The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-02-24
CORRESPONDENCE.
From the "Garden city"
CHICAGO, Feb. 18th, Is

hiCAdOg EObs ltthi -oVDs
To the Editor of the BdnRer.-DEAR
SIR: don't know what kind of weather
YOU VermOnters have had for the month
past, but the kind we have experienced
here in Chicago will not soon be forgot
ten. for it needs to 60 down in history.
1t has been marvellous in It's changes
and its severity in cold. But the World S
Fair enterprise goes steadily on through
binding snow and rain storms. Nothing
seems to impede its progress. Some
people begin to ask what is to be the en-
trance fee, and what it will cost to g,
out? Some people think fifty cents WI !
admit them to ali the sights within the
Worlds Fair. l don't wish to discour-
age am one from coming, on account of
the cost, and l will assure all of my old
Vermont friends, and others, that they
may make up their minds it will cost no
exOrbitant price to get inside, but they
may lust come to the conclusion that
there are always "side shows to cir
Gus" 1t is generally known that pure
water will cost five cents a glass. Food
will cost, unless one goes the old fash
toned way and takes his dinner pail wit
him. Then there will be an elevated
railroad and one will naturally wish to
ride on that. 1t is the concessions or
'sde shows" that cost extra. These
were built with private capital and they
had to pay large revenue to the Fair
and stand on their own merits. In the
whole length and breadth of the Plais-
ance are to be about fifty concessions.
They include everything, from an cleo
trio tower where sight-seer is asked to
nav a dollar for ride to the street in
Cairo. and the Turkish mosque, where
the prices are graded from dime TO
half dollar, according to the anxiety OF
the visitor and the number of sights he
sees. Beginning at the East end OF the
Plaisance one pays to walk into the lIish
village and see the natives make butter
and lace. Then he may step over to the
electric tower and pay for ride to the
top and back, with his head whirling
and his pOcketboOk getting dizzy. He
can come to the Bohemian and American
glass factories and pay a quarter for a
peep at the blowers. Then he comes to
the animal show and drops half dollar
to see dogs ride tigers and lions draw a
cart II all these leave him still unsatis-
fled he can find two panOramas, a Turk
ish village with dancing girls, a mlnaret
town filed with curlOs, "A street in Carlo,
more dances-a Moorish palace and
restaurant, the Algerian section, the fer
ris wheel, the ice railway, an old PVmpe-
iian house, Morocco section with bal
loon attractions, an Austrian village,
and last village of Amazons from Da-
honey. Each Of these has its special
features, to which admission is charged
by authority of the exposition. In most
cases the fee is % cents; in some it is as
10, anH in nthpIc a g HIGH as
81. In all cases the Ways and Means
committee derives revenue of from 20
TO 70 per cent of the gross receipts. An
unquestioned authority says that fifteen
OF Il concessions are yet to have prices
of admission fixed so that the estimate
of $1l 80 may be taken as a minimum to-
tai admission charge. Allowing car fare
both ways. 80 cents admission fee tn the
grounds, a moderate lunch costing 80
cents more, concert in the music hall,
mineral water of course, car fare on the
electric railway inside the grounds, a
glimpse of the Esquimaux and a catal0-
que of exhibits, SO a careful financier
might see the whole show Columbus in
with the rest, for about $l5, if he per-
chance should dispence with such luxur-
les as peanuts, DOp-corR and Soda water.
The impending rush of exhibits from
every direction of the country is fore
Swallowed by returns in Collector Clark &
Office IN the month Of January. Alto
gether invoices were received for fifty
/ consignments of exposition exhibits.
The value of these shipments is nearly
$26O,00O. The goods imported are o.
every variety and from every part of the
country. From Kingston, Canada, paint
ings from Naples, OIL from Rotterdam
models from London, Eng, and Havre
China from Shanghai, parts of an ole
mill from Amsterdam, wines from Colon
woodwork from Toronto, Canada, exhib
its from Sidney, paper frem Yokohama
and rice and mating from Vancouver
l will include in, with all these cOnslgn
ments, Vermont, with her maple sugal
and butter, which cannot be excelled.
speak from experience. No more this
time. All kinds of weather these days
freeze, thaw, rain, slippery-brOker
limbs, stars seen in the daytime, etc.
Corp. w. +. SHELDON.