Omaha daily bee., 1899-07-08
STUPIDITY OF ], B. KITCHEN
Insults Nr, q. j. Psnfold, Who Proposes to
Demand an Apology.
RUPTURE IN txposITIoSS HAPPY FAMILY
Ticket Brokers Will Probably "Get
Left" with Their 10000 Tickets
Purchased at 30 Cents Each
Bad MiX-Ip All Along Line.

Just at this time there is not as much
harmony existing among the officials OF the
Greater America Exposition as one wouId
expect TO find in an organization OF this
kind The fact is that there is an open
rup,ure. and it has all been brought about
BY reason OF the assininity and stupidity
OF J 3. Kitchen, manager OF the Bureau
OF Admissions.
Prior to the coming OF General Joe
Wheeler and Postmaster General Smith the
members OF the executive committee OF the
exposition concluded It would be the proper
thing to have committee Of women to as
rist in entertaining distinguished guests
who may come to the show this summer
The matter was discussed at length ana
the authority 10 name twenty-five omana
women as members OF such committee was
delegated to H. j. Penfold, member OF the
executive committee and also manager OF
the Department of Concessions. He was IN
struc,ed to receive twenty-five blank sea-
son passes and fill in the names OF the
women selected. Acting under these In
structions he named eight prominent So
ciety women OF the city, who assisted in en-
tertainlng the female members OF General
wheele-'s party during their stay here.
considerably surprised when he visited the
grounds and discovered that at every gate
the names Of the eight women had been
posted and that instructions had been issued
20 the gatekeepers to take the passes up
upon presentation. Mr. Penfold imme-
diately went to Manager Kitchen, but
Kitchen would give no explanation OF his
action. He had merely ordered the passes
UP and that was all that there was about
It. This. however, will not satisfy Mr.. PEN
fold. He will force Manager Kitchen TO
explain or else he will resign from the
executive committee.
While Mr.. Penfod would not discuss the
Insult heaped upon him, a close friend who
knows all of the facts said "Mr. Penfold
feels the insult very keenly and realizes
that the action OF Kitchen is another in
stance of the lack Of management that
characterizes so many OF the departments
OF the exposition. The women who were
named as members of this entertainment
committee are all wives OF the members of
the Board OF Governors OF the knights of
Ak-Sar-Ben, who have been prominently
identified with the exposition and have
done all in their power to make It sue
cess Mr.. Penfold feels that he has been
insulted most grossly by the man in charge
OF the Department of Admissions and he
proposes TO resent it. He will demand the
most complete apology, or else he will get
of the committee where he has worked so
hard. However, there is one thing upon
which he is not quite clear. He does not
know whether Kitchen acted through ig
norance or spite, or both
Very Small Attendance.
Fridays weather was OF that brand that
Nebraskans expect TO experience in early
September. All day long the sun moved
over a cloudless sky, while a gentle breeze
blew IN from the north. During the after
noon there was slight fall in the tempera-
ture and late in the evening the air became
chilly. This chilliness, however was moth
ing as compared with that which the pro-
moters OF the Greater America Exposition
felt when they counted the cash which rep
resented the days receipts at the gates.
Early in the morning few people visited
the grounds and during the afternoon others
came in. Then agaIn in the evening some of
the city people wandered out TO take a look
a. tho illumnations and 10 stroll along
the Midway.
II NO time yesterday were there 500 peo-
pie on the grounds who had paid their fare.
Il is true that the turnstiles showed an at
tendance OF something like 5000 persons.
but OF this number more than $500 we're
either employees or else more fortunate ones
who came in on passes. or the 500 who
paid TO visit the grounds the exposition
realized but little cash. as a large major
fly OF the tickets were handled through
brokers.
Deal with Ticket Brokers.
few days ago the exposition management
devised a plan TO secure cash and keep the
affair afoat for short time longer. The
directors managed 10 interest firm OF brok-
ers and to the members of this organization
they sold $4,000 single admission tickets,
receiving the sum of sl0.09O for the same.
Since the opening day OF the show repre-
sentatives OF these brokers have stood al
the exposition gates continually during the
day. selling tickets to the visitors. They
have managed TO do most OF the business
and consequently the exposition has realized
little OF nothing from the admissions.
Nothing to Draw "A Crowd.
II Is no wonder that the attendance was
light yesterday. The fact is that there was
nothing TO draw crowd. In the morning
there was a promenade concert around the
Lagoon by the Indian band, but this did
not draw for the simple reason that the
organization is made up OF musicians OF
the most ordinary class. In fact, and the
officials OF the exposition admit, there are a
dozen bands in the city that can furnish
better music. In the evening there was a
concert by Godtrey's British Guards (?).
but, like the Indians, the boys in this or
ganiza;ion failed TO draw.
Godfrey's Grenadier band.
The reason why these Britishers 90 fail
TO draw has never been made public but
the truth OF the whole matter might Just