River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1897-05-06
TOUCHES THE BUTTON.
President Mckinley Starts Wheels
of Tennessee Exposition.
Formal Opening of the s'white city
at NashviIIe-Appropri Cere-
monies Preceded by - big
Parade.

Nashville, Tenn. May 3. - The Ten
nessee centennial exposition was opened
Saturday with appropriate ceremonies
in the presence of many thousands Of
people. The procession was headed by
a detachment of mounted police, fol.
lowed by local division in Uniform rank
knights of Pythias; officers If the Ten
nessee Essenic order; the Legion band
of the First Tennessee battalion; COM
pany A of the First Tennessee regi-
ment, of Knoxville; company A, of the
Ohio national guard of Norman, o.; the
sponsor of the Ancient Essenic order
and maids of honor, arrayed in cos
tunes of white, in taily-ho; senator's
and knights of the local senate, and SUI
preme officers and visiting knights.
Gov. Taylor and his statv, in open car
riages, went TO the ground later.
The place of rendezvous was the
Administration building, whence the
officials, the legislature and distin-
guished guests, including the governor
OF the state. Hon. Robert L. Taylor, Gen.
Ignacio Garfia, postmaster general of
the republic of Mexico. and suite, es-
corted by a vast concourse of citizens,
proceeded TO the Auditorium, which, in
few minutes. was filed with above
1000 people. while a perfect multitude
was unable to obtain admission, and
contented itself with listening to the
Inspiring strains of Bellstcdt d. Bellen-
berg's superb military concert band of
Cincinnati. The ceremonies were opened
with prayer by Rt. Rev. Thomas f.
Gailor. coadiutor bishop of Tennessee.
Addresses were made by Maj. j. W..
| Thomas, president of the Tennessee
Exposition company, and Hon. Robert
Z. Taylor, governor of Tennessee.
/ At the conclusion of the address the
band struck up Dixie" and then the
very earth seemed to shake with the
thunders of applause. 1t was a sight
never TO be forgotten.
Then, at a given signal, the wires
/ flashed the magic word to the white
house at Washington. President Me-
/ Kinley touched the button. and, as the
band played Hail Columbia" the ma
chinery was set in motion and the Ten
nessee centennial exposition was opened
/ to the world.
| The exercises in the Auditorium
ended, and the people gathered around
the immense fountain representing
electricity, built by Moretti, to witness
the ceremony of its presentation TO and
acceptance by Mrs. V. L. Kirkman, pres
ident of the woman's board. Gov. Tay-
Tor introduced Mrs. Kirkman in brief
but happy speech. Mrs. kirkman, brief
ly accepting the honor. touched the but
/ ton, and the waters gushed forth.
ExceIIing Features OF the Exposition.
In many particulars the Tennessee
centennial eclipses all other expositions
! ever held in America. The art gallery
at Nashville. in the value of the work
presented, is far ahead of Chicago, and
cqualed only by the Paris salon and
I Royal academy. The electrical features
of the exposition are the grandest that
| the world has ever seen, and they are
so marvelously beautiful that it APP
pears as though up to the present time
/ the world has lost half its light, and
has CROPPED its way along in the dark
ness now penetrated for the first time.