Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-10-06
THE SOUTH'S GREAT FAIR.
FORMAL OPENING OF THE EX-
POSITION.
A Gala Day In AtIanta-BrIlIIant
Ceremonies - Eloquent Speeches
Origin, scope and Aims Of the En-
terpFise

opening OF the international Cotton Expo
sition took place to day in the presence OF
fully ten thousand people. The day was
beautiful, ard cooa6er.' 7ssg breeze blew
steadily The crowd O5c; tfe-,er. vvss NOT
s.eLuIy' = ,' Inc ne, erowu % sstrs'ssers was not
thing proceeded with hs. .rusny and dis
patch desrise the state Of unreadiness OF
the buildings and exbih' s.
The pavilion was completely filed, as
we'll as the space In front Of the speakers
stand. The Fifth United States Artillery
and the Gate City Guard were drawn up ia
front OF the stand, contrasting well with
the beauty aud elegance that filed the
pavilion in the background. On the
speakers stand were Director General Kim
ball, Governor ColquitU, Bishop Elliott, Of
Texas, ex Governor Vance, OF North Caro-
lima, Senator Voorhees,, and others.
The gates OF the Exposition were Cd ened
to the public at 9 a. IN. A special entrance
was provided for the admission of persons
holding complimentary letters Of invitation
to tie opening exercises. These letters
admitted holder and ladies, and needed only
70 be shown to the gate keeper and retained
by owner.
The selected locality for the opening ex-
erc'ses was the area between the railroad
UuiulHk hLu kIduu Etauu at the West emu
Of the ground, where suitable platforms for
speakers and reserved seats for the guests
of the Exposition and for the music aud
chorus participating In the exercises were
provided. The matter of preserving order
was in charge Of detachments Of the Expo
sitiOu guard, under the direction of the
Chief OF the Department Of Protection.
Two batteries OF the Fifth Artillery fur
nisbed from Mcpherson Barracks by Colo
uH hra
the grounds at S a. m, and took position
on the summit OF the ridge west of the
speakers stand, where an ensign OF the
United States had been erected, and from
lat point the salutes OF the day were fired.
The special escort for the officers, speak
ers and guests of the Exposition was fur
nished by the Gate City Guard, Capt. J. f.
Burke commanding, and the Fifth Artillery,
Colonel John Hamilton commanding.
These commands reached the grounds by
train at 10 q. m, and formed in line at Cen
tTsi avenue, directly south OF the main
building, and there awaited the arrival OF
the officers and guests to whom they were
TO act as escort.
A detachment OF the Exposition Guard
was on duty at the Exposition depot, ard
en- route from the platform to the place OF
holding the opening exercises to Keep the
route clear and preserve order.
THR SPECIAL OFFICIAL TRAIN.
Officers, speakers and others participating
IN the opening exercises, and distin guished
guests of the Exposition, assembled at the
Union depot st ten O'Clock a. m, and there
embarked on a special train provided for
their transportation TO the Exposition depot
ia charge Of Capt. Henry Jackson. The
train left the depot at 1890, and its depart
ure was signslled to the Exposition Grounds
By telegraph and the fact announced to the
public by the firing OF a gun from the bat
Tery. The gun was to be a signal for the
sssemblage OF the people about the stand
on which the opening exercises were 70
occur.
ORDER OF THE PROCESSION.
On the arrival of the train the escort took
position aud the procession formed in the
following order:
Fifth Artillery Band.
General John B. Gordon, Chief Marshal.
Gate City Guards, Captain Burke, com
manding.
His Excellency, Governor Colquitt, Presi-
dent of the Exposition.
Director General H. /. Kimball.
The EKecu-iye Committee.
Company L. s Fifth Artillery, United
States troops, Colonel John Hamilton, com
msnding.
Orators Of the day, Bishops, United States
Judges, United States Senators, members
OF Congress, Governors of States, and
other guests.
Company United States Fifth Artillery.
Supreme Court of Georgia.
Ex Governors of Georgia.
State officers, President OF the Senate and
Speaker of the House of Representatives of
Georgia.
Mayor, Council and city officers of Atlanta
and COmmissi JneTs OF Fulton county.
Mayors of cities
Citizens Exposition Committee.
Represent RtiVes of the press.
Vice Presidents, shareholders and other
invited guests.
AT THE PLATFORM.
When the procession arrived at the plat
form, and during the time when the
proper disposition OF the guests and par
Elephants was being made, music was fur
nished by the Fifth Artillery Band.
When all WAS announced to be in readi-
ness for the opening OF the exercises, they
were proceeded with in the following order;
ORDER OF EXERCISES.
1.-Music.-''HaiI Columbia" Fifth Ar.il
lery Band.
2-Prayer.-By Rt. Rev. Robert W. B.
Elliott, Bishop of Texas.
3-PresentatiOn # Buildings and Grounds =
Address, Director General II |. Kimball,
y
Address, President A H. COlquitt.
5.-Music. National Airs-Solos, Fifth Ar
tlllery Band.
6SAddress Of Welcome.-By Hon. Zebulon
B. Vance, of North Carolina.
7.-Music.-Medley Of Airs, Fifth ARTILLERY
Band
D. W. Voorhees,, of Indiana.
9-Music.-German National song, Turn
verein Double Quartette.
1O-ExpOsition Ode-Written by Paul II.
Hayne Of Georgia; read by Hon. ". J. Ham
mond.
ii--Music. "Halelujah Chorus" Chorus Of
Voices. Directed by Mr. c. NJ. Cady. of Georgia.
DECLARING THE OPENING.
On the conclusion of the "Hsllelujah
Chorus" President Colquitt announced that
the Exposition was duly opened. The Dr.
rector General then gave the signal for the
raising of the burgee on the main building,
which was also done upon all the other Ex-
position buildings, followed by salute
from the battery.
The officers aud guests then made tour
of the main building and several others des-
ienated by the Director General.
On the raising OF the burgee, and the firing
of the salute, the doors of all the buildings
completed were thrown open to the inspec-
ton of the public.
Bishop ElliOtt's prayer was never sur
passed 10 appropriateness and beauty. He
invoked the blessings OF Heaven on the
Exposition and its results, and prayed
mat the death of President Garfield might
have a good effect in drawing the people
Of the whole country closer together in
their day OF sffilctiOn and sorrow.
Senator Voorhees, speech was elaborate,
full of statistics and statesmanlike utter
ances.
Governor Colquitt, in accepting the ten
der of the buildings and grounds, said he
doubted whether the energy bestowed on
the work had ever been exceeded. IL looked
more like enchsntment than the application
OF human handiwOrk. The shareholders
were more than satisfied with what had
been accomplished.
Senator Vance foreibly depicted the value
OF cotton as a commercial staple, and its
agency in lifting the South from it's i'm
pOverished condition, realizing the dreams Of
Ponce De Leon and his men in their adven-
lures through this land in quest of the
fountain Of recuperation and riches. He
concluded by saying that the members Of
the Exposition extended to every human
soul that can add anything to the
trfumphs Of peace, welcome to the courte-
Sizes of the people of the South, aud hospi-
tslities of the most enterprising city Of the
South.
"We stand in the shadow Of a great ca
lamity. The destl OF President Garfield
has affected no portion Of the country more
deeply than the South. 1t has aroused
among US every sentiment OF ceiValrY aud
LOYALTY. Let us sll see that the reunion
caused by his death may never perish from
among us"
The platform was filed with many dis
tinguished men, and the Leading papers OL
fhan inf NrTar rpnrHzAnfPn-