Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-07-13
GREAT ATTENDANCE.
Comparisons Made Between Various
EXpOSitionS

Comparisons Made Between Various
EXpcsitions.
Comparison has been made in the
Chicago Herald OF the attendance at
the worlds fair with that at the cen
tennial exposition. But the tide of
visitors to Chicago has now reached
such a flood that further comparison of
the attendance ut this exposition with
that at Philadelphia will appear almost
ridiculous. In justification of this state
ment let the attendance at Chicago for
the first four days of July be contrast
ed with that at Philadelphia for the
same days. AS the latter exposition
was not open on Sunday the admission
for July will be added to the other
three open days. The total number Of
admissions at Philadelphia for the four
days was 1891; at Chicago it was
$40, O49.
The attendance at Philadelphia on
independence day was $3.50; at Chca-
go it was 2S3,273. The total number
of admissions at the centennial for the
month of July was 636,51S. In four
days of July 542,O49 visitors who paid
their way have passed through the
gates of the Chicago exposition. These
figures demonstrate that the period has
passed when comparison Of the attend
ance at Chicago with that of Philadel-
phia is useful for any purpose The
success of the worlds fair is more than
assured; it is established. That success
promises now to be magnificent as is
the scope of the exposition itself.
There is nothing in history with which
the Chicago fair may be compared ex-
cept the Paris exposition. The worlds
fair eXcelS the universal exposition in
the beauty and extent of it's buildings
and in the variety and attractiveness of
it's exhibits 1t remains only to be seen
whether the attendance at Chicago with
exceed that at Paris.
1t is probably going to far to predict
or even to indulge the hope at this time
that the attendance at the worlds fair
will be greater than that at the French
exposition. The total admissions at
Paris were, in round numbers 2S,OOO,-
900, and of these 2S,0O0,0O0 were paid
The average paid attendance was about
10000 per day. The daily average Of
paid admissions at Chicago for the
month of June was nearly 100000.
The indications are that it will reach
125,OOO in July. If the increase reason.
ably expected for August, September
and October is realized the number of
visitors will be almost if not quite
sufficient to bring the average daily at
tendance for the entire six months up
to 10000.
IF the total attendance at Chicago
should equal that at Paris the triumph
of the worlds fair would be unparallel-
ed. 1t must be remembered that the
charge for admission at Paris was only
20 cents, while at Chicago it is so cents.
Again it must be remembered that
there are more than 20O,OO0,0O0 people
living within a distance of 500 miles
from the French capital, while the re-
sident population within 500 miles Of
Chicago does not exceed 20,0OO,0O0
Considering the difference in the price
of admission and the tremendous
difference in the figures of population
the resources from which the
visitors were and are drawn, it would
be marvellous indeed if the attendance
at Chicago should equal that at Paris.
Whether Chicago can equal Paris in
the number of paid admissions is not,
however, a question which materially
affects the success Of the worlds fair.
Ii is already apparent, in any event,
that the Columbian fair will be the
most successful as it is already the
greatest exposition in the history Of
the world