The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-09-06
THE BUSINESS SIDE or THE
FAIR

dustries IL beyond question As an OBJ
iect lesson to our people 1t stood abso-
lutely without precedent. AT that time
our producers sat at the feet of an indus
trial European Gamaliel and had their eyes
opened to unknown and to unrecognized
possibilities in wares of many kinds and in
possible markets for them. To-day we
have little to learn in such matters from
Europe or from any other country.
While figures are not to be taken IA
an accurate measure Of the results of the
Philadelphia Exposition. comparative
table Of census returns for 1870 and 1900 Ia
not without interest II can hardly he
doubted that the Centennial display Of
American products placed side by side with
foreign exhibits at that time was one OF the
most important causes Of the industrial
and commercial increase shown by the
figures.
In 1870 the value of American farm
products was si,s5s, $50 1927; in 1900 it was
1874 III ,708. In the department OF manu-
features the following figures appear;
1879 1907
Number OF establish
Capital employed .... s2lIs,ooo.ooo $685. o.ooo
" age earnors .......... 100000 $4,000
Value OF product. t232, S25,f2 SlSoli2sTfSs
While all this rests primarily upon the
products Of our fields and farms, we have
ceased to he an essentially agricultural
people and have taken place in the fore"
front Of general industries. Very much
the same is to be said for our commercial
affairs. These appear in the following
statement;
1870. >tu
1901 saobl26i7
1875. 1904.
Agricultural ..,.-..,..,.. st5o.ooo.o)o sS538s5'ss7
Manufactured. .... ...,.. lol.eoo,oJ) i5?4f6'e2e
This comparison Of the commerce Of the
Philadelphia centennial year with that Of
the st. Louis exposition year shows that
our agricultural exports have somewhat
less than doubled, while our export OF
manufactured goods has more than quad
rupled Much OF this result Is unques-
tionably attributable to the influence OF
the object lesson presented to our people
in Philadelphia twenty-eight years ago.
While it is impossible that the present
worlds fair in st.. Louis should have any
such far reaching results as it's predecessor
of quarter Of century ago, 1t should
be of considerable economic value. The
Columbian exhibit at Chicago in 1893 gave
an added momentum to the movement in
augurated by it's predecessor in 1873. But
the Roadway OF that movement is now SO
great, while the movement itself has as
sumed such vast proportions, that the
measure and the value OF any force which
may now be applied becomes almost inn
possible Of determination.
Thara 10 to ha af Ip,iis tha
there was in Chicago in 1893, more than there
was at Paris in 1900 and far more than
there was at the Buffalo Pan-American.
Placing them in comparison st. Louis makes
Philadelphia seem almost trivial. The
area covered by buildings at St. Louis is
greater than the entire exhibition grounds
at Philadelphia One-third of all that was
shown at Philadelphia could he assembled
inside the st. Louis Agricultural Building
alone, while the entire Centennial exhibit
could be displayed in four Of the st. Louis
buildings---the Agricultural, Manufactures,
Varied Industries and Transportation, with
several acres of unoccupied space left
over.
While by no means limited to those struct-
ures, the economic features of the st. Louis
fair centre in seven huge buildings, the
smallest of which covers about nine acres,
while the largest covers about Is acres.
In these buildings there are gathered prod
ucts and processes from all corners OF
the earth. Machines OF many kinds are in
practical operation. Machines show how
cotton cloth is made, and other machines
show how shoes are made. There are
lathes and saws and FORCES there are EN-
gines OF many patterns, and dynamos galore. |
There are miles Of avenues where are
displayed exhibits OF fabrics and Of furni
ture OF glass and crockery, pots, kettles
and bronze vases saddles, harness and |
marble statuary. Chinese carvings, Japan
csc pottery, and locomotives, buggies, and |
hearses, automobiles and vestibuled trains, |
bathtubs and silverware, surgical impe-
ments and mining machinery. And when |
the visitor has spent few days in looking !
at these and the myriad Of other exhibits,
they are likely to be confused in his mind
in some such tumble as that indicated by |
this list
The question OF the economic value OF |
the exposition divides itself into two parts |
the interests Of the exhibitors and those
OF the visitors. The interests of the visitors ,
are derived from possibility that merchants /
or manufacturers may see new patterns,
new wares, new devices, new machines. :
that may be OF use to them in their bust !
ness that farmers may see new tools and
machines, and that others may !
see what will be of use or service or orna-
ment for domestic purposes. The interests i
OF the exhibitors consist in the advertise /
ment of their wares and possible imme-
date sales or orders for future delivery.
A fairly extensive inquiry among exhibit
tors has led to no definite conclusion
as to the commercial value TO them
of the display made at the fair. Some
are doing business, while others are not |
and did not expect to. One Of the more
popular exhibits is a train Of vestibuled !
Pullman cars. Two porters and a conduc-
tor are in attendance. Thousands go |
through the train every day. Yet it may
be presumed that the Pullman company is
not booking many orders for such trains,
and it il doubtful if those who would other
wise travel in an ordinary day coach will |
hereafter travel in vestibuled trains as a |
result Of their inspection Of this specimen |!
of up-to-date passenger transportation.
The big locomotive companies are here |
with expensive displays. But buyers OF !
do not go to expositions to |