The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-09-29

last issue Of The Billboard
y contains an extended review
OF the park season at Chicago
and New York An extract
from the two page review Of
~ the Chicago parks is Of inter-
est. 1t says:
in common, probably with a great
many other people. the writer, whose
work Is mainly confined to recording
the activities Of a dozen playhouses
that are accounted exceptionally pros
perous if each Of them entertains one
thousand people night was inclined
to underestimate the place in the sum
Uer social scheme of the amusement
parks. Visits to them during the past
week. and the cleaning of facts and
figures about them, have given the OBJ
server rev point of view on this de-
velOpment in the show business.
For example. The money invested
IN g. ounds, buildings, concessions and
the general equipment of the seven
amusement parks and concert gardens
in Chicago is estimated at $40, zoe, 900.
They entertain 100000 people a week,
the summer season OF eighteen weeks.
The gate receipts alone, at ten cents
a head. amount to $4,000 a week. or
1920. 600 for the season
The average attendance on a week
day ct tie seven resorts is $4,000.
The average attendance on a Sunday
is 100000.
The total receipts (gate and conces-
sionl at all the places for this summer
viii run close to S3,600,000.
The record for attendance on a sin
gle cay is held by the White City.
whore. OIL July 4, 1905, $1,000 people
were admitted, the largest assemblage
Ia Chicago since the Worlds fair.
1t is estimated by the managers of
: the larger parks that every man. wo-
ian and child entering the grounds
Z spends on an average fifty cents. At
+ " mite City, last summer, the average
was run up to sixty-one cents, owing
1 to the considerable sale Of more ex-
pensiVe beverages.
( The concession for the sale of pop
+ corn. peanuts and cracker jack IN any
one OF the large parks will show pro-
I III Of $4,000 on the summer.
The original investment at White
city was S675,00O. There has been
Z an additional expenditure of $3.50
! The last cost 100000, the permanent
! buildings $500, 900. Of the exhibitions
eosting $4,000. It has $4,000 worth
! }of fire engines,
The electric light bills at the Iarg-
est park run $1,000 a night. necessi-
Eating the collection of 100 gate adj
missions to pay for that feature alone
There are $4,000 electric lamps al
Sans Souci.
a frst-class barker for concession
makes 80 a week.
A scenic railway costs from $4,000
to 100000.
A band receives from $3.50 to $4,000
per week
Some of the larger parks require as
many as ,00e employees.
The vaudeville bill costs from $500
TO $1,000 not including the orchestra
The picture machines in q large park
will take In 81 900 q week in pennies
On a prosperous Sunday evening OF
holiday a roller coaster viii take il
S120 an hour in dimes.
A laughing gallery, equipped with
3 few eccentric mirrors and sheltered IL
a fiimsy structure Will earn So, 600 in
season.
An amusement park day is from on,
O'Clock ii the afternoon to midnight
The amusement park season begin,
the week before Decoration Day anC
closes October 1.
August is the harvest month of thu
amusement parks, because the even
ings are the Warmest.
A side show like PAINS Pompei cost
$1,000 a night.
Each of the large parks employs hal
about with sharp-pointed sticks pick
ing up refuse paper.
Each has its own corps of electri
clans, who are constantly repairing ant
changing the light schemes.
Each has its auditing department
and money counters, and they oftei
work all night.
Each employs from six to twenty
five uniformed private policemen un
der a sergeant. and six to q dozen fire
men.