The San Francisco call., 1897-07-16
STRIKING THE
BALANCE SHEET
Financial Benefit From the
Great Convention
Shown.
More Than Two Million Dollars
Was Brought Into This
State.
San Francisco Is Good Convention
City and Is Able to Enter
tain All.

Tho committee of '97 had 9 meeting
last night for the purpose of auditing
bills, and it was found impossible to go
through the mass that had accum ulated,
but good progress was made. Many
of the members are worn out with the
labor attending the work during the
Christian Endeavor convention and will
leave this morning for a few days rest.
The remainder of the bills will be attend
ed 10 as early as possible and it is expect
ed that all the business of the committee
will be closed up within Two or three
weeks.
The committee has money ample Tor all
bills and will probably have surplus.
Until the bills are all audited the exact
status cannot be asceriained, but the
mem bers think there will be quite good
surplus Just what will be done with
this will not be decided until the amount
is ascert aimed. 1t is to be LETT with the
subscribers to say what disposition Will
be made of the extra. 1t is the express
sion of the committee that, unless the
overplus is very large, it will be given to
some charitable object to be named by
the subscribers. If the amount is very
large it is possible that dividend may
be declared among the subscribers.
The committee is we'll pleased with the
results OF the convention from financial
standpoint and think that the estimate OF
The CALL that the visitors left a round
million dollars in the City outside OF rail-
road fares is none too large. Some place
the estimate as too small and say that the
amount will far exceed that enormous
sum.
In order to ascertain as near as possible
the financial benefits accruIng from the
convention, Investigations were made
among the hotels, restaurants, boarding
and rooming houses and all business
houses that would feel the effects OF an
in creased trade from such an influx of
these visitors, and then the streetCar
lines and places of entertainment, and it
was estimated that in addition TO the
35, COO people registered as mem bers OF the
conven ton there were fully Is, 000 other
visitors who took advantage of the cheap
rates and visited the City. This places
the total at 80, 900 visitors.
Each of the lrst- class hotels was crowded
to the limit with people who paid first
class rates for the entire eight days. Ali
the other hotels in the City were filed to
overtiowing, and boarding and rooming
houses were also filed to such an extent
that many private houses were opened to
receive temporary guests.
OF these fully 1000 paid an AVERAGE of 81
a day for hotel alone for eight days or a
total of $32 0O0. Two thousand averaged
S2 so per day for the same length OF time,
a total of $4,000. Twenty thousand aver
aged 81 80 day, total of $240, 000 Twenty
seven thousand averaged 81 day, total
OF $2I6 0C0, making total paid 10 hotels,
boarding-houses ana restaurants of $685.
900.
During the week the streetcar lines and
ferries increased their business between
$4,000 and $50, 600, and the places of
amusement and interest, such as the Cliff
House, Sutro's Baths and similar places,
received about the same amount while it
is estimated that S500G0 was spent for
souvenirs and curios. Some place the
estimate on this item at twice that amount
Chinatown received a large amount, and
it is estimated that not less than $100, 900
were left there either with guides or IN the
stores. In addition to the amounts spent
for pleasure and in catering to the wants
of the inner man 1t is known that several
thousand dollars were given in charity 10
various Institutions and needy persons.
II all the various little incidental ex-
penses of travellers is added TO these esti-
mates it will readily be seen that the
million-dOllar estimate is, if anything,
too small. In order TO entertain and care
-
fully 5000 people were given employment
during the week who, otherwise, would
have been idle, and in this channel not
less than $50, 900 went directly 10 the work
ing people who were needing it, while
about twice as many other working peo-
ple received extra wages drring the rush.
The grocery-stores, butchers, frlit-
dealers, provision men OF all kinds, as
we'll as furniture dealers and dry-goods
houses received direct benefit, and this
million dollars was filtered through the
channels of trade so that every business
in the City felt the new money.
In addition to the City of San Francisco
the State at large was greatly benefited,
and it is estimated that with the railroads
and the various outlying points of inter-
est in the State fully 81, 000, 600 more was
spent, making grand total left by the
Endeavor crowd of 81 000, 000
The people OF San Francisco subscribed
for the entertainme en- of the convention
$25. 600 and will have some of it left, so it
is seen by the balancing of the books that
the credit of $1,975, 600 is due to the con-
vention in addition to The widespread ad-
Vertisement the State aid City will re-
ccive at the hands of the thousands OF Wis
itors who went home well pleased with
the convention and their treatment.
The convention demonstrated two
things. First, that San Francisco can en-
tertain any sized convention and care for
as many people as desire 10 come; second,
that a convention is a good financial in
vestment for the city which invites It