The herald., 1893-06-20
CALIFORNIA At THE FAIR
Formal Dedication Of the
State Building.
Governor Markham Delivers
FelicitOus Address.
Ten Thousand People Presant at the
Ceremonies.
The Native Sons Were There In Forces.
and Everybody Had Good Time,
Southern California Souvenirs
Distributed,
By the Associated Press.J

By the Associated Press.l
CHICAGO, June 19.-The Native Sons
OF the Golden West were at the worlds
fair today in large numbers. They wore
gold badges shaped like grizzly bear,
talked of Goods country" and "pars.
dise," had jolly good time and made
their guests have jolly good time too.
The occasion of their gathering was the
formal dedication of the California state
building, and they celebrated the event
with that free, easy grace for which
Californians are famous. The big
building was lavishly decorated, outside
and in, with flags, flowers and plants
rare and beautiful, from the soil of the
Golden state; and from end to end,
top to bottom, the huge structure pre-
sented a picture pleasing to the eye.
Not less than 1000 people had assem-
bled when the hour for the formal cere-
monies to begin arrived. They were not
all Californians, to be sure, but they all
admired the building and gorgeous dis
play of fruits, flowers, gold and other
products OF the state.
THE CEREMONIES.
The ceremonies opened with a concert
by the Second Regiment band of the IL
linois national guard. Then Hon. James
D. Phelan, vice-president of the Califor-
MIA worlds fair commission, spoke of
the work done by California towards
making the great exposition a success;
he praised the liberality of the state in
appropriating an amount sufficient to
enable the state, so famous for its
wealth, its gold and fruit, to be credit
ably represented. AS he concluded he
turned to Governor H. H. Markham and
formally delivered to him the keys of
the building.
The governor then in the name of the
people of California declared the build
ing open to the public.
Director-General Davis spoke on be-
half of the exposition officials He raid
much of the success of the fair was Que
to the energy and enterprise of Califor-
MIA.
Hon. M. Fl. de Young, editor of thu
San Francisco Chronicle, and national
commissioners for California, responded
to Director General Davis's remarks.
Speeches were also made by J. N.
Samuefs, chief of the horticultural de-
partment; State Commissioner S. w.
Ferguson and others.
After the ceremonies were over, the
invited guests were escorted to the din
ing-room and served an elaborate
luncheon.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SOUVENIRS.
One of the interesting features of the
opening WAS the distribution of souven-
ira by the Southern California associa-
ton. These consisted of seeds of vari-
GUS kinds of fruits, vegetables and
grasses peculiar to that section of the
state. This novel idea originated with
the memb ers oil the association from the
fact thas they noticed the evident
desire ON the part of visitors to take
away some little memento from the
building. The counties composing the
Southern California association are
Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, San Diego,
Ventura, Orange and San Bernardino,
All these counties have interests SO
nearly identical that they combined in
special exhibit.
THE CALIFORNIA BUILDING.
Next to the Illinois building that of
California is the largest state building
on the exposition grounds. 1t is an
unique structure, and is q combination
of the characteristics of the old mis-.
sion buildings erected when Spain domi-
mated the Pacific slope. Several old bells
that used to sound vespers years be-
fore the forty-niners focked into the gold
fields, are hung in quaint towers, which
distinguish the building. Date palms
and other semi-tropical trees surround
it, and it is filed with varied products of
the state said to have the finest climate
in the world. The building has a total
floor space of 100000 square feet, and
cost nearly 100000. while $1,000,0O0
will not cover the value of the exhibits.