Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1884-09-06
TIE WORLDS EXPOSITION.

/
represent Dakota's interests at the New
Orleans Worlds exposition. is in town
for few days in the interest OF the work
assigned to him. A Press and Dakotaian
representative had talk with him-to-
day regarding his plans and gathered
some points from him which are OF
interest to the public.
He says he was appointed last winter
by the president of the Udited States as
Dakota's commissioner for the exposition
and placed in charge Of the exhibit from
our territory at the exhibition. He WIS
also charged with the duty Of securing
articles for exhibition and attending to
Dakota's representation at New Orleans.
In the beginning he did not realize the
Importance or size Of the trust imposed
upon him, but is now convinced that it
is large responsibility and one which
requires much work. In the beginning
fund is required and fully S2500o will
be necessary to pay the expenses of Da.
kota's show in the exhibition. He first
tried to raise this by private subscrip.
tions, but found that this plan was not
practicable. Next he approached the
various railroad companies with prop.
osition that they put up the money.
Their representatives told him they were
spending great deal of money adver.
tising Dakota in various ways and did
not feel that they could incur the
expense of the Dakota part of the
New Orleans exposition. They told
him they were paying $4,000 taxes in
Dakota and we're willing to assume their
share of general levy to meet the cost
of the undertaking.
There was no provision made by the
last legislature for drawing this money
from the territorial treasury. Mr.. Nc
Kenzie made propositions to the various
counties to donate their share of the
fund. Many were willing and many
were not, and as the willing ones would
have to pay tor the unwilling ones, he
abandoned this plan as impracticable.
He has finally concluded, after confer.
ring with various parties over the terri
tory, to ask each county board to issue q
county warrant representing the county's
share of the S25,c00, payable May LIST,
1885. These warrants are to be put up
as collateral and the money borrowed
for the purposes set forth. Each Iegis.
lative district is to instruct its represen-
tatives to vote for. bill at the com.
ing legislative session appropriating
S25,000 to meet the exposition expenses
and when this money is available the
debt is to be paid and the various county
warrants returned and cancelled. By
this process Mr.. Mckenzie expects to
use the credit OF the several counties to
secure loan, with the understanding
that the territory is to pay the debt. On
the present territorial valuation the tax
to meet this obligation will be little
less than ono third of mill on the dol.
lar.
| The northern Dakota legislative dis
tricts have agreed to this arrangement
and Commissioner Mckenzie is now in
the south to secure the cooperation oi
this half of the territory.
Minnehaha, Union and Clay counties
were visited by him before he came te
Yankton. Tho first named county has
agreed to put up thousand dollar
warrant and Clay and Union, he says
are favorable to the project. He is here
to ask Ysnkton county to go into thu
arrangement.
Mr.. Mckenzie proposes to divide til,
territory into two districts and has ap
pointed Mr.. Fleming, of Fargo, deput.
commissioner for northern Dakota ant
Melvin Grisby, Of Sioux Falls, deput.
commissioner for southern Dakota
These deputies will take full charge 0
the collection OF articles for exhibition
in their respective districts.
He has also requested Governor Pierc
to appoint an auditing board of thre
persons, two of whom are to be chosel
from south Dakota and one from nortl
Dakota. The duty of this board will b
to pass upon all accounts in connection
with the exposition and make repor
to the next legislature under oath. MI
Mckenzie is also desirous of appointin,
a special commissioner in each count,
and one at large in each legislative dis
trict, this board to gather in articles fo
exhibition and turn them over to th
deputy commissioners. A pamphlet
to be prepared in which the special al
vantages of each county will be Sc
I forth and the exhibits from each count
will be so arranged at the exposition
that they can be distinguished from til
general exhibit and the place of thei
origin indicated.
This is in general the outline Of Com
missioner McKenzie's plan. He vii
wait upon our county board and explai
it more in detail and ask them to assis
in carrying out his arrangements.
YANKTON COLLEGE,.