Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-07-10
WILL NOT GO.
Sunday Attendance at the Chicago
Fair Steadily Dropping.
HALF RATE ADMISSION PROPOSED.
Local Directory to Hold a Special
Meeting.
MANY EXHIBITS NOT ON VIEW.

WORLDS FAIR GROUNDS, CHICAGO, July
10.-Since the attendance Of paying visitors
at the fair began to dwindle below the
SC, 900 mark the directors have been doing
considerable thinking as to the best course
to pursue in the interests Of the exposition
and the wage-working multitude for whom the
officials have borne the deuuuciation Of Sab
batarians. The principal reason for the de-
creased attendance on Sunday is the
discovery on the part Of the working
people and others who have time
only on Sunday to see the fair that they
cannot see more than half the show for the
same price Of admission charged on week days
when every section of the fair is open to
the public. The people have decided to
stay away altogether on Sunday and try to
see the fair other days or they waiting
Is cents on Sunday. Many Of the broad
minded directors have come to the con-
clusion that the people will come with
their families in larger numbers than on
week days if the uniform price Of admission
Sunday is fixed at IS cents. The Chicago press,
which is favorable to Sunday opening with one
exception, is advocating half price for half q
show.
Yesterdays still smaller attendance OF 43, 500.
in spite of the fine weather until evening, will
bring the directors to the acting point this
week.
THE DIRECTORY TO MEET.
special meeting Of that body will be held,
ii is understood, before next Sunday. The
whole Sunday opening situation will be dis
cussed and the financial aspect considered.
Some dire ctors will be in favor Of closing the
gates Sunday because they believe sunday
fair is a failure not from any fault Of
their own, but because the exposition company
cannot compel state and foreign commission
ers, individual exhibitors and the United States
government officials to keep their exhibits
open to the public on Sunday. The men in
charge Of buildings and exhibits need q rest on
Sunday, and their employers will not engage
help specially for Sunday work
For this reason many of the exhibits are
closed. Pressure will be brought to bear on
the directors also from the concessionaires on
the Midway Plaisance. who are complaining
more vigorously than last month that they are
losing money and cannot continue to pay the
rs per cent OF gross receipts to the exposition.
These concessionaires will meet some time
today to present an ultimatum to the directors.
They say that they will practically close their
attractions If they do not get reduction in their
percentage, but il is probable they would
compromise il the directors would make the
Sunday admission Is cents, bringing two or
three times as many people into their section
OF the park. which is the favorite resort for
most Of the Sunday crowd.
NOW OPPOSES SUNDAY OPENING.
Mr.. E. L. Roche, alternate national commits
sioner from South Carolina, has always advo-
Gated Sunday opening, but he told q United
Press reporter this morning that he had
changed his mind
lit seems to me- said the southerner, that
after the fight that was made in the com
mission to secure the Sunday opening that
people would show their appreciation by COM
ing to the fair on that day. The attendance.
however, is growing smaller on the Sabbath and
feel much chagrined over the failure Of Sum-
day opening. Everybody that comes in the
grounds goes right to the Plisance
to spend the day. The visitors on
Sunday seem to be pleasure seekers
rather than sightseers. l hope the national
commission will request the local directory "a
act in the matter some time during the week.
We should have. think. a 25-cent admission.
1t would pay, in my opinion. to have the Plai-
ssnce only open and charge an admission fee of
rs cents to that part Of the fair"