The herald., 1895-03-10
Financially Considered, it Was
Not q Success
OTHERWISE 1T WAS GREAT
Attendance From Points Outside the
City Was Slim
Subscribers to the Guarantee Fund Will
Take Up the Deficit Closing
Scenes

lars for a visit to La Fiesta de Los An
ge,es. They did not flock to the State
Citrus fair in such large numbers as was
their wont on former occasions. Their
absence can only be accounted for on the
theory that they are boarding their du-
cats for La Fiesta.
The Citrus fair, which closed last night,
was the most successful from an artistic
and educational standpoint ever held in
Southern California. Financially it was
not great success. 1t was in fact a
money losing proposition. The loss, how
ever, does not fall on the state, on the ex-
hibitors nor on the Chamber of Com
merce, under whose auspices it was held.
1t falls on the thirty odd patriotic citizens
who subscribed 500 apiece to the guaran-
tee fund.
Do they squeal2 Well, hardly. They are
n OF that sort of people. If they were they
would never have pledged their credit to
the exhibition. When they subscribed to
the guarantee fund they understood that
there was possibility of their being
called upon to make up the deficit. Most OF
them, in fact expected it, but that did
not prevent them from signing the agree
ment.
Most of the gentlemen who will go down
in their pockets to make up the deficit
called upon the officers of the Fair Asso-
citation yesterday and said they would
cheerfully pay the full amount they were
responsible for, as they felt that the fair
was success in every respect except in
the matter of attendance, and that was not
the fault of the management.
One prominent citizen who has been
solicited to subscribe to the guarantee
fund, but who had declined, called at the
secretary's Office last night and asked to
be put down for 800. He stated that he
had refused to go on the list in the first
place because he considered that it was a
mere matter of form, but now that he
saw that there was need OF guafantors,
he wanted to be one of them, as he had
had 500 worth of pleasure in seeing the
exhibition.
That seems to be the sentiment enter
| tanned by every one OF the guarantors,
and Los Angeles is proud of such citizens.
They are the sort of men that are making
a second Oh cago of the city.
How much each of the sureties will
have to put up is not yet known, as The
receipts and expenditures have not yet
been footed up, but they will probably
have to forfeit about 80 per cent of their
subscriptions, judging by approximate
| figures.
The expenses of the fair were noygreater
than on former occasions, although the
decorations, exhibits and entertainment
were of higher order. The deficit Is en-
| tirely due to slim attendance. Only about
| Is, 600 people visited the exhibition during
| the nine days it was open. The total at
| tendance at former fairs was about twice
| that number. The receipts being only
| about one-half as great as formerly, 1T is
readily seen how the deficit occurred.
| The city patronized the fair fairly we'll
, very well, indeed considering the numer-
| ottractinns There l.
most an entire absence OF country people
| and tourists, however.
| But an analysis OF the causes will not
| help the situation. The fact remains that
| the fair was failure through no fault OF
| the management. 1t is the first fair man
| aged by the Chamber OF Commerce that
| has not PANIED out satisfactorily, but
| that excellent institution will not suffer
| by it.
A pleasant feature is that not single
| exhibitor will lose anything All the
awards and premiums have been paid and
all outstanding bills will be met promptly.
| Only the guarantors will lose anything,
and they feel amply repaid in that they
have rendered valuable service to the
community.
The attendance on the last day of the
| Fair was no larger than on the two pre-
| ceding days. In the afternoon the chill
dren from the Protestant Orphans Home
were DeIIllllttu W SCC tiC SAhipitioh Gnu
listen to the music. Each child was
given an orange before leaving the
pavilion and sent back to the home re-
| joicing. No accident occurred to maj
| the occasion.
Last night at 80 the Fair came to a
close. The attendance during the even
| ing was fairly good, and many people
fingered in the hall long after Cassasa' s
band had played Aud Lang Syne, the
] closing piece of the programme, regret
| ting to leave the enchanting scene which
they could not again behold.
When Cassasa's band appeared on the
stage for the first number of the pro
fronted by huge floral harp, presented
to the musicians as a whole by the exhib
itors and ladies in charge of the refresh
| ment booths. The harp was designed an(
constructed by Joseph l.. Morton, assisted
by David Carpenter. 1t was five feet higf
and thirty seven and half inches II
| width, the frame being covered with Ii
France, tea and other varieties of roses
violets, geraniums, lilies and othe
flowers. The strings were gold and sill
yer threads. 1t was indeed a beautiful
piece of work, and heartily appreciates
by the musicians.
Later in the evening, Secretary Willar,
on behalf of the exhibitors and officers o
the fair, presented to Mr.. Cassasa, tn
director of the excellent band, which
bears his name, beautiful gold badge
in the shape OF a half sphere, representa-
an orange, suitably inscribed as mement
of the occasion. The badge, like tn
floral harp was designed by Mr.. Morton
Mrs. Will E. Bates, the accomplishe
cornet player, who, with her husband, N
their inimltable cornet duets afforded S
much pleasure for the visitors to thefaiI
was also the recipient OF handsom
present. 1t consisted of a floral design /
the shape of the ace of clubs, being
huge palm leaf covered with exquisit
flowers and net work of silver and gold
The fruit in the various exhibits is re
markedly well preserved, looking neari.
as fresh as at the opening OF the iail
Within the next few days the entire e.
hibition will be dismantled. Most OF tn
fruit will be sold or distributed am on
charitable institutions.
The fair will long be remembered as tn
most successful in every way, excel
financially, ever held in Los Angeles, an
it is doubtful whether its like will agai
. be seen for some years.
Some of the products exhibited at tt
, Citrus Fair will be taken to the Chamb'
of Commerce and entered in the free e.
hibit there.
The present Citrus Fair has been in
measure directly under the control OF tt
, Fruit Exchanges, and the successful e.
hibits of oranges made by them prov
that they are not novices in tt
l matter OF arranging displays and brin
= ing out the good points OF their fruit.