The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-05-17

<Anu EOTklncn are CIhHlOEAHs lOT WaS0S
Due Ihem-The Weather Seems to
Have Grudge Against the Show-The
Exposition Will Be Open Sundays-The
Directors Yesterday Voted to Return
the Money Granted by Congress.
CHICAGO, May 16.-This is the six
teenth day of the Worlds Fair, and
more bleak, disagreeable weather it
would be hard to find anywhere at this
season. The attendance this morning
was lighter than for many days. The
exposition people are discouraged. The
average paid attendance SO far
is not much over 1900 daily, and far
below the number necessary to meet
even the operating expenses of the ex-
position which are $45,O00 per day.
Thousands of strangers in the city are
kept away from the fair by the bad
weather, and the Woman's Congress in
the Memorial Art Palace, on the lake
front, down town. is proving counter
attraction to the fair.
Considerable discomfort and nneasiness
were expressed today among some of the
laborers on the grounds and the janitors
of the different buildings because their
salaries are not Forthcoming. The car
penters and staff workers erecting the
band pavilion in the administration plaza
struck yesterday for back pay and are
still out. The men have not been paid
for three or four weeks and another
months pay will be due on the Goth. The
contractors have been putting them off
from day to day telling the workmen that
they cannot get the money from the
treasury. Red tape is no doubt RESPONSE
BILE for part of the delay. About 2000
janitors and helpers on the grounds have
not received their pay for the last month.
A. F. Seeberger, treasurer of the exposi-
ton, says the men have no just cause for
complaint. They are being paid as fast
as the pay rolls can be made out. He de-
clares there is no foundation for the re-
port that the exposition company is short
of money and cannot pay it's employees
and contractors. Ample precision,
he states, has been madefor such contin-
gency. Nearly all day lines of shiver-
ing workmen could be seen outside the
had been waiting for their pay several
days and it was not the first time they
had stood in line there, only to be put
off with the announcement to s'come
around tomorrow" On the windows of
the paymaster's office notices were post
ed to the effect that employees in certain
departments would be paid today. A
national commissioner today said, ''I
have no doubt the exposition authorities
are hard up for money. Everything has
worked to the detriment of the fair for
some time now particularly the weather.
1t would not be surprising if several
Chicago capitalists should be asked to
help out before the month is over"
The directors of the Worlds Fair this
afternoon decided to abrogate the con-
tract with Congress by which they bound
themselves to close the fair Sundays, in
consideration of So, 100000. The money
will be returned to the government and
hereafter the fair will be open Sundays.
But of the 46 voted against opening
Sunday. The resolution provided that
the machinery be stopped Sunday, and
that in other respects the fair shall be
opened the same as on secular days. But
1929, 120 of the appropriation originally
made by Congress was turned over to the
exposition companyand this will be re-
turned to the national treasury.