The Topeka state journal., 1904-12-02
LAST NIGHT AT FAIR.
Total Attendance Is Estimated at Up
wards of 100000.

st. Louis. Dec. "A brief but i'm
pressive ceremony held at the base of
the Louisiana Purchase monument
concluded the Worlds fair at mid
night. President D. R. Francis. ac-
cOmpanied by a number of officials OF
the exposition, congregated in the i'm
promptu rostrum. 4
With the words Farewell. a long
farewell to all your greatness, Presi-
dent Francis touched small lever,
and instantly the illumination
throughout the grounds ceased. The
exposition was at an end.
The last night of the Worlds fair
pike came to an end without any dis
turbance of serious proportions mar
ring the uniform success of the expo
ed promptly at midnight
A crowd numbering more than
$4,000 thronged the broad thorough
fare all day, and after it had been
augmented by the sightseers who had
spent the last day in the exhibit build
ings as long as those structures re-
manned open there was scarcely room
to move on the street of amusement.
While the mefrymaking was at it's
height, the famous Yellowstone park
coach, bearing President D. r. Fran
cis several distinguished exposition Of
fcials on outside seats. and a number
of foreign commissioners in the In
terror passed slowly down the pike.
President Francis presence was
soon discovered and his progress was
a continued ovation. For more than
four hours the pike was a maelstrom
of excited humanity, each component
part bent upon extracting as much
amusement as possible from the dying
hours of the Worlds fair. The ex-
tinguishing of the lights came without
warning and though the darkness did
not serve to dampen the spirits of the
crowd, the immense throng turned at
once toward the gates and although
ho n f<ar I'D os
soon as possible it was long past mid
night before the last of the merry
makers had boarded cars for their
homes.
While it will be impossible to obtain
the actual receipts and expenditures of
the louisiana Purchase exposition be-
fore the middle of December Secretary
Walter B. Stevens of the Worlds fair
made the following statement to the
Press:
From reports that have been sub
mitted of the admissions to the
grounds up to o'clock last night we
Francis day will be few thousand
in excess of 200. 900, and that the at
tendance for the exposition period will
be in the neighborhood of 8,S00,0OO.
In round numbers the exposition
company has expended $22,oOO.00O
since the inception of the Worlds fair
project, and the expenditures of the
several states and territories have
r6acn6Qs a total OF SS,UVU,UUO. Inc re-
ceipts since the opening day, April 10,
have amounted to about $10,000,0 900,
consisting of admissions and conces-
sion royalties. In addition to these
were the funds, amounting to
about $12, 100000. raised by subscrip-
ton and Appropriation to build the
exposition.
While it is impossible to state ex-
actly the financial condition on the
closing day, it can be authoritatively
that all debts against tn he
company have. been paid with the ex-
ception of a few current accounts,
such salaries, ETC.. and these it is
thought will consume nearly all the
surplus, so that there will only be a
very small amount left for the stock
holders.
From the amount of royalties col
lected by the exposition, it is estimated
that the concession account on the
Pike and other parts of the fair has
taken in at least $10.000,000.
Immediately upon the closing of the
gates a large force of men began the
work of packing and shipping the ex-
hibits. There are more than 800 off,
cials of the United States customs SER
vice on the grounds and they will re-
main on duty until the last exhibit has
been shipped to the home address of
the exhibitor or to such other destina-
ton as may be selected
Beginning today the exposition
grounds will be open to visitors be-
tween a. m. and D. M, an admis-
sion fee of SO cents being charged.
This charge will probably be re-
duced to 25 cents within a few days.
All persons entering the grounds will
do so at their own risk and none of
the exhibit palaces will be open to
visitors.