Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 May 1900 — AMERICAN PAVILION OPEN. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

AMERICAN PAVILION OPEN.

National Building at Paris Exposition Is Dedicated. The American pavilion at the Paris exposition was formally turned over to the authorities and public Saturday afternoon. The inauguration took place in the presence of embassy and consulate officials, a number of high French functionaries, foreign diplomats and commissioners and-such a concourse of American citizens that many who were provided with tickets were unable to gain admission to the building. It .was an incident of more than ordinary interest to American visitors to the Paris fair—thia formal opening of the United States pavilion on the “Street of Nations.” In the presence of hundreds of Americans and Frenchmen Commissioner General Peck welcomed M. Picard, director general of the exposition, in the American pavilion and at the dose of a graceful address handed him a gold key and pendant typical of international good will and hospitality. The commissioner general re-

sponded in a similar strain, referring to “the indissoluble bond connecting the United States and France" and calling upon his countrymen present to salute “the starry banner, the folds of which are so closely blended with those of the tricolor.” 'The American pavilion will naturally be the headquarters for Americans visitlug the fair. In It are established the first American postofflee on foreign soil, an official bureau of information, an American chamber of commerce, various reception rooms of the commissioner general and his staff, States’ headquarters and apartments for the Jlilitary Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States and various other rooms for special purposes. The pavilion itself is regarded as one of the architectural gems of the fair.

UNITED STATES PAVILION.