Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1893-06-16

A SHADY SPOT NEAR MACHINERY HALL.
to the public, and must be protected and
watched. There are thirteen main exposi-
ton buildings and some eighty smaller
ones. Two hundred and fifty guards are
needed in the great Manufactures building
alone, during the day; and 100 are sta
toned there at night. In the day time 100
are assigned to the Art palace. Besides
the buildings and their exhibits the walks
and all other parts of the grounds must be
patrolled.
Study the situation as I have done and
you will see that $500 is none too large a
number of guards for the White City.
You must not forget that vast crowds Of
people come here every day, and that it
would be simple madness to leave them
without police protection. AS long as
everything goes we'll perhaps there is not
much need OF the presence of the guards.
But suppose fire breaks out, or there is
panic from any cause? These are the
things the management has had to think
of. Though the fault-finders may be
thoughtless the men who are responsible
for the conduct of this great enterprise
cannot afford to be. And l must say they
appear to have thought of everything.
1t would require many columns to ex-
pose all the lies I nave seen in eastern
papers concerning the Worlds fair. Life
is too short to devote much of it to this
purpose. There are too many things here
to admire and praise. But I wish to re-
assure my readers on q few points. The
fair is now finished. It is complete and
perpect. II an exhibit here and there is
not just as its n or managers desire
to have it, probably it will be by the time
this reaches your eye; and at any rate, all
these exhibits together do not amount to
a drop in the great bucket. The fair is
clean and orderly, as I have shown you,
So much attention has been paid to the
comfort of visitors that every one is aston.
ished at the completeness Of the arrange
ments.
There are seats within the buildings and
without. The toilet rooms and lavatories
are everywhere-free. There are rest
rooms in various buildings. If one is
taken ill or overcome by heat an ambul-
ance service attends and a good hospital
awaits. Drinking water-free and good
may be had at every turn. There is no ex-
tortion within the grounds. Those restau-
rant keepers and other providers who
started out to gain riches quickly have
found they were on the wrong road. The
tAoA1SpOA ldIlOA 4dC1A4IlCS W duu from CQ6
fair grounds are almost perfect. No pre-
vious exposition was so well served in this
respect. On the days of greatest attend
ance there is no uncomfortable crowding,
Let me give you a little personal exper-
fence that you may Judge of the conditions
existing in Chicago and at the fair. I
board at the Grand Pacific hotel, where I
pay only regular rates, as every one else
does-the same rates asked last year and
every year. This is true Of nearly all the
hotels. One large hotel served notice in
the latter part of April it would double its
rates May l. The guests didn't complain.
They did not go to the Office and growl,
They simply said to themselves: '"This
landlord has the right to charge what he
pleases. That is his business" But on
the morning of May / there weren't a
dozen guests left in the house. A vast
hotel was empty, cavernous. Cafe, bar,
barbershop, bell boys, cigar stand, cashier,
room clerk, everything and everybody had
. holiday. The next day was no better. 1t
was even worse, for only half a dozen
guests remained. Then the proprietor
capitulated. He came down to his old
scale of prices. Gradually his guests re-
turned, but even yet the house Is suffering
the effects Of that mistake. 1t cost that
landlord $4,000 to learn the people will
not be robbed. This is the lesson which
agreat many people have learned in Chi
cago.
Well, a five minute walk takes me to the
Illinois Central station. In two or three
minutes an express train starts for the
fair. 1t makes the journey in fifteen min
utes, without stopping. The fare is 10
cents and the cars are comfortable. In
two minutes l walk to the fair gates. Dur
ing five or six hours in the exposition my
expenses may be something like this:
Ride on an electric launch from one end of
grounds to the other, rs cents. Two cata-
logucs, 80 cents. One glass of mineral
spring water, l cent. Luncheon, from 80
cents to Is cents. One pretty souvenir, IS
cents. Admission to two sideshows on the
Midway %plaisance, 50 cents. One glass Of
soda water, 10 cents. Ride to top of big
building, rs cents. One ride on elevated
electric road, 10 cents. Fare back to Chi
cago, 1Ocents. Total, ST. Z. And see how
much l have had for my money.
WALTER WELLMAN.