Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-12-07
CLOSE OF THE FAIR.
ST. LOUIS EXPOSITION NOW A
MEMORY.
Total Attendance Given as 100000
Which Is Below Chicago's Show-May
Net S1,OOo,ooO Profit Fitting Cere-
monies Mark the End.

~ cNhSAaa NclNitt Tue SIcdtcsl Va ar
worlds fairs, and success financially,
closed with fitting ceremonies at mid
night Thursday. Over eighteen and
three-quarters millions of persons
passed through its turnstiles in the
seven months it has been open TO the
public: more than $50,O0OO0o was ex-
pended in the construction and mainte-
nance of the great show and about
this same amount of money was spent
by the public within the exposition
grounds.
The exposition company has issued
DO statement or estimate of the finan-
cial status of the fair, but conserva-
tive summary Of receipts and expen-
ditures may be made from study of
such figures as the exposition company
edge of percentage of profit to the ex-
position from the various sources of
revenue.
OF the 100000 admissions, using
round numbers only for the purpose of
estimating, probably 100000 have
been free admissions, leaving 14.0o0.-
600 paid admissions, from which the
exposition derived about $6.00O,000
Receipts Total $I3,ooO,ooO,
According to best information OBJ
tainable. the worlds fair receipts from
concessions have all along just about
equaled the receipts from admissions.
This would give the exposition a total
revenue of S12.OO0,O00 to which may
be added 81 ,0000 900 for receipts from
all other sources. This gives the ex-
position a grand total of $13,O00,000
of receipts.
During the pre-eXposition period the
worlds fair company received $1,000
600 from the government. $3,000,000
from the city and S5,0O0,O0O from in
dividual stockholders. In addition the
exposition obtained loan of $4,000
600 from the government, which was
repaid out of the receipts after the
fair opened. The receipts from the
pre-eXpOsition period for admissions
and all other sources brought the
worlds fair total resources up to the
This sum. which was all expended,
added to the cost of maintenance dur
ing the exposition period and TO the
total amount expended by State and
foreign government and the United
States government, bring the total cost
Of the exposition, exclusive of the cost
to exhibitors of preparing. transport
ting and maintaining exhibits, up TO
about S:o.0O0,O0O.
Granting that the $20O0000O which
the worlds fair obtained from the
government. the city and private stock
holders was all expended before the
gates of the fair were thrown open
to the world. and this is not question
ed the exposition was entirely de-
pendent upon the daily receipts from
admissions and concessions for its OPP
Grating expenses Included under this
heading is the cost of the jefferson
guards. gatekeeperS. clerks. gardeners
and laborers. the lighting of buildings.
the salaries of the officials and super
intendents, the cost of aeronautic ex-
periments. the expenses of music
amusement and the various entertain
ment features carried out from time
to time. the reception and entertain
ment of distinguished guests, the rem
tai of the Catlin tract and other land
leased from private owners. and the
thousand and one minor expenses in
cident to the maintenance of Il great
universal exposition OF the magnitude
and scope of the st. Louis fair
When it is considered that, first of
all, the government loan of $1,000, 600
had to be repaid from the daily re-
ceipts, it is not hard to understand
that thu exposition has had to he most
careful to come out even.
Expect Handsome Profit.
Undoubtedly the cost of mainte-
nance and operation has been heavy
but it is believed that there should be
after salvage. balance of mt least
$1000,000 to be divided among stock.
holders after Forest Park shall have
been restored and turned back 10 the
city in acceptable shape. This work
it is believed, will cost fully $100,000
If the above estimates are not fan
from right there will be therefore. a
surplus of about 100000 to be di.
vided among the government. the city
and several individual stockholders
who subscribed equal parts OF the So
DOC. coo. This would allow the eXposi.
ton TO repay each stakeholder about G
per cent of the Investment The expo
sition. therefore. has heen a financial
success beyond the expectations OF
many of rs most optimistic friends.
The attendance at st Louis was
much less than at Chicago. The total
admissions of all kinds we're in round
numbers. 1S.3GO.O00 ut st. Louis in
seven months and 27.50000O mt Chit
cago in six months The total paid adj
missions mt Chicago were 2l,50.U00,
or 5000, 900 more than the total al
missions Of all kinds ut ST Louis. In
the month Of October the admissions
of all kinds at st. Louis were :i.ti2222 ..ii22g
and the paid admissions ut Chicago
were G.Sl6,435 GA Chicago day at
Chicago the paid admissions were
7IG.SS1 and the total admissions not
far from 100000
Fiddled Himself Well.
Iseinhart \. Wetzel, Instructor of sci