Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-07-05
ATTENDANCE AT THE FAIR.
Average Number Of Visitors is Over
$4,000 Daily.

Portland, July 3.-That the Lewis
and Clark exposition will prove to be
a notable success from the point of at
tendance is practically a foregone
conclusion, though it has been open
less than a month. 1t has had a larg-
er attendance for the first three
weeks, in proportion to the population
of Portland and it's vicinity, than any
other exposition ever held in the Unit
ed States. Figures compiled by John
A. Wakefield, the director of conces-
sions and admissions, VINO has been
connected with half dozen exposi-
tons, show that the Portland fair
has enjoyed an attendance up to date
200 per cent greater than any other
eXpositionl, considering the popula-
ton within radius of 500 miles.
Approximately 100000 people live
within 500 miles of Portland. Since
opening day, June i, the daily attend
ance at the fair has averaged 14,127.
The city of Portland has about 140,-
600 inhabitants. Chicago, at the time
of the Columbian exposition, includ
ing its immediate suburbs, contained
practically as many people as dwell
within Portland's 500-mile radius. Yet
for the first month of the Chicago
fair the daily attendance ran from
1924 to 30,929, excepting one special
day when $4,000 people were present
For the first 90 days Of the Portland
fair, ending with June %, the admis
sions aggregated 310,795. OF these
1G0,79S We're paid admissions, averag
ing 1909 paid admissions daily. AS
the fair goes on, the pass admissions
will decrease and the paid admissions
will increase. Many workmen have
been employed about the grounds dur
ing the first few weeks, putting the
finishing touches on the exhibit booths
here and there, shaping up the latter
landscape work and completing some
of the buildings on the Trail, the con
cessions for which were granted later
This has made the free admission ag
gregate considerably greater than il
will be during the remainder of the
exposition period. On the other hand
it is the experiences of all eXpositions
that the crowds do not begin TO come
until the second month, and as rule
the largest attendance is in Septem
Der and October.
AhC polu III tllC III .
% days at Portland were equal to the
aggregate for the entire first month
at the Omaha exposition, notwith
standing the fact that within one
nights ride of Omaha there were IA,
100000 people. With less than one
seventh as many inhabitants in the
corresponding territory, Portland
feels that she has surpassed the mos
sanguine expectations.
The Lewis and Clark exposition
will run until October Is. A daily
average no larger than that of the
first three weeks would give nearly q
million paid admissions, which many
experienced exposition men declared
before the opening of the fair would
be as large an attendance as reason
ably could be expected from an exposi
ton so far from the great centers
of population. But it is the history
of all eXpositions that the first months
attendance is the smallest of all, ant
Director Wakefield counts upon {
paid attendance far exceeding one
million. Hotel bookings in Portland
indicate a far larger attendance fol
July and August. while it is not to be
doubted that September and the clos
ing days of the fair in October viii
bring the largest crowds of all.