The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-05-25

A Seattle Mans Views Of the
Columbian Exposition.
SOME VERY PLAIN TRUTHS TOLD.
The Alternate Commissionef EntePtata-
eage and Says what He Thinks.

Nr. C.. B. Bagley. alternate commits
sioner of the Worlds Columbian commits
sion, returned from Chicago Saturday
night. In an interview with q PosT-Is-
~ELIIGEscE representative he said:
A ~rasesinx of the national commission was
called for April Is, and /. accompanied by my
wife snt Miss Flo-e Parsons. one Of the teachers
in the Denny school. lett seattle April 10 AID
reached Chicago the morning OF tbs 18th. At
that time TIE weather MAS rainy. windy ana
cold, ard for two weeks the elements eonti2ued
TO sesard AID almost prevent any outdoor work:
but by,May Is the national buildings and the
grounds were practically com plesed- Many OF
the state and foreign buildings and smaiier
structures intended for cafes and the special
use OF concessiouaries, were still incomplete
and the exhibits belonging TO them were not
on, OF their boxes and wsappings. The msjor-
isy of state buildings aud exhibits have been
delayed through the ircosn potency and laxincso
OF those in charge. The commissioner and su-
perintendents OF departments were given their
positions because OF political influence, genes.
ally, and sometimes because OF supposed special
htness for the work eatrcsted 20 them. Most OF
the politicians have treated their positions 40
sinecurcs. aud have neither done their own
work nor superinteadet that OF their suoordl-
mates. In addition Il has been found tina: men
and women who had some knowledge OF farm.
ing. horticulture. Horticulture, fine arts, decora-
ton or fancy work in . small way At hcmc, had
not the capacity to direct the large work tina:
was allotted them, and in many cases proved
complete failures. California Was perhaps the
most conspicuous example OF this. while our
own state was quite fortunate in this particular.
Dr. Calhoun and Percy Rochester. OF the
executive committee. have struggled against
Obstacles in the matter OF delayed contracts,
diistory shippers and transportation companies
and stormy weather and worked early and late,
Aah tha PrAntf n lhsy ane hpitTinO uaS dana In
good time aad the surrounding, gotten into
good shape soon ate. opening day. MI. Rutter
had the mining department in fine con6itio D,
and Henderson was not much behind in the de-
%partment OF forestry. Mr.. La Toilette has been
one OF ths most conscientious Of workers, and
the only reason why the agricultural depart
ment under his charge was not further ad-
vanced was because OF his desire u 90 too much
actual work and too little directing of Others
under him.
COMMISSIONS Cavanauyh has drawn bis SEQ
q month with regularity end dispatch. but
otherwise has done no work OF any kind, except
on a few occasions to come 20 the building and
growl about nothing baviag been done.
Dr.. Bialock. the president OF the state board,
did not arrive till about opening day, and al
though his heart was in the work and he tried
conscientiously to do his best, he was only in
the way of the Others.
Meany. commonly called E stayed at this
end Of the line and attended TO getting ship
ments en- route Tor Chicago AID the multitude
OF details here. and arrived IN Chicago only a
few days prior to my leaving there. He pulled
oil his coat and went 10 work liz earnest about
the building and in aiding the executive COM
niittee. and rs he always docs. gave his whole
time and energies to the work in hand.
The Washington building occupies one OF the
best sites on the grounds allotted to state build
ings and would have been an excellent sdver-
~, ~ VhA eAe haA e4 ~yAnH N~1th4t hAo~
made. There are at least twenty other state
buildings that cost from double what ours did
20 twenty times as much and not one of them
attracts as much attention as ours.
So far a. the exposition In its entirety is con-
ceYned, while it Is not complete. no one
need delay q visit to it on that account, for
there il already enough to attract and interest
one every day for months. and looking back atit
nov l cannot real ze any loss to me on that ac-
count. The great difficulty and the one tn At has
already crippled the fair, / fear beyond recov-
cry, is the short sighted greed OF the railroad
corporations ana OF the local company in charge
OF the far. Both o. these seemed TO think that
as soon as opening day arrived a rush from all
parts OF the United States would he made 80 the
railroads could not handle the traffic nor Chi
cago take care OF the throng. This has 10, hap
peued. Tie trains are no longer nor more
numerous than before. and acres OF Chicago
boarding houses are imply The local directory
have driven hard bargains with al the ''cOnces-
sionaires," by whom are meant the restaurants
and cafe keepers. the sofa pop men, the chair
men. the popcorn vendors and all those who are
allowed 10 give exhibitions or to sellfood, drink
or wares within the gates. The result of this,
naturally. has been 70 put up the price OF every
thing on the grounis to double and Quadrup pie
what &; should be. A meal at one of the res
taurauts, consisting o! one dish of soup. one kind
of meat. two kinds Of vegetables. one cup of
rAfy,a al tn ant n vSnnA nf AEn - ~. nSs 4 4
There are at least Elk restaurants in seattle
where the table ware is better. the linen and the
service as good aud the food and cooking better
which would charge no. to exceed IS cents for a
better meal; and there are a hundred OF the same
kind In Chicago whose prices arc about the
same a. those here. The result of these OK
actions has been to prevent thousands from &C.
ing TO Chicago. and the majority OF the daily
visitors take their lunches with them and eat
them on the grounds. Good water is plentiful
on the grounds, and this and air seem 10 be
about Gil tina, Is free there.
The first class hotels sent out circulars q few
weeks prior to opening day, saying that all dis
counts that had been made IN the past would
be continued after May /. but that no advance
in prices would bc made. In spite OF this most
o. them. aud 90 far as l could ascertain. ali of
them, did advance their rates TO about twice the
former prices.
Carriages are forbidden on the grounds to all
but a favored few. aud iavslds or those unable
10 walk have to hire the roller chsirs ST - cents
per hour. Young men from the colleges push
tnesc chairs AM act As guides at the same time.
aud .hese embryo a~ycrs doctors and Clergy
men get g. Per week salary and ~ cents an
hour when al work, while the owner of q so
chair gets e.. cents an hour for ITS use, less the
rake of OF ~. cents 10 the local directory.
Public closets do not exist. except those
owue! by n corporation where a charge of a
utrke, Is made. TIE atate hutitiDrs ara nm
vidca " 18th good ccommods'ions III the way OF
ysraorr. toilet rooms ami eioseis.
Good. plain accommodation in private fam.
lies can be obtained al reasonable rates, &c
eordinS 30 the tastes and purses Of the would he
occupants. 4 nice room, clean bed. wholesome
h~geakfss; and supper. abundant in quantity.
can ia had for 8. per cay Cor each person. Oat
worthy MAYER Ronald All! wste were fortunate
enough ~ secure quarters 10. much less shan
soe~c figures.
The entrance fee OF 20 cents admits one to all
tie national, state and foreign governments!
tgilaines e. 1 their exhibits, al! no one uees
so iaso the side shows for Lace of matters, of In.
se.ess elsewhere. and III few cases viii 10 So,
the wsrth OF bis money II he paws for aera;,.
tsnca into them NJ Up o; the sin.
alton nav DC made thas; When the railroads
sha.! have pat down isres to a reasonable rate 4,
vial Re entirely possible tor one 10 60 to TIE fair
AID aioy is heSaites and teaea,. saa re;ura
home without beiug soatcd o. spen4ias 4 ,o-.
tune.
Iac local directory have decided to open the
gsics ca sgntsv AID the asttoaa. e0r.u,....n
are wrestling with this u~rob!eta. Congress Ia
by resolution declared the national with 70 "a
iaa: u SHAH lie csoset GA tia. dav. and tie rs
tioaAi commission. by vote ot a majority o; ali
as saeSaeers, s9pTove. a reie ioc >aa9.y clos.
ing. Fersnas.iy. ] have &lvays been sn s.vo.
cate Of Assias The sases sni ssoGnis opsa ca