The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-05-02
CENTRAL EXPOSITION At NASH
VILE FORMALLY OPENED TO
THE PUBLIC.
UNDER HAPPY AUSPICES.
NOTHING TO MAR THE GREAT DAY
so LONG LOOKED FOR
WARD TO.
H.IxINLEY PUSHED THE BUTTON
Signal for Starting the Machinery
Given by the President at the
White House.

NASHVILLE, Tenn, May Fol
lowing a night cold and dreary. night
casting gloom over an entire city,
where all the people were anxiously
hoping for typical May morning,
bright. warm and beautiful upon which
10 celebrate the actual opening OF the
Tennessee Centennial exposition, came
q day surprising and delighting to the
eXpectant thousands. A bright, cloud
less day daWned The effects OF the
rain during the night vanished. the
wind dried the earth, and when the
citizens parade, including knights OF
Pythias, Tennessee guards, company
A. Ohio National Guards, of Norman.
O., the Sponsors and maids of honor
OF the Essenic order with brass bands
and flying colors marched along the
decorated streets, the throng forgot
the cold and wind, and dismissed their
torebodings.
AT o'clock the gates of the Tennes-
see Centennial exposition were opened
and people began to arrive by IL
o'clock, the hour fixed for the exercises
in the auditorium, the building, hold
ing 1000 people, was filled. The brief,
simple but impressive programme was
carried out before one of the most
brilliant gatherings ever assembled in
Tennessee. On the platform were the
exposition officers and committees.
Gov. Taylor and his staff, the chief
justice and associate justices of the
supreme court, members of the Wo-
mans board and the mayor of Nash
Vile. United States Senator w. B.
Bate, Hon. j. W. Gaines and hundreds
of prominent citizens. President John
w. Thomas, at II O'Clock, with his
torical gavel, raped for order, and
Right Rev. Thomas T. Gailor, CO.
adjutor bishop of Tennessee, offered
prayer.
Chief Justice Snodgrass, w. NJ. Nc
Carthy, John Thompson, speaker OF
the state senate, and Morgan G. FItz-
patrick, speaker of the house of repre-
sentatives; delivered brief addresses.
After the addresses. President Thomas
dictated on the stand the following
message to President Mckinley:
To the President of the United States of
America, Washington, D. c.: The people of
Tennessee send greeting and request that you
now put in motion the machinery of the Ten
nessee centennial exposition.
Ina few minutes the roar of artillery
was heard echoing and re-echoing
through the building and over the
grounds. President Mckinley had press
ed the button, the exposition was open
ed, the machinery had started at 12:14
O'Clock.
The exercises in the auditorium end
ed and the Pes9ple gathered around the
immense ec6ntain r1ocesenting cleo
triqitsy, built by Moretti, to witness the
ceremony of its presentation To and
acceptance by Mrs V. L. Kirkman
PRECEDENT O. the womans' board. Gov
-Iaylor introduced Mrs. Kirkman in a
Mief but happy speech, Mrs. Kirkman
briefly accepting the honor, touched
the button and the waters gushed forth.
A luncheon was served to the men,
berS of the woma>,s' board and guests,
and reception followed. During the
afternoon one of the most charming
buildings, the childrens, was formally
opened with kindergarten exercises, ard
this building was one of the chief CEN
ters Of attraction during the afternoon.
Among the distinguished visitors
upon the auditorium stage We're eX-
Vice President Adiai E. Stevenson, Of
Illinois, and Gov. Stephens, of Mis-
SC uri. Open air concerts and music in
the auditorium attracted the CROWN g
crowds, and as the afternoon lengthen-
gu iile dlleuuduCp l11CISdSGu
4 O'Clock, when the tide set city-Ward
The agricultural building caught the
fancy of visitors. It's decorations artis-
tic and peculiarly unique, drew well
and the building was filed all day
The mineral and forestry building with
exhibits nearly Complete, was much
frequented. The government building
was not in good shape for viewing, and
the commerce, transportation and ma
chinery buildings We're thronged. The
railway terminal station, containing
the exhibits of several roads, was a
ceEter of attraction. Only a portion of
the Parthenon, the art gallery, was
opened, the pictures not being hung in
two-thirds of the building, but the
pictures On the wall were viewed by
thousands.
1t was not an eXhibit-examining
crowd, the people had not come to go
frcm building to building as a duty
to be performed. They had come to
visit the exposition as an entirety. To-
night, concerts by the band, extensive
fireworks and complete illumination of
the grounds and buildings by eleetriet
light, drew thousands in addition to
those who waited on the grounds for
the night programme Conservative
estimates place the day and night at
tendance at 10000. Perfect order pre-
vailed.