The morning call., 1894-04-11
DIRE DISASTER.
Pessimistic Views About
the Fair.
Important Meeting In the Mayors
Office-Charges Against the
Executive Committee.

IuoIc Wns 6HouRs maulJ, c6TDobg pro-
test from the exhibitors and show conces-
sionaires at the Midwinter Fair made in
the Mayors Office last night to the COM
mittee appointed by the Mayor to iDvesti-
gate its affairs against the continuance Of
the present rate Of admission OF 30 cents.
and urging reduction to % cents.
The Mayor presided and l.. c. McAfee
acted as secretary There were present
delegations from the exhibitors and show
concessionares.
DR.. c. A Harvey, president of the Mid
winter Fair Exhibitors Association, was
the first speaker. He said their associa-
tion repr esented 376 exhibitors out of
about 1000 in the catalogue. and Trey had
prepared lengthy statement fully ex-
planning their position, which the secre-
tary. /. E. Camni, would read.
Mr.. Camini then proceeded to read the
statement. 1t was asserted that the prnss
clple on which the exposition was beng
conducted was mistaken one and not
likely 10 lead to such results as would
make the undertaking success In every
sense OF the word and profitable al ke to
all concerned in Its welfare. The benefits
expected would not ccTue unless a seri-
Gus. well-directed effort to increase the
attendance was made, which for he past
l0ur months had been ridiculOusly small
reduction of The admission lee to 25
cents was urged on the simple business
proposition that 1t would tend TO an in
crease all round four or five times more
than at present. The proposition to re-
duce the lee in the evening only was dis
tInctly opposed
Other measures to increase the attend
ance were suggested, such as the issuance
OF season tickets for the balance of the
fair al price not To exceed SS and to de-
vote every day ertaln part OF the gate
receipts, say 10 10 Is per cent, to the pur-
chase of various arucles from the exh bits in
the exposition. giving with each admission
ticket coupon entitliDg the bearer To par
tlcipate in the drawings which al stated
times would De made OF The articles thus
purchased.
The circular sent to intending exhibitors
last iall by tue executive committee, ana
signed by the drector-genera, was quoted,
and IL was pUuied out that the grievance
OF the exhibitors was not, as a prominent
official was reported to have said, a failure
TO keep their contracts. but failure OF the
administration to keep its PROMISES.
Statistics had been obtained from 376
xhiDitors showing that the total eXpendl-
ture in cash to them Of making and main
talning their EXHIBITS at tile exposition
amounted In round numbers to $500, go
which Was considerably more than d jub BILE
the amount contributed by the clliZeDs Of
San Francisco to the same object. Those
figures did not include the value OF the
eXh bits, which alone represented millions
and millions of dollars, but represented
merely the amount OF money which tEese
376 exhibitors spent for the purpose of
making their exhibits at the far, and of
that amount over twO-thirds had been
spent by them in his city.
"And with what results" the statement
IN4
this question to what has taken place In
the swiss section of the Manu- actures
building, which is composed of ten exhiu-
ltors. These ten exhibitors have paid for
their space to the management over $2001
while the gross amount OF their Sa,r~ from
the opening to this day barely reaches
$500"
The association. although recommend
ing it's members to carry on their Contracts
to the best OF their ability, which were
made on the basis oil the grossly eXag-
gerated statements circulated by the Xec-
utive commitiee In Chicago toward the
end of the Worlds Fair, also recommend d
the administration to take all me clrcun-
stances into consideration and not force
their claims iD such way as to cause an
actual hardship to any individual con-
cerned. Where no contract had been en-
tered into 1t was the intention OF the exec
utiye committee to force them to sign such
contracts and to exact certain sum or
percentage.
Their losses had been sucn that no matter
what the future might bring them they
could not afford TO contribute any more
than they had already done to the funds of
the exposition. Should any such demands
be insisted on they would be compelled to
take such measures in seif-pr0tacti0n as
might forciDly remind the executive c0m-
n irfn 70 ~ hxa.a h
the rights of the men who were the bone
and sinew of an exposition. could not be
ignored.
1t was suggested that band should play
three times q week at least In the after
noon in the Manufactures building. ana
that at least once week In the evening
vocal Concert be given. A few elsc.
tr,c lights were very much needed 0utsue
the grounds on the park drive and on ID
street on the approaches to the gates.
Finally the association wished 10 dis
abuse the minds OF the public OF the idea
that the fair would be con tinued after
June 80.
MIR. Camini then read letter sent to
the executive committee on March IN
reply to one sent to exhibitors in the Aus
trian section threatening to close up their
exhibits aud revoke their passes unless
their demands for percentages on sales
were coupled with, that all would close
up their exhibits II the threats were
carried out. No answer had been re-
ceived TO that letter.
DIR. Harvey said there were questions OF
nal grievances which he would defer
10 another meeting. The citizens should
know of the eases OF dire hardship and
suffering which many exhibitors were
forced to endure The executive commits
tee were squeezing the exhibitors and de-
manding percentages when exhibitors
were not drawing enough money to keep
body and soul together.
II. #. McGarvie. chairman OF a mass
meeting Of the show concessionaires on