Monday, May. 15, 1939
Fair Facts
> Before the New York World's Fair 1939 opened, President Grover Whalen, with his usual enthusiasm, predicted an attendance of 1,000,000 the first day, an average of 300,000 a day thereafter. Actually, it was five days before the Fair announced that the million mark had been passed. Nonetheless, Grover Whalen last week declared himself "highly gratified." The Fair was still far from complete, and the weather inclement--the 40,000,000-odd admissions which the Fair needs to break even may still be easily achieved. To encourage local trade the Fair promised to enlarge picnic places, keep restaurant prices reasonable, provide more free entertainment.
But Mr. Whalen had other troubles. The amusement zone, badly lit and partially unpaved, produced a near riot as angry concessionaires demanded action, urged cutting the admission fee at night from 75-c- to 50-c-. Suave President Whalen promised to have the amusement area finished this week, to provide free fireworks at night.
Meanwhile, someone noticed that the tally of visitors posted by National Cash Register Co. was far below the figures announced by the Fair. National Cash Register tactfully said some of its totalizers were not yet working. It leaked out that 6,000 to 8,000 Fair employes check in as visitors every time they enter the grounds, thus raising the apparent daily attendance. When Perley Boone, the Fair's publicity chief, went to greet the millionth visitor, he forgot his ticket, got in only after a long struggle.
> San Francisco's Golden Gate International Exposition had other tribulations. It needs to average 87,000 visitors a day to break even. In the three months it has been running, it has averaged only 33,610. Last week it borrowed another $750,000, bringing to $3,250,000 its borrowings from banks and industry in addition to $6,000,000 subscribed by loyal Californians. It was clear something had to be done. It was. Plump, pompous Chief Director Harris De Haven Connick, who had held his $17,500 job for over a year, was fired.
Though it was obvious that San Franciscans should be lured to visit their Fair several times, Director Connick arranged few entertainments anyone would care to see twice. He gave Sally Rand an exclusive contract for a nude show, promptly signed contracts for others. When Sally Rand kicked, he sicked police on her, forced her girls to don brassieres. Last week no successor was appointed. Actual runners of the show from now on will probably be two members of the board of management, Philip Patchin (Standard Oil of California) and James Byers Black (Pacific Gas & Electric), whose companies are the Fair's chief creditors.
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