The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-05-10
TOPEKADEALERS SLOW
Street Fair Booth Space Not Being
Taken Rapidly.

The street fair executive committee
had protest to enter last night at the
meeting of the Commercial club. The
protest was on the manner in which the
business men of Topeka are refraining
from taking exhibition space in the
street fair and home products expOsi-
ton
The street fair is primarily for the
benefit OF the merchants of Topeka It
is for the purpose of getting a big
crowd together from over the state and
enabling the merchant to place his
goods Immediately before them 1t is
different from the state fair or any sort
Of a gathering that might be held at
the fair grounds or in Garfield Park,
in that il brings the people directly to
what the merchant has to sell, instead
Of taking them away
One OF the arguments against the
ordinary old-style fairs is that while
they bring a big crowd to the city, the
crowd goes out TO the fair grounds.
stays there all day. and goes home at
night without spending any money in
the city except perhaps the price of a
lunch and the price of their admission
TO the various shows they have at
| tended.
With the street fair the crowd is left
/ right in the business part OF the city
/ The merchant fits up one two. three,
| or half dozen booths with a display,
| and the goods are constantly before the
visitors If the merchant has anything
in his booth that the people want they
viii buy it.
But it costs money to build the booths
| and 10 advertise the fair over the state
1 For this reason a price is put on the
4 booths for home exhibitors as well as
4 those from abroad But while there is
| a great plenty OF outside exhibitors ap-
| plying for space. the Topeka merchants
are not engaging as much space as it
| was expected they would As il is q
Topeka show the committee in charge
| is disappointed that Topeka merchants
| have not taken more interest in a pro-
| ject that is meant for their benefit and
| on which a great deal of time ana labor
has been spent
The exposition has been well adver-
tised over the state, and the people Of
the state are taking a great deal OF
| interest in it. and there viii doubtless
be a large crowd here TO attend it The
| midway attractions that have been Sc
cured are the best in the country and
1 the entertainments that viii be glnVel
will entertain the visitors, but that viii
not bring money into the pockets Of
! Topeka business men, nor will Il show
to the state at large what Topeka has
It is true that the large mercantile
establishments in the city have nearly
/ all subscribed. and the majority OF tbs
ma nufacturing industries are making
preparations for exhibits, but there ars
| a large number OF business men WIKI
have not done So
The street fair is a Commercial clut
institution. and for that reason the clul
is anxious TO make it success WheI
: the matter was laid before the clui
| last evening, most of those presen
were surprised that the merchants ar
not taking hold of the matter viii
greater alacrity, and the following res
olution, introduced by James A Trout
, man. was passed:
Recognizing in the propo sition for
street fair to be given May % to Jun
! | as a worthy and legitimate enterprise
| through which 2 large sum Of none.
NAV be turned into the treasury 0
: | the Commercial club for the purpose 0
] | aiding the Santa F'e shop project; there
( fore
] Resolved, That this club heartily en-
= dorses the movement and urges III
= business men of Topeka and our Cit
J zens to generously patronize the same