The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-05-13
A MENTAL FLASH.
The Passing of Weidner's
Idea.
HOW 1T ROSE AND FELL.
1t Concerned Getting to the Fair
and Beat Anything the Ex-
position Can Show.


ago Charles Weidner sat quietly on table
in his Clay-streeI saloon. A long pipe
stem crossed his apronnd knee, and every
time his beer stein thumped the table as
he set 1t down wreaths OF lazy smoke again
made turbans about his round and half
bald head.
He picked up his CALL and read a story
about some walters planning to go to the
Worlds Fair in a boxcar, travelling as
freight in carload lots at an expense of
SIS piece, subsistence not counted.
Mr. Weidner laid his pipe on the table,
pressed finger hard to his forehead and
exclaimed, "Py gracious" While bril-
liant idea was rapidly playing with search
light effects all about the inside of his
great head he slowly arose, thoughtfnlly
filed the biggest stein in the shop aud
tboughtfully sat down again.
\ great idea had entered Mr.. Weidner's
head and he fully realized it. 1t worked,
and worked without day off for week
or more and became changed into plan
greater than that of the big Manufacturer s.
building at the Columbian Exposition.
The scheme began IFS passage from the
realms of fancy when little advertise
ment appeared in the daily papers day
or two ago inviting all who wanted to go
to the Worlds Fair in a freightcar for next
to nothing to call around.
By that time Mr.. Weidner had figured
out most of the details of his scheme. in
which he was assisted by Professor"
L. NJ. McEntee, who was getting ready to
visit one of the coming stereopticon lee
lures on the Worlds Fair On the people
who had to stay at home.
The, Tina HADN'T p0mn whan III was
necessary TO engage any ears. but a
freightcar could be had at any time and
somebody had told Weidner that a car
from San Francisco to the Chicago stock
yards would cost about S1l0. So the
Southern Pacific Company wasn't con-
suited.
The discovery had been made somehow
that fifteen men couldn't be locked up In a
| ireightcar and shipped at carload rates,
| bot the brilliant scheme was immedi-
ately evolved of shipping fifteen dogs
| and cats to Chicago as part OF an animal
| show and having fifteen people go along TO
take care of the animals. So that difficulty
was cleared up easily.
When the people who wanted to go to
Chicago in q boXcar came around Mr..
! Weidner presented the following agree
| ment for signing:
| active part in the animal show aud circus trip
| TO Chicago under the managem, mt OF Mr..
Charles Weidner, on May -, 1898.
a. Each of us pays a deposit of fifteen G5)
| dollars to Mr.. Weldney and furnishes his or her
| provisions bedding, etc.
| % Each of us pledges to behave property ana
| take good care OF any animals and follow the
arrangements of the leaders OF their cars, sub
ject TO the directions OF MIR. Weidner.
| Every hour that passed further con-
| WINGED Mr.. Weidner that his idea was
| more brilliant than any that would be
| illustrated at the fair. Nearly everybody
/ hot Irp in IN oh a.
! least one steam beer. and many became so
enthusiast that they treated 1.-THE house."
| The boom in business since that day
| when Weidner calmly smoked his pipe
| was wonderful. The opening of the
| Nicaragua canal could not have helped II
| half as much.
So many signed the agreement that
| Neidners plan grew to a whole live
| stock train, and he concluded to hire a
| hall. hold meetings, get more signatures in
| clubs OF fifteen and make final arrange
| ments.
Then he would know how many cars to
| charter. He had calculated that fifteen
people to a ear would yield 500, leaving a
| profit of 500 car, which was but fair
! price for the superior brain power that
evolved and managed the great enterprise,
One of the details he had figured out to
present at the meeting was that OF the CON-
missaiy department en- route. lie made
| ont a list of what should 20 with each
| car for the Journey as follows:
Wine, $40; brod, So; kase. So; hame.
| SIS; kartotfel. So; eggs. 81: ofen. $40;
| whisky, $40; beer. $40; feisch, $40;
| cant ieisch, SIS; total. 500" This would
| make the cost of necessaries 10 each per-
| son but So 60 for the trip.
Well, the meeting was held at 1859 Mis-
| sion street yesterday afternoon, and the
| little place was crowded. Mr Weidner
! explained his scheme at length, and after
awhile some long-headed fellow made a
| proposition that the crowd 90 no further
in signing agreements, making up clubs
| for the cars. etc, until they knew officially
just what the railroad company would
charge per ear. 1t might be little more
| that Weidner had said.
So a committee of FIVE was appointed
and 1t started for Fourth and Townsend
| streets. The assemblage waited for an
! hOur.
The committee came back and reported.
| The railroad company would charge each
one $50 fare. They could go on regular
excursion like other people for $50 80.
Business was bad in the Clay-streei
| saloon last night.