The morning call., 1893-05-03
TIE WORLDS EAR.

The fair was opened auspiciously. 1t is
estimated that nearly half a million people
were present at the opening exercises, and
no accidents are reported. The Presidents
speech was: JEST tTitla in the old-fashioned
boa5tiul vein. With perhaps more emphasis
than good taste warranted it invites people
to take notice how remarkably smart we
are. Butall went off we'll; everybody was
satisfied.
II is to be hoped that the present content
ment will last No such exposition has ever
been presented before TO tile eyeof man
| Director General Davis says that, including
the OUTLAWS of exhibitors. tie total expendi-
ture has been largely in excess of $780, co.,
Geo.. How much money has been spent on
ground ard buildings it is at present Diff
cult 10 reckon; from the figures given by
MI Davis it seems to HAYS reached the sum
OF S34.000.00 The expenses OF the Worlds
Fair Of 1851 in London were $40, 600. These
Of the World Fair at Paris FL 1855, exclu-
sive. of the cost of the PaIais de Pindustrie,
were 81, 257. coo. About the same sum was
spent on the grounds and buildings of the
British Worlds Fair OF 1862. The Vienna
Exposition of 1873 is said TO have cost
S7,s50,GOO A larger sum from first to last
was spent on the Centennial Exhibition at
P.Lttis 1T buc " UiGQ = ais
in 1889 the buildings and grounds cost about
$4,000 600 and other expenses about 81, 800, 900
more. 1t yielded a net profit of 100000
francs. 1t may thus be said that the 0rigi-
nal outlay for construction and adornments
at Chicago is four times as large as the
heaviest outlay thus far incurred for any
worlds fair that has ever been held.
The number of visitors to Chicago will
probably exceed any previous Worlds Fair
audience. Al Paris in 1856 5. 1872, $50 persons
visited the fair. AT London in 1862 the
number of visitors was reckoned to be
100000 At Paris in 1867 ever 10000. coo
persons attended. at the. Centenniai9 g, 9l0.-
600 people visited the show. At Paris in
1889 the attendance was teckoned at %, Geo.
co., Only once at this Paris fair-on the
closing day-did, the number of visitors in
single day reach 100000. The Chica go fair
Begins with an attendance Of from AS, 600
to 100000 on the opening day. This wouid
appear. TO imply a gross attendance oil 40-
GOO coo during the whole period that the fair
remains open. If so the balanee-sheet may
show profit on the whole enterprise.
OF all the fairs Of the past half century
Americans are most familiar with the Gen.
tennial and with that of Paris in 1889. The
pleasure OF visiting the former was not
marred by rapscity on the part Of Phfladel-
phians. Though it has ever been the motto
of Pennsylvania that the other States owe
it to their country to support the Keystone
State in affiuence hepeople of Philadelphia
did not take advantage of their op-
portpnity TO gouge visitors in 1876.
Plenty Of hotels and boardiug-hauses
offered strangers quarters at reasonable
rates, and the necessaries Of life were left
within the reach OF ordinary purses. There
was good deal Of extortion at Paris in 1889
Persons who did not speak French with
Partisan accent generally paid two prices
for what they bought: Lodgings in choice
localities advanced 200 OF. 500 per cent.
Fashionable hotels charged all the traffic
would bear. But it was all done in good
temper and with the exquisite politeness of
the Parisians. so that people submitted
cheerfullY. feeling that at the worst they
were getting the worth OF their money.
How Chicago Will behave remains to be
seen. There are people who hold that in
tlsir mad rage to take the last dollar out of
their visitors pockets the Chicsgoans may
have overreached themselves-that they
have built so many hotels. anc opened so
many restaurants. and provided so many
places where the sojourDer may be taken in.
that competition will presently reduce
prices to a reasonable level.