East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1907-06-19

from MTS. SdTdH y. ENdilS VI tort-
land, written to the Oregon Daily
Journal. Even now, almost two
months after the formal opening of
the exposition. 1t Is incomplete, and
shows an utter lack of system and
management. 1t would be ludicrous
to compare it to the Lewis and Clark
fair which was practically complete
when opened and gave a first-class
appearance from the very beginning.
Mrs Evans Says:
What were my impressions of the
jamestown exposition? Well, If they
were of the first 12 hours of my stay
| should say that the very worst that
has been sent out about its unfinished,
disorderly and bedraggled condition
was complimentary to the actual state
of its incompleteness.
But before the exposition, or any of
its surrounding towns were reached,
one would begin TO be Impressed with
the lack of system and want of me-
thodical arrangements for the COM
fort and convenience, and even safety
In offering inducements to hold wo-
mems conventions at the exposition
the circular. among other things,
made a point of easy access, courte-
Gus attention and systematic arrange
ments for conducting visitors to their
various places of entertainment.
Dark, Damp, Dismal Depot.
The experience Of one party of
ladies is typical of many. Instead of
reaching Newport News at p. m,
the train pulled into the dark, damp,
and dismal depot at p. m.-three
hours late. There was neither light,
lamp post nor guide and the only thing
to light the way through stretches of
inky sheds was the grinning darkies.
who were taking I malicious pleasure
in the helplessiy lost and bewildered
women, who had to tumble for their
tickets before being allowed to pass
through the turnstile, and who were
then pitched almost foremost down a
steep gangway onto a boat that was
shrieking and whistling all sorts of
imprecations on The heads of the
tardy women who were trying to guess
whether they were on the right boat
or not.
Finally the boat. which was found
to be for Norfolk, pulled out, but
never a guide appeared to tell the
dozen women, who had pooled their
woes and were sticking close to one
another, whether they were right or
wrong.
Out of the darkness and upon our
homesick spirits. however. light ap-
reared in the form of a chatty little
Daughters of the Confederacy," who
set us right as to the points of the
compass, and told US "to leave the
boat at the deep sea wharf from
where we could walk to the Inside
Inn. but as 1t was well nigh II
o'clock. we might not be able to get
in"
Along Great UnIighted Way"
With our guides trailing behind us
| we took up our march along what
wyoming named "The Great IN
lighted Way" We thought we walk
ed miles, but as have since ascer-
tanned, it was perhaps not over half
or three-quarters of a mile, though
women who were weary from a trans
| continental trip when they finally
stepped into the great corridors of the
inn they might well be excused for
thinking 1t was the longest walk of
their lives.
But the tonic for our restoration
was at hand. Here we found our
| friends from every quarter of this
i
similar tale of wee and as 40 or SO
women all began to tell their har-
rowing stories, each one thinking hers
| the worst, what m hour before had
been tragic misery, was turned to
hilarious comedy, and we went to our
little eight-by-ten bed rooms restor-
ed to good humor and quite willing to
believe we were enjoying the "com-
forts of home" at twice as much per
day as we had contracted to pay.
The Inside Inn has established a
sliding scale of prices; starting out
with the idea that the guest is a
sponge, soaked with liquid gold and
the pressure is governed according to
the necessities, or gullibility of the VIC
tim They also count minutes by their
money value, AM one unsuspecting
woman-the wife of a Minnesota mil
lionaire-not returning from the
grounds for a half hour after her
time expired, found her trunk, toilet
articles and even soiled clothes piled
up in the hall outside her door and
some one else in possession of the
room. This was made possible by the
fact that every guest registering must
pay in advance and as the prices are
extortionate. few pay for any length
of time, preferring to stay from day
to day.
The Minnesota lady had done this
though expecting to remain fully a
week She will probably have some
thing to say later about Virginia hos
pitality and southern chivalry.
Few Buildings Ready.
The exposition itself is little farther
advanced in the way of its exhibits
!, than the Lewis and Clark fair was
three months before its doors were
thrown open. Where the great build.
ings are ready-and few OF them are
: they are almost empty. exhibits moi
seeming to have arrived, the govern.
ment exhibits, of course. excepted
! Building, hammering, shoveling ant
hauling are going or everywhere, ant