The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-06-09
AN EYETOCOMFORT
What the Worlds Fair Manage.
ment Has Done.
PLENTY OF SEATS TO REST UPON.

No Expense Spared Whenever the Comfort
of the People Is Observation-Disclosures Of
Lies Published In Certain Papers About
the Fair-something About the Column
bian Guard.
WORLDS FAIR, June s. Especial -
Now that the glorious days of June are
here and the number of visitors to the ex-
seats to be found at various places
throughout the grounds are always occu-
pied. In a letter written a couple Of
weeks ago / said there was seating ca
pacity on the grounds for 10000 people,
and that this seemed to be enough. But
almost Immediately it became apparent
the sittings must be increased if the peo-
pie were to have sufficient resting place.
1t must be said to the credit of the man
ayers of the fair that just as soon as they
realized the necessity Of increasing these
accommodations they set about the work.
Settees enough to hold $4,000 more people
were at once ordered. and day after day
the contractors have placed wagonloads ct
benches all over the grounds. The man
ayers of the fair did this at considerable
expense at time when they scarcely
knew which way to turn for money. They
had exhausted their treasury in opening
the gate May 1st, and were in debt. For
every dollar that was taken in at the gates
a hundred hands were outstretched. Con-
tractors, supply houses, officials and even
workmen were unpaid. The attendance,
owing to unfavorable weather and high
railroad rates, was not as great as had
been expected. Yet in the face of all these
difficulties the managers, be it said to
their honor, did not hesitate to incur ex-
penditure whenever the comfort Of the
people was involved.
l do not intend to pose as a defender of
the managers, nor as their apologist, but
l like to see justice done When one reads
in eastern papers criticisms of the man
agement of the fair that are VIGOROUSLY
false and malicious it is not easy to main
tain silence concerning them. Il is not
true that the Worlds fair is a great
money-making scheme. II it were the
directors would have avoided millions of
dollars of expenditure-would have kept
in their treasury vast sums that were ex-
pended for adornment, for statuary, for
public comfort, for elegance, that could
have been saved by a narrow and selfish
policy. Why, these very directors, the
best business men of Chicago, have given
and continue to give their time and ener-
gies to this enterprise without dollar of
salary or direct reward.
They do not stint their expenditure in
any worthy direction. Come even now to
the fair and you will see long lines of
wagons waiting every evening to carry
their loads of benches to various parts Of
the grounds. Other lines of wagons are
laden with fresh sod, which is brought in
every day by trainloads, to be used in
:reshening the park. A huge street-clean-
ing department waits also for the visitors
10 leave the gates, and then works all
night. By morning every bit of dirt and
rubbish, every particle of mud and refuse,
has been cleared away. When you come
to Chicago make an effort to reach the ex-
position at least once or twice during your
sojourn early in the morning. Then you
will see the feir at its best. Everything is
bright and clean. There is sweetness, a
freshness everywhere which cannot be
found in the afternoon, after the multi
tude has come.
The managers of the fair spent small
fortune for music. Without cost the Wis
itor may hear the finest bands and orches- !
tras in the country. He may sit in the
shade of the palaces which surround the |