Evening star., 1926-10-08
Failure of the Sesdui.

Failure of the Philadelphia Sesqui-
centennial from a financial point Of
view is acknowledged by the heads Of
that great enterprise. the mayor OF
Philadelphia and the director general.
The former states that this failure
has been due to the lack Of sup
porting attendance, less than 5000. 900
persons having passed through the
gates. while the turnstiles should have
shown a total to date of no less than
25, 900 900. The latter says that the
exposition is running behind by from
$25. 900 to 900 week in operating
expenses. and that unpaid claims Of
contractors for construction and other
work aggregate more than $4,000, 900.
These big fairs rarely, if ever, pay
expenses The money lost in pro.
noting them is to be regarded as ex-
penditure in advertising the cities
which guarantee or promote them.
AS a rule the ultimate results In
business development and population
growth have been satisfactory. But
in Philadelphia a situation exists
which makes 1t doubtful whether the
loss will ever be recOuped. In the
first place. that city has little to gain
from mere addition to it's census, and
its Industrial development does not
depend upon the publicity to be se-
cured through the holding Of great
entertainments
1t has been the experience Of ex.
position managers that the average
daily attendance should be the equiva-
lent of One-tenth of the population Of
the city in which it Is located. Thus
the Philadelphia show. to maintain
this average, should each day have
drawn no less than 100000 paid ad-
missions. The actual daily average
has been less than 10000. and this
has meant many days with less than
sc. 900.
failed to patronize the exhibition is
somewhat of a mystery, and yet there
are certain evident reasons. In the
first place, the show was not ready
for the. public when it was opened.
The grounds were still rough and most
of the buildings were unfinished. In
fact. some Of them are not yet COM
plated today. less than two months
from the scheduled close of the gates.
Many of the exhibits are still un.
boxed. For weeks the workers were
almost as numerous as the visitors.
Word Of this condition, Of course,
spread widely and gave pause to many
thousands Of people who were plan
ming to attend the big show. They
decided to postpone their trip, and 1t
would seem that most of them went
elsewhere or remained at home. Then
the people of Philadelphia themselves
failed to ratronized the exhibition, as
1t would naturally have been expected
they would. There was at first the
dispute over Sunday opening. There
were keen controversies over the man
agement, and some political friction
developed, with charges Of misadmin.
istration. and even of improperly in
the letting of contracts. The short
and ugly word" graft was heard. All
this tended to dampen the enthusiasm
Of the people Of Philadelphia. They
did not boom their show. Recently
one of the days" at the fair was dedi.
Gated to the Philadelphia business
men, and the total attendance on that
day, counting the usual run of out-of
town visitors, was only about 10000.
Yet as 1t now stands the exhibition Is
a worthy one, with a show that well
repays visit.
The total loss will be borne by the
city Philadelphia can stand 1t,
though the taxpayers may grumble
deeply. But the really serious effect
Of this failure will be in the discour.
agement of other enterprises of simi.
lar character. These great fairs are
educational and valuable. They per.
NIT a mingling Of the people from all
the States. They should be held peri.
odically and on large scale. Phila.
delphia's unlucky experiment in re-
peating the success Of 1876 may put
damper on the enthusiasm of the ex.
position promoters. with the result OF
a lapse Of a considerable period before
another OF the commemorative indus.
trial shows Is undertaken.