The Portland daily press., 1893-05-29
PUBLIC COMFORT.
How Visitors Are Cared for at the
Worlds Fair.
FREE CoNvENIENcEs FOR ALL.

Plenty of Waiting Rooms and Seats
Throughout the Grounds-Free Filtered
Water-The Toilet Room Mystery Ex-
plained-State Buildings as Club Houses.
WORLDS FAIR, May q. = Especial =
Now that the people are coming in large
numbers to see the great exposition we
have ample opportunity to test the
efficiency Of the arrangements made by
the management for the public comfort.
So far there are few complaints Almost
everything that could have been done to
secure the comfort of the visiting multi
tudes has been done, and in MANY in
stances on scale commensurate with the
magnitude and grandeur of the whole en-
terprise. Tits true that some of theecon-
veniences have been slowly put in shape,
and during the first two or three weeks
OF the month there were some complaints,
but the managers have apparently done
the best they could. The task'of finishing
up the buildings and grounds was a
gigantic one, and even these wonderful
Chicago men cannot do all things at the
same time. Now that the provisions made
for the public comfort are practically COM
plete it is timely to speak to- them some
what in detail. IA
One first notices that ample arrange
ments have been made for carrying visitors
to and fro within the grounds. The ele-
waited electric cars, the wheel chairs, the
gondolas, electric and steam launches
carry people from one end to the other Of
the vast enclosure and at reasonable
charges. Scattered throughout the
grounds are seats sufficient to accommo-
date 10000 people at once If this should
prove insufficient themanagers promise to
put in as many more as may be necessary.
Except on the great days, when it is ex-
pected that half a million people will enter
the gates, a capacity of 10000 should be
enough, for hundred thousand persons
within the enclosure probably not more
than two or three Thousand will care to sit
at any one time. There is SO much to see,
and visitors are so eager to make the
grand rounds, that the vast majority Of
people are constantly on the move
At the luncheon hour many more seats
will be required than at any other part Of
ulO ody, OuU ULC IS5UtuEduUS drc able TO
care for $4,000 persons at once Some of
these restaurants are mammoth affairs,
and while the charges are higher than
most OF us have been in the habit of pay
ing at home, except in a few instances
they are not exorbitant, everything being
considered. One may avoid these expen-
sive places, and enter the smaller eating
places or lunch rooms, and do very nicely
at an expense of half dollar. For in
stance, in the southern end of the main
building is snug little lunch room where
one may buy a good sandwich for dime
and cup of coffee at the same price.
Ii one spends more money here than he
can afford to spend it is his own fault, for
the opportunity is given him to take his
choice OF bills of fare and schedule of
prices. Visitors from the country who
come in by excursion trains will find that
splendid provision has been made for their
comfort In the big terminal railway sta
ton, which cost with the tracks running
Unto it nearly half million dollars, are
spacious waiting rooms, lavatories, a
lunch room where regulation railway
lunch room prices prevail, and tables at
which the people may spread out their
own lunches and buy cup of coffee or tea
from the cafe for warm drink. At various
places throughout the grounds visitors are
permitted to spread their baskets and en-.
joy little impromptu picnics, all their own.
Every day one sees thousands of people,
more than half Of them from Chicago,
taking their luneheons in this way. Not
few take their Baskets to the top Of the
main building, $50 feet above the ground
and sit down there on the naIr-m1ie
promenade and enjoy their sandwiches
and pickles with one of the most entranc-
Ing views ever beheld by the eyes of man
spread out below them. 1t costs quarter
to ride up here In the elevators, but the
trip is worth the money, and more too.
There is free drinking water in every
nook and col1er of the grounds. In all 200
pretty fountains have been erected by the
management, and from them is drawn fl
tered water as pure as any water on earth
that has not been distilled by the chemist.
It is water from Lake Michigan, filtered
through what is known as the Pasteur
filter, and carefully cooled without con-
tact with the ice Visitors need not be
afraid to drink this water even in the hot
test weather. 1t is almost ideal water,
and it is free Of course if you want min
eral springs water that dubbed from the
earth at Waukesha you may have it by
paying cent glass to one of the hum
bred pretty girls who sit at neat little
fountains in all parts of the exposition.
There are plenty of waiting rooms. In
addition to those in the terminal station a
number of buildings have been erected at
various points in the grounds, and here
both men and women may find all con-
veniences. No charge is made. In addi-
ton to these there are toilet rooms for
both sexes in all the principal buildings,
These are free, also, and clean. It's true
there are many toilet rooms to which an
admission of 5 cents is charged, and the
management, has been savagely criticised
for permitting these establishments to be
opened on the grounds. But when one
considers he need not enter the pay-closets
unless he wishes to do so, and that wher
ever there is pay toilet room there is also
free one that to all intents and purposes
is just as goo the criticism loses most OF
it's force. If any criticism is justified it is
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