Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 73, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 May 1904 — GREAT FAIR IS OPEN. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

GREAT FAIR IS OPEN.

BT. LOUIS EXPOSITION 18 NOW READY FOR VISITORS. President Roosevelt Touches the Key "Which Starts Machinery of the Gigantic Show Forest Park One of Architectural and Spectacular Beauty When President Roosevelt touched the electric button which started the inachijiery of the St. Louis world's fair

Saturday he signalized the opening of the greatest exposition of art and industry ever held in this or any other country. The luain picture of the great show w a s practically complete on opening day. The beautiful cascades wore in full operation.

All the main exposition buildings were finished in detail and with exhibits 50 per cent installed. Half of the concessionaires were open for business also. The landscape gardening effect was entire in its beauty. Not more than half a dozen State buildings remained unfinished, and those of the foreign governments were complete, or very nearly so. With the arrival Friday of two warships, Secretary of War Taft, an imposing delegation of Senators and Representatives, the Governors of several States and a great crowd of people, all was in readiness for the ceremonies of the morrow when the Louisiana Purchase Exposition would be formally opened. The army of 40,000 men, which for several days had been work-

ing incessantly in clearing up the approaches to the grounds and the roadways within the inclosure, was busy, and Friday night under electric lights it kept at its gigantic task, which was completed by dawn Saturday.

The city was thronged with visitors of the most cosmopolitan variety. Ev-

ery train arriving all day brought additional crowds. Uniforms in countless variety and national costumes of business lent color to the thoroughfares as well as the world's fair grounds and the Pike. The arrival of Secretary Taft, who represented President Roosevelt, and the congressional delegation at night formed the climax of a busy day for the world’s fair officials. Twenty Senators and twenty-five Congressmen composed the party. At 0 o’clock in the morning all the high dignitaries of the exposition met at the administration building and, headed by a band, marched to the plaza of St. Louis, in the center of the exposition grounds. After the gathering h<£d been formally called to order by^—-President Francis, Rev. Frank W. Gunsaulus of

Chicago delivered the Invocation. At the conclusion of the prayer Director of Works Isaac S. Taylor delivered the keys of the buildings to President Francis, who transferred tlie buildings to Frederick J. V. Skiff, the director of exhibits. The chorus, “Hymn of the West,” the words by Edmund Clarence Stedman nnd music by John Knowles Paine, was then sung and addresses wfte made by the following: Mayor Walla of St. I*ouis. Thomas T. Carter, presidaat of the National commission.

Senator Henry E. Burnham at New Hampshire in behalf of 'the United States Senate. Congressman James A. Tawney of Minnesota for the National House of Representatives. Commissioner General Albino R. Nuncio of Mexico in behalf of the foreign commissioners. E. H. Harriman of New York for the exhibitors. Roosevelt Presses Gold Key. . The last, speech of the day was by Secretary’ Taft, and at its conclusion the signal was given President Roosevelt hi the White House, the gold key was pressed, the cascades sent down their floods, the thousands of banners were unfurled and the Louisiana Purchase Exposition was open to the world. Representatives of foreign governments met at the ball of congresses nnd paraded to the plaza, so as to arrive at the same moment tlw exposition officials marched in from the opposite direction. At the same time represen-

(Corner entrance. The doorway Is 90 feet high and the building covers nine acres.) tatives of State and territorial governments entered the plaza from a third avenue, having previously formed at the United States building. The parade on the Pike was an attraction of the day after the machinery of the fair had been started by the touch of President Roosevelt and the ceremonies on the grounds were at an end. In tlii# display all the earth in miniature was shown. Every one of the concessionaires had in line all the people he could muster, brought from every quarter of the globe. The parade attracted great attention.

The day was generally observed as a holiday. Almost every large employer of labor in the city granted a full holiday to all employes and several supplemented this by presents of tickets to the fair. Banks, courts and all federal and State offices were closed. The entire city united in a determination to break all records for world's fair openings.

Although larger than any previous exposition in point of area covered and iii number and size of exhibit palaces, the St. Louis fair was much nearer completion on the day set for its formal opening than was any of its predecessors. This was due not only to the fact that the opening was postponed a year from the date originally Intended •but tv tlie fact that the men who have built thi£ superb city of colossal exhibit palaces in beautiful Forest Park are old and experienced hands in the business.

When St. Louis conceived the idea of celebrating the one-hundredth anniversary of the purchase of the “Louisiana Territory” by giving an exposition that would show the progress of mankind in all the arts and industries at the opening of the twentieth century she wisely assembled men Y>f wide experience and demonstrated ability in this work. Nearly every department of tlie exposition has been under the direction of an export in Hint particular line who has hand charge of the same work in previous expositions. For those who have doubted the possibility of eclipsing the Chicago Columbian Exposition or the last Paris exposition in a eiflJMtoe siee of St Louis the Missouri metropolis bus prepared a surprise—one whose architectural and spectacular beauty will linger long In the memories of those who behold it. *

Two Harbors, Minn., was threatened witli destruction by a fire which destroyed Lee & Co.’s hardware store and several other buildings, causing a loss of |3H,(X)O. Several people sleeping over Mrs. Augusta Swenska'a restaurant had narrow escapes. Thomas J. Baxter, a Chicago man, was horsewhippad on the street at Guthria,' Okla., by Charles E. Billingsley, president of the National Capital Bank, which failed recently.

PRES. FRANCIS.

THOS. R. CARTER.

SOUTHERN FACADE, PALACE OF VARIED INDUSTRIES-COVERS FOURTEEN ACRES.

MAYOR WELLS.

PALACE OF LI LIBERAL ARTS.