The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-08-27

custom than they can attend to. L don't
think the hotels are making much as vet.
and there is by no means the extortion
practiced that has been charged. The
probability is that September and October
will see bigger crowds than ever, and the
richer people will probable come al that
time. Now many Of them are al the sea-
shore, and we could see the falling off of
this class as soon as the hot weather
began. 1t is this class that patroniZed the
best hotels and that spends the money
which comes into US largely through the
concessions"
docs the fair management make much
from the conceSsions?" | asked.
YES" replied General Davis, 'our re-
ceipts from the concessions we have
granted to the different shows IN the Mid
way Plasance and 70 others doing business
In the grounds now more than pay the
running expenses of the fair. We get
percentage of the gross receipts of all the
shows and a percentage OF the receipts
from nearly everything sold. These per-
cenlages range all the way from 20 per
cent 10 20 per cent, and every girl who
chews gum in the grounds gives 20 per
cent OF the amount she pays for
gum to the Worlds Fair. In other
words, the favored chewing-gum CON-
pany paws us 20 per cent of its re-
ceiDts. or the shows in the Midway !
think the Cairo street pays best, though we
get a good round sum from all. The big
Ferris wheel has paid US nothing, as yet.
1t was not to givea percentage until il had
received enough to pay the expenses of
putting 1t up. This has been about ac-
complished, and we will get good income
from II. Some concessions have not paid
nearly as well as was expected. The roller
chair man has not been doing as much as
he thought he would. and popcorn. which
was considered very good concession at
Philadelphia, is not worth much here"
Are the fOTPlCnprS satisfied with the
fair?"
Not very WELL" replied Director-Gen-
eral Davis; they do not like the conces-
sons. and they say that the allowing them
to peddle out things from the different
countries materially affects their business.
Many of them have so decidedly objected
that we have changed the rule and allowed
them to sell things in the various build
lngS. We expect them To pay percent
age to the fair. They are not doing, how
ever, the business they expected to do.
This is largely from the fact that the
richer class of our reOple are not here.
The crowd you see on the grounds to-day
IS not made up of men who buy fine car
riages. thOusand-dOllar vases or other beau
tiful china and pictures If the times let
up we will have some of these people in
September, but not now. As to Keeping
the fair open after November it would be
an impossbiity from the fact that the ex-
hibitors would not say, il it were not SO
from the buildings"
Who are making money out Of the
fair" l asked.
THE Chicago merchants few of the
hotels. the railroads and some of the con-
cessiOnaires," was the reply. "As to any
one connected with the fair making m oney,
l do not know of cent that has been
gotten by the officers. As for me, as large
as nv salary is l have snent more than it
right along in the duties have had to per-
f,r Al
think the same is true of the other Off
Gals"
After leaving Director-General Davis |
talked for some time with Major NJ. T.
Handy. who had charge of the bureau of
publicity and prom otion, and who has been,
as theatrical people would say, the advance
agent of the fair. One question | asked
him was in regard to the large free list.
There Is, you know, turnStile for passes
connected with every gate at which paid
tickets are taken and the number of passes
given out amount to about $4,000 daily.
Said Major Handy:
Thirty thousand is not large mum Der
of free admissions for fair like this. 1t
IS generally supposed that these are all
given to tile press. The truth is most of
the passes belong to the employees of the
fair. There are $4,000 exhibitors here.
Each has the right To a ticket for himself
and his attendant. Then think OF the
army of men connected with the conces-
sions, of the cleaners and sweepers, and of
the people who have to come into the fair
to bring food and other things, and you
will see that this number is very small.
1t is true that number of newspaper
passes have been given out, but the news
papers have made the. fair, and it seems to
me that the pushing of the fair with the
newspapers ought TO be kept up to-day as
strongly as ever. think this fair ought
to be run as great show, and that is the
only way TO make itpav."
rs it going 10 Day?" l asked.
1--WE will pay cur debts" was Major
Handy's reply. Had the times not been
so nard we would have given a big divi-
dtnd to our stockholders"
When will the next Worlds Fair
Gomez
There will never be another big Worlds
Fair" replied Major Handy. This has
capped the climax Chicago has set the
pace too rapid for any other city of any
other nation to compete with it. Think Of
II. The fair has cost $50. 100000. The
thought of such an attempt would send
the cold chills down the back of any nation
in Europe. New York could never have
done what Chicago has done, and 1 doubt
whether Chicago will ever do so much
again"
Major Handy comes from PHILADELPHIA.
When l knew him some years ago | was
associated with him in the New York
that his views on most subjects were con-
sentative. Like all men VINO have been
connected for any time with Chicago
however, he has now become convinced
that it is the center OF the earth. and
when L broacned the idea that the Worlds
Fair might, on the whole. be rather an in
jury than good TO this city he secuted
the insinuation, and said: 1.-The Worlds
Fair has already helped Chicago, and it
will materially increase it in size and
wealth. Chicago grows right along. Itnow
has 100000 people, and it is bound to be
the biggest city in the United States
New York will, perhaps. hold her COM
merciai supremacy, but the Worlds FAIR
has brought Chicago into close touch with
the great markets and the great merchants
of Europe. and her business will now be
done with them direct. Already gold is
being shipped from Europe directly to
Chicago. One OF our firms brought in
S1,000,000 last week, and Phil Armour
received 100000 in gold not long ago.
The biggest cities of the world are not at
The seashore. London, Paris ana Berlin
are all in the interior. and the same is to
be the fate of the United States. Chicago
has the best location in the country for
great city, and il will steadily grow.
Another thing that the fair is doing for
IL T4.rr