Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-06-15

watched. There are thirteen main exposi-
ton buildings and some eighty smaller
ones. Two hundred and fifty guards are
needed in the great Manufactures building
alone, during the day; and 100 are sta
toned there at night. In the day time 100
are assigned to the Art palace. Besides
the buildings and their exhibits the walks
and all other parts Of the grounds must be
patrolled.
Study the situation as l have done and
you will see that 800 is none too large a
number of guards for the White City.
You must not forget that vast crowds of
people come here every day, ard that it
would be simple madness to leave them
without police protection. AS long as
everything goes well perhaps there IS not
much need of the presence of the guards.
But suppose fire breaks out, or there is
panic from any causep These are the
things the management has had to think
of. Though the fault-fnders may be
thoughtless the men who are responsible
for the conduct of this great enterprise
cannot afford to be, And must say they
appear to have thought of everything,
1t would require many columns TO eX-
| pose all the lies | have seen in eastern
papers concerning the Worlds fair Life
is too short to devote much of it to this
! purpose. / mere are LOO llulO lllllSS mere
| to admire and praise. But l wish to re-
| assure my readers on a few points. The
fair is now finished. 1t is complete and
| perpect. If an exhibit here and there is
not just as its owners or managers desire
| to have it, probably 1t will be by the time
| this reaches your eye; and at any rate, all
| these exhibits together do not amount to
a drop in the great bucket. The fair is
| clean and orderly, as | have shown you.
So much attention has been paid to the
comfort of visitors that every one is aston
ished at the completeness of the arrange
ments.
There are seats within the buildings and
without. The toilet rooms and layatories
are everywhere-free There are rest
rooms in various buildings. If one is
taken i'll or overcome by heat an ambul-
ance service attends and a good hospital
awaits. Drinking water-free and good
may be had at every turn. There is no ex-
tortion within the grounds. Those restau-
rant keepers and other providers who
started out to gain riches quickly have
found they We're on the wrong road. The
transportation facilities to and from the
fair grounds are almost perfect. No pre-
| viouS exposition was SO well served in this
respect On the days of greatest attend
| ance there Is no uncomfortable croWdlng.
Let me give you little personal eXper
fence that you may judge Of the conditions
existing in Chicago and at the fair.
board at the Grand Pacific hotel, where |
| pay only regular rates. as every one else
does--the same rates asked last year and
every year. This is true of nearly all the
hotels One large hotel served notice in
the latter part of April it would double its
rates May l. The guests didn't complain
nv. 4 a h.. Ctff.a 1
They simply said to themselves: This
landlord has the right to charge what he
pleases. That is his business" But on
the morning Of May / there weren't II
dozen guests left in the house. A vast
hotel was empty, cayernous. Cafe, bar
barbershop, bell boys, cigar stand, cashier
room clerk, everything and everybody had
q holiday. The next day was no better 1t
was even worse, Tor only half dozen
guests remained. Then the proprietor
capitulated. lie came down to his old
scale of prices. Gradually his guests re-
turned, but even yet the house is suffering
the effects of that mistake. 1t cost that
landlord $4,000 TO learn the people will
not be robbed. Tins is the lesson which
agreat many people have learned in Chi
CagO.
Well. n five minute walk takes me to the
Illinois Central station. In two or three
minutes an express train starts for the
fair 1t makes the journey in fifteen min
utes, without stopping. The fare is 10
cents and the cars are comfortable. In
two minutes walk to the fair gates Dur
ing five or six hours in the exposition my
expenses may be something like this:
Ride on an electric launch from one end of
grounds to the other, IS cents. Two cata-
logucs, 30 cents. One glass OF mineral
spring water, | cent. Luncheon, from 30
cents to 80 cents. one pretty souvenir, 20
cents Admission to two sideshows on the
Midway plaisance, 80 cents. One glass of
soda water, 10 cents. Ride to top OF big
building, % cents. One ride ON elevated
electric road, 10 cents. Fare back TO Chi
oaro, 10 cents. Total, $40. And see how
much have had Tor my money.
MALTLR WELLMAN.