Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 June 1893 — SECOND OPEN SUNDAY. [ARTICLE]

SECOND OPEN SUNDAY.

VERY SMALI, CROWD AT 1 THE WORLD’S FAIR. Exposition Officials Disappointed at the Result—Machinery at a StamlstUl—Quiet on the l’lalsance—Rain In the Afternoon —The Infanta In Chicago. Visitors N >t Numerous. If the machinery had been running and the exhibits had been uncovered peoplo at Ine World’s Fair Sunday might have thought they had turned the wrong leaf in the calendar, according to a Chicago correspondent. It was more like a dull Monday than a wide-open Sabbath. The scattered, strangling streams of Sunday sightseers left enough room on the highways and in tho buildings for half the population of Chicago to walk in comfort The paid attendance, as shown by the purchase of tickets at Jaokson l’ark, was 54.501, of which number 2,050 were children. Exposition people attributed tho light attendance to various causes. They thought that many were deterred trom coming on account of tho heat, others because tho western horizon In tho afternoon portended tan, and still others thought the uncertainty of the in unction proceedings had left tho peopio in doubt until too late for them to plan a Sunday trip. They all agreed, however, that the attendance was dlscouragiugly light. At no time wore tho gates troubl dby the sizo of the crowd. The bustle and liveliness of the preceding six days were missing, and for an open day the Exposition was wonderfully quiet. With the exception of tho Government building nil the Exposition halls were open, but many of the exhibits were covered with sheets. Oi.li't dm Midway l'hiL-nme. Midway l’lalsanco concessioners wero disappointed. Tho crowd thoie was small and those who were out did not spend money. When the thunder eh w.or came ud many of the foreigners thought that the rain would drive tho crowd into the almost empty thoaters for shelter, lut tho shower had no such effect. The people crowded under tho viaducts or splashed around In tho mud, and ns a result tho thoaters wero almost empty. The zoological arena did tho largest business and tho Street In Cairo did fairly well, but the Duhomeyit»B and Chinese did not have crowds enough to yell to and tho performances wore cut short. Tho glass works and the New England cottage wero closed. Tho Irish girls in Blarney castle ftt'endod high mass in tho morn ng and opouod tho village at 2 o'clock 10 inspootlon, but no work was done. Tho chair boys and tho sedanchair men complained that they did not have anything to do. The people preferred to walk through tho mud to paying for chairs. The night attendance was ns much of a negative surprlso as tho day crowd. When tho setting sun broke through a rift in tho clouds the gato-koopers predicted a heavy inllux of 50-cent plocos after 7 o’clocn, and made pools among themselves on tho number of people that would swing the turnstiles botweon 7 and 10 o'clock. Their expoctod rush failed to appear. A sma 1 but steady lino of visitors came, most of them young people, and drifted up to the administration plaza, where Sousa scattered a mixturo of snored music and Strauss’ waltzes on tho ovi ning air. The waiting listeners stood mound on tho wot ground or paid a dime aptooe for red camp chairs, while the concert was going on. About !> o’oloek there was a genoral exodus homeward, and when the musloluns packod their Instruments at 10 o’olook scaroely a corporal's guard remained to see tho lights go out and tho fountain’s play cease.