Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 38, Number 19, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 October 1905 — BIG FAIR PAYS DIVIDEND. [ARTICLE]

BIG FAIR PAYS DIVIDEND.

Remarkable Showing Made at Portland Exposition’s Close. The Lewis and Clark exposition came to a close at midnight Saturday, completing the biggest enterprise of its kind ever held on the coast. The closing ceremonies were appropriate. When the gates of the exposition closed at 1 o’clock Sunday morning, a total attendance of 56,960 for the dpy had been registered, making a grand total for the entire fair period of 2,545,509. The attendance for the last day ranks third in point of numbers, Portland day and Fourth of July being the only greater days. The exposition was entirely successful. In point of attendance a,ll predictions were beaten. While the fair was well patronized by the home people, great throngs of visitors from all parts of the United States were constantly in the city, often taxing the hotel capacity to the limit. Naturally the merchants are well satisfied with the success of the exposition. Financially also the exposition went beyond all expectations. It is known beyond a doubt that the stockholders will receive a dividend of at least 30 per cent, while it is more than possible that a 40 per cent dividend will be declared. *This places Portland second only to Omaha in financial records for world’s fairs and fourth in point of attendance among twelve that have been held.

The State of Oregon appropriated SSOO 000, of which $50,000 was expended in making an exhibit at St. Louis and $400,000 in the erection of a building nnd expenses of the exhibit in Portland. More than $50,000 of the appropriation will be returned to the treasury unused, with additions from salvage. Alone of all structures of the 1905 fair the forestry building, the largest log house ever built, will remain. It is the purpose to retain it as a permanent exhibit building and several acres of land surrounding it will be acquired as part of the park system of Portland. Population of Portland by recent census of assessor is 115.000 and of entire Northwest within a radius of 200 miles of Portland 1,800.000, hence the attendance was most gratifying. Official estimates were 1.000,000 below the actual figures. The greatest benefit of the fair, however, is the permanent good it hat done to the city of Portland and the Pacific Northwest in general.