The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-05-27

A Subjec: Which Is Frequently
Discussed.
WILL TIE GREAT EXPOSITION PAY7

WILL AID Its1a1 GAE VSlI1Vd Al
The Artistic and Educational Success of
the Worlds Cofur2A,an Exposition Is
Assured Evea # the Financial Part Is
Not-Cost OF the Fair Up 20 Time Of
Opening.
WORRIES FAIR, Nay - fspecisll =
An inquiry often heard is-''Win the great
exposition be financial srcceSS' In ny
view it doesn't much matter whether il Is
or not. The great desire Ito make it a
success from the artistic and educational
points of view It's artistic success is e.
ready assured There never was any
thing so beautiful, SO inspiring. II viii
be tremendous educational success Il the
people come TO utilize the opportunity
which has been afforded them. They
will come, teo. They viii come by the
millions. Neither railroad rates Tor
cholera fears can keep them away. But il
is true that s.om enc cause or another
enough may not come 70 make the fair
financially successful. There may be a
deficit at the end OF the six months; or, to
put the case more accurately, the city of
Chicago and the people OF Chicago who
subscribed 10 the stock Of the exposition
company may get back only small part
Of their money. This is not thing 10 be
much deplored in itself. The Chicago peo-
pie didn' { expect to get their money back
when they put it up. At least, they did
not expect TO get IL back directly from the
exposition treasury. But that they will
get it back many fold IN other ways
through the assemblage in their midst OF
millions of strangers, no one can doubt.
But large class Of Americans viii insist
upon regarding the fair q failure unless it
earn profit for the stockholders. They
have strong commercial instinct, and
think success in this as in other enter
prises is measured by dividends. They
overlook the fact that this is not intended
and was never intended rs money-mak-
ing concern. It's greatest success will lie
In affording instruction, inspiration and
amusement TO g large proportion of our
people. Inasmuch as the educational sue
cess and the financial success TO certain
extent are dependent upon the same con
dition-a very large attendance-it is
worth while 10 pause here and consider
what the chances are.
The attendance so far during the month
OF May has been rather disappointing.
But it is easily explained. The fair has
not been complete, and the weather has
for the most part been cold and eheerless
The people, not only OF Chicago, but sur
rounding country knew the fair was not
finished on the opening day, and they
were not willing TO spend their money and
time going to see an imperfect exposition
You cannot fool the people, and some of
the Chicago papers now wish they had not
attempted to do So At this date, how
ever, the exposition is practically COM
plete. No one need fear being too early on
the ground after this The work is done,
the show IS finished. It is ready for the
inspection of the world.
How great will the attendance have to
be in order to make the exposition sue
cess financially? This is very interesting
question, but it cannot be answered very
accurately because there are other sources
of revenue which depend somewhat upor
only estimated. Still, this inquiry abou,
the financial success of the enterprise is az
interesting one, and speculation upon it j.
a convenient means Of reaching q better
appreciation of tie magnitude of the
operation.
In round figures, which are within a
hundred thousand dollars Of the actual
sum, the cost Of the fair to the opening
day was twenty millions of dollars. This
enormous sum is more than twice as much
as was spent for the last Paris exposition,
and there the government of France was
behind the enterprise. Twenty millions
probably reaches the high water mark in
the outlay for International expositions.
1t may be doubtful if the coming century
will see g parallel to this affair II mag
nitude or costliness. This fair is not too
big, bat it is bag enough. Future fair
builders win probably devote their ener-
gies to making more perfect but not more
vast. How was all this enormous sum
raisedf Principally by the citizens OF
Chicago. In the first place, they sub
scribed nearly six millions of dollars of
stock in the exposition company, and have
paid over in cash thereon 81, SOL Then
the city of Chicago Is municipal corpora
ton issued bonds and devoted the proceeds
to the purchase of 8. coo, 600 of stock. Thus
nearly eleven millions In cash was poured
into the enterprise here.
At first it was thought this would be
enough, or nearly enough, to build the
fair. But it proved to be only half enough.
The exposition issued five millions OF its
own bonds and sold them at par. This
gave a total OF sixteen millions Congress
voted five millions Of souvenir half dollars
In aid Of the fair, and then took away
half million dollars worth OF them on
audible. Ont of the remaining two mill
ions of dollars worth the management
realized, by virtue OF premiums, very
nearly g. 90. 600 Thus the total receipts
were brought up TO nearly eighteen and
half millions Interest and miscellaneous
receipts swellsd them TO the grand total OF
1900. 90.
It cost more than twenty millions TO
open the gates. Only nineteen millions
had bean received, therefore the exposi
ton company begsn doing business May
1st with debt Of million dollars staring
it IN the face
Looked st az vast financial operation
this fair Is almost as fascinating as from
any other point Of view, twenty millions
To open the gates, three millions more
Will be needed 10 pay expenses AL the END
Of the SIX no1s 5s, therefore <<5.Sssi,oJo -
% he approxiu ately the total cost Of tie
U--rf7,a fsafr,vy fflrfa exgsenSsft1r l. there