Omaha daily bee., 1897-01-16

Omaha to make the Transmisslsslppi Exposi
! tion a success, the business men of this city
will carry out to the letter"
! CONSIDERED BY DELEGATES.
This article appeared in The Bee at time
when the city was entertaining the deiegatee
in attendance upon the session of the Trans
mississippi Commercial congress. For a
long time previous to this an indefinite con
| ception of a plan for a permanent mid
continent fair and exposition had existed in
the mind of Edward Rosewater, the editor oi
The Bee. This idea had been discussed by
Mr.. RCsewater with prominent citizens and
| 1t was concluded that the opportunity offered
| by the TrarGnississippi congress should be
taken advantage of and an effort made tc
secure the endorsement of the congress to the
proposed plan.
The matter was laid before the delegates
to the congress and it instantly met with
favor. Wednesday, November 81, Hon. w
J. Bryan, the president of the congress- left
the chair and asked unanimous consent to
introduce the following resolution:
Whereas, We believe that an exposition
of all the products, industries and civliza-
ton OF the states west of the Mississippi
river, made at some central gateway
where the world can behold the wonderful
capabilities of these great wealth-produc-
ing states, would be of great value, not
only TO the transmississippi states. but to
al the home-seekers in the world; there
fore,
Resolved, That the United States con-
gress be requested to take such stems ms
may be necessary to hold a transmissls-
sippl exposition at Omaha during the
months OF August, September and October.
ls9S, and that the representatives of such
states and territories in congress be re-
quested to favor such an appropriation as
Is usual in such cases to assist in CARRYING
out this enterprise.
RECEIVED WITH APPLAUSE.
The reading of the resolution was listened
to with marked attention and the conclu-
sion was followed by burst of applause.
Mr.. Bryan briefly recounted the benefits
which would accrue to the west
by reason of the exposition and in
dicated the numerous reasons why Omaha
was the most favorable location. Colonel
John Doniphan of st. Joseph, Mo-, made
stirring speech in favor of the resolution In
which he eloquently portrayed the effect the
enterprise would have in calling attention
to the boundless possibilities of the great
west and in building up its interests. He
was followed by II. G. Whltmore of st.
Louis George Q, Cannon of Utah and
Howell Jones of Kansas Not voice was
raised against the resolution, and when it
was adopted by a rising vote the delegates
united in volley of cheers and applause
that continued for several minutes.
Nothing could be more gratifying than the
enthusiastic unanlmity with which the
project had been approved by the trans
mississippi delegates, and with this favor
able beginning the citizens OF Omaha were
encouraged to go forward. The Transmissis-
sppi and International Exposition associa-
tion was formally organized at a meeting
held at the Commercial club rooms on the
evening OF January is. 2. T. Lindsey was
made chairman and Judge l., II. Bradley
presented the articles OF incorporation which
had been previously drawn up. They fixed
the capital stock at 81 100000 in shares Of
$40 each and the association was authorized
to transact business as soon as 1000 had
been subscribed. A board OF eleven directors
was provided for and also twenty-five vice
presidents, OF whom one should be from
Omaha and one from each OF the twenty-four
transmisslssippi states.
ORIGINAL STOCK SUBSCRIBERS.
On tho suggestion Of Mr.. RoseWater, who