Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-06-22


alton. Reconciled and reunited, the
men of this nation are today working
out the great destiny of the SOUTH"
A PROFITABLE INVESTMENT.
ST Louis has cast up her accounts
carefully since the fair and has come
to the conclusion that the big show
was profitable investment, success
in every sense. Not the least satisfy
ing feature Of the period following the
fair has been the evasion of a depres-
sion in business, feeling of apathy
among the citizens. The officers of the
worlds fair organization declare that
ST. Louis has been benefited in every
way and they further maintain that
the improvements will be of a perma-
nent character.
1t has happened so often that it has
come to be regarded as traditional that
worlds fairs are Improbable, flnan.
cially unsuccessful and unproductive
of lasting good for the cities in which
they are held. Within fifteen years
there have been three great fairs of
international consequence. Paris in
| 1900 exacted heavy tribute upon all
of France to defray the expenses of it's
exposition, and for several years after
ward special taxes continued to be
levied in liquidation of accrued obi,
cations, Notwithstanding an attend
ance of 50,000,000 and generous con-
tributions from other governments, in
Guiding S1.722,500 from the United
States. Yet even Paris, that had
gained experience from holding four
great previous expositions, was unable
successfully to finance its fair. The
st. Louis exposition cost nearly twice
as much as the Chicago fair, with
about a third less attendance. The
Chicago fair was followed by period
of commercial stagnation.
ST. Louis established a new worlds
record in the beauty, scope and elab-
orateness of it's exposition. To invest
nearly $50,000,000 in a fair was dar.
/ ing venture. 1t had never been done
before and precedent had stamped
| fairs and expositions as uniformly los.
| ing propositions. But st. Louis carried
it through, and now, half year after
1 the gates closed, it comes up smiling
with story of prosperity and bust
ness activity that is unparalleled in
that city's history 1t speaks volumes
for st. Louis, and the entire west
shares in its pride.
Secretary Stevens of the fair asso-
citation feels nighly satisfied with the
fair and it's outcome and results. AL.
though the cost was about $4,000 900
In excess of the total receipts, Mr..
Stevens says:
ct has como to be the accepted con-
dition that such enterprises will not
return dividends in cash. Expositions
are timekeepers of progress and
'mile-stones of civilization not money
makers. If an exposition pays it's way
in operation all concerned consider the
trial-balance satisfactory. So judged
the Louisiana Purchase exposition
passes into history as having been
eminently successful"
/ The exposition was capitalized at
$15,000,000, contributed in thirds by
4 the United States government, the mu-
I n1clpality of st. Louis and by individ-
ual and corporation stockholders form
ing the Louisiana Purchase Exposition
1 company. Whatever may have been
I the expectation when the money was
put into the enterprise, st. Louis now
has the philosophy to look on the In
vestment as permanent one. AS Mr..
i Stevens put it, 1T was the endowing
1 of a great institution for the public
4 benefit The revenue from various
sources amounted to $11 100000, the
: chief items yielding as follows:
4 Admission collections -. .$6,250 900
j Concession collections $50. 3,OOO,O 900
Intramural railroad fares. 627,473
Service, power and light. 100000
u Interest on deposits ..... $4,000
i Transportation department
collections 800. ....... 1865, 900
J Music department receipts. 82.S71
Premiums on souvenir coins $1,000
4 The expenditures of the manage
ment to the close of the exposition ag-
gregated $4,000 900, leaving surplus
sufficient to meet the necessities of the
!. post-exposition period, economically
!, administered The principal disburse-
ments are classified as follows:
Z Construction, grounds and
/ buildings -. SIT, III, 1864
! division Of exhibits ...... s2,0S6,58O
Maintenance and rents. 49,. 1,729,249
j Division of exploitation. 1905, 1872
Protection, police, fire and
I insurance ......... 1,014, 22C
!, Division Of concessions and
II admissions 49,. ....... 544,650
Executive and administra-
tive 49,. ..........:. 4o2,441
Division of transportation. 26O,42e
The total number of people to pass
through the turnstiles during the 1874
days of the fair was 19,649,S55. These
figures do not include the population
of the exposition grounds, numbering
several thousands.