Omaha daily bee., 1898-06-19
BADGER STATES BUILDING
Nufpf
Hall
bnsqp
Wisconsin Dedicates Its Beautiful Home at
ExposttS, n Grounds
CELEBRATES rs. GOLDEN JUBILEE
Fifty Years n state and the Epoch
Marked by Participation In the
Wonderful show OF the
western Empire.

sunrise was followed by one OF those rare
days in June for which Nebraska has gained
a world wide reputation. The grounds were
looking their best. the verdure. clear and
bright after its shower bath and the pro-
fusion of flowers nodding a pleasant well
come to the guests OF the day. The shower
had simply served to make the grass greener,
the buildings whittier and the pleasant tan
color of the gravel walks a shade darker,
forming a series OF contrasts which made
the grounds a scene of beauty unexcelled in
attrlctiveness.
Fully an hour before the time for the
formal exercises to commence the beautiful
Wise ,nsin building on the Blum tract was
the objective point OF large numbers Of peo-
pie and the spacious and beautiful rotunda
which is the main feature of the building
was filed with men and women.
The building is a very handsome struc-
ture, facing the Illinois building on one Of
the finest locations on the portion of the
grounds devoted to state buildings. 1t is
classic in style and is excellently planned
to meet the requirements for which 1t was
erected. A. C. Clas of Milwaukee, a mem
Der of the commission, was the architect of
the building.
The feature of the interior of the build
ing is a central rotunda lighted mainly from
above and having a balcony at the second
floor which commands a full view OF the
main floor. Handsome furniture, a profusion
Of potted plants and spreading foliage of
plants, together with a grand piano, make
the interior attractive and beautiful.
A large number OF Wisconsin people ar
rived in the city Friday, among them being
a delegation Of about thirty women en- route
to attend the meeting of the General FEEDER
! A.,o, - T--.-s oIt L
Of people from the Badger state, including
several of the Wisconsin exposition commits
sioners, arrived this morning and these,
with a number of Wisconsin natives resid-
ing in Omaha and delegations from the
Omaha Woman's club, made a gathering
which filled the spacious building to the
doors.
WiscOnsin's REPRESENTATIVE.
The Wisconsin commissioners present
were: John c. Koch of Milwaukee, president
of the commission; A.. C. Clas of Milwau-
kee, treasurer; J. E. Hansen of Milwaukee,
Senator C. H. Baxter of Lancaster, G. H.
Greenback of Madison, Fl. D. Fisher of
Florence, Fred Kickhefer of Milwaukee,
Mrs. Angus Cameron of La Crosse, General
John Hicks of Oshkosh, Mrs. Leonard Lott
ridge of La Crosse. The newspapers of
Wisconsin were represented by General
John Hicks of the Oshkosh Northwestern
Willard E. Carpenter of the Waupaca
Record, John G. Gregory of the Evening
Wisconsin of Milwaukee and John Larsen
of the Ashland News,
The Marine band made a special trip to
the grounds to play a couple of selections
in front of the building.
The ceremonies were opened promptly on
time by president John C. Koch of the
1 nv. -
fact that the dedication of Wisconsin's
building at the exposition marked also the
celebration of the semi-centennial of Wis
Consin's admission to the union of states.
He spoke Of the friendly relations which
exist between Nebraska and Wisconsin on
account of the large numbers of natives of
the latter state who have taken up their
residence in Nebraska. The history of the
origin of the Wisconsin building was re-
viewed briefly by the speaker, who, in a
few words, turned the building over to Pres
ident Wattles for the exposition.
President Wattles accepted the building
on behalf of the exposition management
and dedicated it in honor of the semi-cen-
tennial of Wisconsin's history as a state.
Wisconsin history was reviewed briefly by
President Wattles, who referred to the fact
that in the original settlement of the state
lle ptI d pleuOuuludltu, as no lHblT ub-
scendants today, and he declared that their
thrift, industry and reputation as good
citizens have made the state famous. The
excellent educational facilities possessed by
the state were referred to and an array of
figures regarding the agricultural and farm
products was quoted showing the great re-
sources of the state. The president made
reference to the fact that the state had
furnished many enterprising citizens to
many of the western states and said the
erection and dedication of the building on
the exposition grounds constitutes a tie
which still further binds the people of the
two sections together.
William Amadeus Haas delighted the as
sembly by playing the Bismarck March, -
one of his own compositions.
Nr. QunrIes' Grafton.
The orator of the occasion was William
c.. Quarles of Milwaukee, a prominent mem
Der Of the bar. He was introduced by Pres
ident Koch and among other things said
Wisconsin men are found wherever true
Americans dwell-beyond the Alleghenies
beyond the Rockies. their influence is felt
No sooner have their cabins been located
in the Wilderness. than as II by magic
all the institutions of civilization spring VI
about them.
This exposition is a great monument tc
the ability, energy, taste and culture of the
people of this broad western land. 1t maS
well excite wonder and admiration. AS We
behold these magnificent buildings and al
these evidences of wealth and culture. W,
can hardly realize that within the narrow
span of a human life this great prairie wa;
a wilderness, ripening for future use
where every autumn the dusky savage, il
pursuit of game, roamed over vast stretches
of country. whose surface, clad in a mantl,
OF sombre brown. undulated like the bill
lows of the sea. While we contemplate IL
Europe the fate of kingdoms that hav'
been lettering for ages on the brink o
decay, slowly dying for a thousand years
We behold our own states growing to ma
turity within the experience of a genera
ton. ! g!
1t is eminently fitting that Omaha, whicl
so well representative spirit OF western ad
yancement, should, at the consummatio
of the Nineteenth century, set up in it
midst this magnificent object lesson. As W
look about us today we realize that w
live in the heart of a republic, who's
shores touch either ocean, which stretche
from the frozen zone to tropic lands, who's
men and women are the demigods of in
dustrial and Intellectual conquest, OF an
concerning whom it is not necessary tina
any man make explanation or apology, bu
who stand upon the hilltops of civilization
with a national emblem representing every
thing that is grand in human life and nobl
= in human pudpaVnr