Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1900-09-25
To the Leader.

Paris, France, Sept. II, 19OO.-Now
that the exposition is in full blast, all
the advertising completed, and stea-
dy current of visitors flowing in from
all parts of the world the managers
have chance to balance their ac-
counts. The money for the great fair
was raised as follows: The manage
ment obtained 20,0O0,O00 francs t$4,-
000,000) from the government; 20,OOO,-
600 francs more from the city of Paris;
and from the public, in the form of
bonds, 65O0O,000 francs (s13,000,0O0)
or a total Of $21 100000. Numerous
contracts were made with exhibitors
and the owners of restaurants, kiosks,
etc, at rates that were very high for
the latter. The figures for these are
not yet published, but the total must
be enormous. The public is now be-
ginning to ask what it has obtained in
return for the 100000 invested, and
the management is accused of not hav-
ing kept its promises. 1t was stated
that the exposition would be opened
on the 18th of April, or three weeks
earlier than that of 1899. 1t is true that
it was opened about that date, but in
chaos of scaffolding, dust and incom-
plete construction. Further, 1t was
promised that the exposition should be
opened regularly of evenings, when the
restaurant keepers would have an eX-
cellent opportunity for profit. The ex-
position was at first closed at six
O'Clock, then at seven; and it was not
until the middle of June that it pre-
sented, after nightfall, aught but a
dark stretch of lonely buildings. This
was partly due to the lack of electric
ity, the plant for which did not act
properly throughout the grounds until
towards the end of June, thus postpon-
ing for ten weeks the illumination of
fountains, evening fetes, etc, not to
mention the loss caused to exhibitors
whose apparatus was dependent upon
electrical force for working.
In the prospectus of the exposition,
issued some years ago, it was estmat-
ed that, since there were 100000
people at the fair of 1867, 100000 at
that of 1889, it would not be too much
to count on 60,O00,000 in 1900 AS
matter of fact, up to the end of July,
or during rather more than the first
half of the Exposition, the number of
tickets taken was 16,500,000. If this
percentage be maintained, or even in
creased, it is nevertheless impossible
TO predict that on the 5th of November,
the day of closing, thre will be total
of more than 100000. The stock
holders will lose heavily, as well as
those who have paid high fees for the
privilege of opening places of amuse-
ment or eating establishments in the
grounds. Paris newspapers point out |
that French law Furnishes the failure to !
keep promises made in prospectuses, |
and add that although the general |
manager, NJ. Picard may be absolved |
of fraudulent intention. he had no
right to deceive others, since he was |
in way representing the Government. |
1t will be remembered that the heirs |
of Anthony Pollock, who perished in
the wreck of the ill-fated Bourgogne, |
offered certain sum of money to be |
given as prizes for the best life-saving |
device in shipwrecks, the award to be
granted during the exposition. 1t was |
decided to exhibit the apparatus sub
mtted to competition for the prize in |
the class of articles devoted to COM
mercial navigation, and to let the de-
cision rest with the Exposition jury. |
The latter selected special commits
sion, composed of experts of different
nationalities. The commission has
made an examination and submitted
report, stating that four hundred and
thirty-five devices were presented The
award, amounting to 100000 francs or
nearly $4,000, was not granted to any
one. 1t was decided that only one of
the competitors, Mr.. Roper, of London,
had presented an invention worthy of
part of the prize-1O,O0O francs, or
about $1,000. All sorts of apparatus
were submitted, including life boats,
life saving bells, and RATS of light
steel, occupying but little space. The
jury finally declared that if the Pollock
heirs wished to continue the competi-
tion, inventors should be requested to
limit the scope Of their devices to i'm
provements in the security of ships
and in methods for saving the entire
vessel with the passengers, in case of
accident, without essentially changing
the usual plan of ship construction or
involving excessive expense. 1t is un-
derstood that the heirs have consented
to this arrangement. and the next com
petition will take place in the autumn
of 1901