has been SO great that
no doubt a great loss will be sustained
by many of the exhibitors.
The American public are veritable
skickers." If they can't get a dollars
worth for dime, most certainly they
are right.
B. FRANKLIN LIEBER.
NEW YORK, June %. 1893.