East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1907-12-05

The jamestown Tercentennial clos
ed Saturday night with the record OF
being one of the most complete fail
ures in the history of expostions Its
debts form total of s2,5O0O00, says
. a Norfolk, Va. dispatch.
The story Of the fiasco can be told
in two words, mismanagement and
carelessness. The funds were mlsdi-
rected, the work delayed, the Off
oials were not In harmony because
, of petty jealousies and the publicity
department was bungled. When the
exposition opened, April 20, 1t was
only about one-thlrd complete. The
government pier, which was adver-
tlsed as one OF the chief attractions
was not dedicated until September
10, and many other features were
mot in readiness until the doom Of
the exposition had been sealed.
The attendance was miserable, the
q, people would not come. There were
only few days during the fair when
the attendance was more than 50,-
900. The state OF North Carolina
carried off the palm with an attend
sance of $4,000 upon the day set apart
for that commonwealth. Even
= Georgia brought more people than
did the Old Dominion, whose early
history the fair commemorated.
Attendance Very Low.
The average OF attendance was be-
tween 10000 and $4,000. The Off
cials Of the fair complain that II
was knocked" to death. Others de-
cleared that the shiftlessness OF the
management deserved the criticism.
1t is certain that the opening day
left many men who could have been
OF service to the enterprise in a dis
gruntied frame OF mind. Many promi-
nent visitors were ignored and had
to shift for themselves. naturally taxi
ing the incident as a snub. Newspa-
per men, visiting and local, were
unanimous In the feeling that they
'"had been handed a lemon"
Even in the face OF disaster many
oopened next spring. The movement
ITO this end has some strong adher-
.ents, but the possibility OF contin-
iuance OF the Tercentennial Is remote.
The various state commissioners
oppose the project. There is no as
ssurance that the government will per-
nit its exhibits to remain here all
winter Many OF the private exhib-
;itors proclaim that they have had
enough.
Condition oOf the Finances.
The following table contains the
essential facts IN the financial status
of the exposition:
Government loan to expo
"Stion ......,..........S wi 100000 |
other government loans
and aid ............ 1000, 900 |
Railroads loan ......... 2OO,OOO
Norfolk and Portsmouth
'balSkers' loan ........ $4,000 |
Total debts remaining 80. $500, 900 |
Cost of government piers 400, 900 |
Estimated value of prop
erty .........I,,.... 5000, 600
The great government piers. ex-
tending $500 feet into Hampton
Roads and Joined by the longest sim
gle span of concrete In America, cost
the federal government $500, 900 and
were open TO the public only two
months To what use they can be
put in the future is a vexed problem.
There Is "a possibility that the gov
ernment may purchase the site, val
ued at $5.000,000, deducting the
$9O0.e which the exposition COM
pany still owes 1t on a straight loan
of $1,O00O00 for the purpose of es-
tablishtng a training station for sail
ors and marines there. 1t is pointed
out by those in favor of this plan
that the location is an ideal one for
such an institution.
Various Explanations Given.
Wretched transportation facilities,
with exorbitant fares was another
which is believed to have
helped to keep the public from pat
Fonizing the fair
The trolley lines leading to the
grounds aroused much complaint.
The hotels, restaurants and lodging {
houses ran their prices skyward at
the opening of the exposition, and