Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-26
How Tennessee Will Celebrate Her
Centennial.
PREPARING A GREAT EXPOSITION
Inauguration of the Enterprise in
Approaching June.
SUCCESS SEEMS ASSURED

Tennessee is preparing to utilize the one
hundredth anniversary of her existence by
giving an exposition intended to show how
lusty and vigorous she is in everything
that means enterprise, advancement and
prosperity, and June l next Il will be in
eugurated with fitting pomp and ceremony.
Invitations have been sent out to the Pres
ident, his cabinet and other leading public
| officials and to representative men all over
the country, and the acceptances already
received indicate large and notable at
tendance.
Inc enterprise was preached some wears
ago and the suggestion met great favor all
ever the state. Immediate steps were taken
tc perfect an organization, and In a short
while the plans were perfected. While the
centennial birthday of the state occurs
June i, this year, II was decided TO imam
gurate the exposition then, but to postpone
,ts opening to the public in general until
June l, 1897. The actual constructio1 -
lhe exposition began In the autumn of 1881
"hen the management decided that four-
Teen principal buildings, finished on the ex-
| terror with white staff like the memorable
edlnces at Chicago, should be erected as
the central plan of the demonstra ton which
was TO be SO novel in state celebrations
Inc names given them are: Commerce fine
drs, agriculture, machinery, transporta-
uon, history, minerals and forestry 1Hprti-
culture, auditorium, woman's chflNen's
administration
administration building was rushed to COM
pletion at once, and the construction of the
commerce, me arts, machinery, Transport
tauon' auditorium and woman's buildings
| began early in January.
The visitor 10 Nashville June 1 whom tho
exposition will be formally inaugtrated
VIII therefore find seven of the main build
ings practically complete tho ualks g.,
ana smooth, two lakes trimming with pure
water and green grass flowers shrubs ana
shade trees In all parts of the grounds
AtteT June l. seven more large ediHces one
OF which has been begun, will be put under
vigorous construction. All of the buildings
where exhibits are to be displayed viii he
| nmshed by January l. 1897. The exposition
| 1, 1897. NJ ''ii"ef
reproduction of the Parthenon
Excepting the administration building
| the womans building is nearest IN coro,
pieton. The interior is finished and tho
| stan has been put on the outer walls The
| eight beautiful columns that are to adorn
| the front of the edifice are now beinq
placed in position. The auditorium onIv
lacks portion OF its exterior coat Of white
.he interior. including the seats for 1000
people, having been finished, except for a
touch here and there
work on the Parthenon where the fine
arts VIII be displayed, prcgre sses carefully,
LOT the reason that the tdifce, when COM
plete, Will be an exact reproduction 70
| outward appearances. Of the original huilt
at Athens In the time OF Pericles The celia
walls nave been made of brick and tn.
| roof is being constructed of steel and glass
which, with concrete floor will make a
nre-proof wall for the tree sures that will
be gathered there.
The fine arts department has made e,a
progress. Juries of selec ton have been an
pointed in New York. Boston, PhiladeI-
Phia, Pittsburg, St Louis. Louisville, Gin
| clnnau, Chicago and New Orleans and
some of the most valuable pieces of Amer
| lcan art have been promised for the Par
| thenon.
The Exposition Grounds.
The exposition grounds comprise a park
Of some two hundred acres, lying two miles
west of the state capitol and approach
| ed by three lines of electric cars and a
steam railway. over 100000 has been ex-
pended on the improvement of the prop-
erty in the PAST few years and from its
elevated plane fine view of Nashville is
afforded. The central portion of the site
has been regarded at large expense and
prepared for the edifices of the exposition
An elaborate system of walks has been
| laid off and macadaEized and the finish
ing construction. will be of asphalt. Thou
sands of roses and ever greens have been
set out and the recently graded places
| have been sodded or sown with blue grass.
Two lakes Of pure water and mary fine
| shade trees add the final touch of beauty
| TO the energetic scene Of construction.
Exhibits and Exhibitors.
The intention is 10 make the exposition
| interstate and international in it's char
| acter, and to display the end of a century
| of vigorous history, and to present for six
| months from a material standpoint an ar
ray of most attractive features. Congress
| has passed bill admitting foreign goods
intended for exhibition free of duty, and
the management is using every endeavor
1 10 bring together the most unique and at
| tractive thiEgs procurable, and the best ex-
| hibits in each class solicited. No
L raa n 10
amount of space for exhibits in any of the
buildings, but each exhibit offered will be
subject, for acceptance or rejection, to the
committee on classification, with the ap-
proval of the director general, composed of
| the heads Of departments. In order that
the exhibit may be in place on the opening
| day, the exhibitor Will be required to make
| a deposit in cash with the management
| when the exhibit is accepted. An agree
ment will then be entered into, under which
| the management promises to have It's
| buildings ready January 1, 1897, and the
| exhibitor agrees to forfeit the deposit IL
| the exhibit is not in place and ready for
| inspection on May ], 1897. The sliding
scale for these deposits will be: For the
first loo square feet, so cents per square
| foot: for the second space, that is 100 to
800 feet, 30 cents: - cents will be collected
| for each square foot when more than 500
feet are required. Exemptions: Horticul-
| ture, forestry and any exhibits not made
| for profit. The deposits will be held as a
sacred fund and returned, I'm cash. 10 ex-
| the opening day. All questions of delay IN
getting exhibits in place, arising from un-
avoidable causes, will be decided by the
| committee on classification, presided over
| by the director general. Exhibit and con-
! cesson application blanks will be furnish
| ed on request, by the director general. E
| c. Lewis. Nashville, Tenn.
The Ceremonies I'm June.
The Inauguration ceremonies June l and
2 will be of interesting character, as
| the following program will show:
There will be sunrise salute of sixteen
| guns.-at o'clock parade will move with
Gen. Charles Thurman as chief marshal
| composed OF federal and state officials
state and federal troops. social, benevolent
and industrial orders and societies mu-
| niclpal departments, bicycle Jrigades clti-
| Zens in carriages, on horseback and on
| foot centennial salute of one hundred
guns will be fired the procession ap-
proaches the park. The proclamation and
| flag raising by President John w. Thomas
will follow, and a salute of one gun for
each state in the Union will be fired as
the flag is hOiSted