The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-07-31
FEW VISITORS AT THE FAIR
The Attendance Sunday Was Smaller
than on Any Day Since the Opening.
There Was Nothing to Attract the People and
No Chance to Buy Beer or Food ct the
Cafes or Water at the Drinking Stands.

CHICAGO. July 51-The worlds fnir was
open to the public to-day-that is. the
gates were open, but they might about as
well have been closed. for the public did
not seem to care to take advantage of tho
fact Not since the fair was opened has the
attendance been so light as It was to- day.
The grounds, Midway Plaisanee and all.
were practically deserted. The total paid
admissions were only 1887. The
grounds had much the same appearance as
they had last Sunday. when the gates were
closed. Nearly all the State building rs were
closed and so were many of the structures
containing exhibits. and In the buildings
that were open large portion of the ex.
hibits were covered up SO they could not
be seen. All restaurants, cigar
stands and drnking-water fountains
the nar. of tbs was woT nG
management to mako things attractive to
visitors. There was no music nor attrsc-
tion of any variety, beyond the beauty and
grandeur of the White City itself. There
shows along the Midway Plaisance had
placards tackled MP on the entrance. an
nouncing to the few straggling visitors that
there would be no performance to-day. and
the shows that had the hardihood toopen
was scarcely large enough to pay running
expenses.
However dull the week may have begun.
the remainder promises to be unnsally
lively and interesting. To begin with. the
mechanical engineers will have q day at
the fair tomorrow. An elaborate pro-
gramme has been laid out for their enter
tainment. and 1t is expected that from
five Thousand to six thousand of them
from sll over the country will attend.
Tuesday the Representatives of New South
Wales will come to the front with
a grand display. and on Wednesday the
will have day Thursday. and it is the
announced intention of the representa-
tives of the Gar to produce programme
that will be IN keeping with the place
occupied by that great empire among the
nations OF the earth. The natives of Scot
land will celebrate Friday. and on Satur-
day the pioneers OF California will have o
day. All these events will be attended
with fireworks. SO that Jackson Park will
be desirable place to visit this week.
"Rake-Of' of Ticket Sellers.
Chicago Mail.
There seems to be considerable favorit-
ism shown in the admissions department
As every one knows. the small salary of
SIS month is not what the average ticket
seller is after. It is the "rake-off." The
"rake-ofF consists in the change which
patrons forget to pick up from the window
when they purchase tickets. Sometimes
this ''rake-off' is enormous. One young
man who handles tickets at Sixty-fourth
street as the beginning OF the month de-
posted $500 in local bank. That was his
''rake-oh' for the month of june. 1t is
calculated that the 'rake-off' In some of
first street and Sixty fourth street aver.
ages $40 q day. Tieket-sellers at these
places have been known to make as much
as S35 in one day.
There are ten men at least who have held
down positions at the gates mentioned ever
since the fair opened. The other poor fell
lows have been changed about, stationed
here. driven there. and used as if they were
so many soldiers, without the chance of q
remembrance or complaint. They see their
luckier companions getting rich off the Wis
itors while they have TO get along on their
S75 month.
One of the favorites hes been complained
of time and again for not returning ensnge.
but he still retains his place. His method
Is that of bluffiinR. If person buys a
ticket and forgets the change it matters
not that be rushes back and asks for it,
He gets laughed at for his pains and his at
tention Is called to the notice: Count
your change. as no errors Will be corrected
after you leave the Office"
"Are you not afraid OF being caught"
was asked of q ticket man.
NO" he replied. I'm the first place. not
ono man in hundred comes back to claim
his change. He reasons that the ticket
seller W ould swear he never got it, and so
| comforts himself with the reflection that
| he has paid much for his experience and
will take care not to do IL again. If ne
should return the ticket seller would Sim
| ply bluff him oil. One mans word ia as good
as anothers. and even at the worst all the
| ticket man has to say is that he paid il ont
| TO some one else. Some of the ticket men
| clear $500 month cool. That's why mono
| of them like to be promoted TO inspectors.
| The inspector only gets SIS month and
| gets 4 o chance of 'rake-otf.' When WAS
at the Minneapolis fair l cleared g. 500 in
| 'rake-off.'n