The Washington herald., 1907-04-27
ALL FACILITIES INADEQUATE
Problem of Getting visitors to and
frOm Grounds More DihicuIt Than
Providing Food and sheiter-Boat
Service wholly Unsatisfactory.
Congressional Party Sufferers.
- . The WashIngtoa HeraId.

t4VA are lti0 - TIE jest Oh AtiN 6AWAttuos
Il not the only one that even the most
e0mplaisant would care to patronize.
They talked Russian and French. ate
ham sandwiches, and consumed bexer-
ages which. expected to be cold. we're
teDid or supposed to be hot were merely
lukewarm.
A nearby table was occupied by Senior
Quesada. the Cuban Minister. and a party
OF friends. Other notables we're scattered
about the place. elbow to elbow, with
every conceivable type Of exposition visi-
tor over in the Administration Build
ing. President Roosevelt, having just fin
ished his speech OF dedication. was the
head OF an official luncheon party. In
another part of the same building people
were serambling, through necessity, for z
luncheon which was in honor Of the diplo-
mats and other distinguished guests bid
den to the opening of the exposition.
The circumstance that some Of the best
known of these found it necessary 10
patrouize a public refreshment room, the
resources of which had been so taxed
that it was able to serve only very in
different ham sandwiches. tepid beer. and
lukewarm coffee, vas perhaps as inter
esting an indication as the day afforded
that the jamestown Exposition is by no
means ready for the public. Even the
announcement that another gigantic
celebration will occur six weeks hence 10
httingly commemorate the driving OF the
last nail" will hardly serve 10 smooth
the RULED feelings OF many Of both high
and low degree, who helped 10 compose
the crowds that thronged ,he fair grounds
on this opening day
Not Ready for Public.
Only in the sense that dedicatoTy exer-
cises have been held is the exposition
ready tor the public. The plain truth of
the matter is that practically no feature.
no building, no exhibit, no machinery
40 street, and no sidewalk IS complete. The
managers must exert themselves TO finish
their work in the six weeks that will
elapse before the next opening" and
even if they are thoroughly successful liz
that respect. it will be necessary for them
TO institute many reforms, if all their
hopes are 10 be realized.
Indeed. if the developments Of this first
day are 10 be accepted as Indicative Of
the future. those in charge of the ex-
position have undertaken task which Ia
some respects is beyond their resource.
Even the most ardent desire 20 advance
the interests OF the show cannot blind an
impartial observer OF the fact that the
facilities for housing. feeling, and trans
porting such crowds as attend the open
ing are far from adequate,
The problem of getting the visitors TO
Al 81
more difficult than that Of providing them
with satisfactory food and shelter The
trolley lines were By no means equal to
the demands made on them to-day Not
enough cars were operated. and those
that were run were not handled 10 the
/ best advantage. The regular time from
Norfolk TO the fair grounds is something
less than sixty minutes. yet thousands
Of men. women, and children spent more
than two hours in making the trip one
way to-day.
The boat service was wholly unsatis-
( factory, Some of the vessels Were dan
gerously overloaded. Most OF them lost
no undue amount Of time ia arriving Off
the pier at the exposition grounds. but
after that there was trouble TO spare
The facilities at the pier are Woefuily in
adequate, and in conseQ uence. practically
Q
craft Wasted from one 10 two hours in
getting their passengers ashore. Lack Of
sufficient number of wharyes at Old
Point adds to the congestion,
Congressional Party Suffers.
The Iris. a lighthouse tender. placed at
the disposal of the Congressional party
which left Washington Thursday morn
ing. was one of the vessels the people on
whom suffered in this way. After giving
the lawmakers a chance TO see the war
vessels in the Roads. the Iris steamed up
to the exposition pier in ample time, had
all gone Wen. TO enable her party 10 get
to the place where President Roosevelt
was 10 speak The usual difficulty in eff
fecting a landing was experienced. how
ever and when they finally did get ashore
the Senators and Representative and
/ their families. sent down at government
expense 10 attend the dediC alton of the
show, found that the carriages which
Sergeants-at-arms Ransdel and Casson
had hired, $40 each for the day, We're not
in evidence.
Headed by Uncle Joe" Cannon, they
managed, in some way, to get over the
mile or so between the pier and the spot
where the exercises were held. only to
7
guarded the entrances to the grand stand
set aside for distinguished visitors, back
OF the stand from which President Roose-
welt and President Harry St George
/ Tucker. OF the exposition organization
delivered their speeches. did not recognize
Uncle joe and failed to exhibit any
anxiety TO get acquainted Apparently
the doorkeepeTs knew nothing of any ar
rangement for the entertainment Of the
! Congressional party. OF course ths mat
ter was settled eventually, but tonight
there is bad feeling on both sides. Some
1 OF the Congressional party are Indignant
over the treatment accorded them. Per
sons more or less closely connected with
the exposition are incensed at Mr.. Can
non because of his alleged blocking until
the closing days Of Congress Of the SI.000,-
600 jamestown loan
Various Prices of Admission.
one washington woman. who became
separated from her friends outside the
gates and found it necessary to buy a
I ticket Of admission, gave the ticket seller
SO bill and received $50 in Change. The
/ price Of admission is 80 cents. as the
/ lady learned afterward
Another Washingtonian who stopped at
/ the Inside Inn with the understanding
/ mat the rate she paid there entitled her
to leave and enter the grounds as she
wished, was subjected to much annoyance
/ by attendants who claimed her tickets
We're not good Finally. however. an ofi-
cial was found who validated them and
all others like them. These are but a few
/ sample experiences.
The ore feature OF the exposition which
affords genuine treat TO all is the mag
niheent display Of war vessels of various
nationslities and types in Hampton
Roads. This. indeed. commentaries for