The Irish standard., 1899-05-13
A PRICELESS BANNER.
The Worlds Fair Flag, Owned by Q
Chicago Man, Cannot
Be Bought.

The Worlds Fair Flag, Owned by Q
Chicago Man, Cannot
Be bought.
George w. Knapp, No. 534 Sheridan
United States flag for which he has
refused an offer of 100000. The offer
was made by an English collector OF Gu
rios, and was rejected by Mr.. Knapp
with the remark that there is not
money enough in England and Amer.
lea to buy that piece OF silk"
The flag was made by the women OF
the United States as the official flag
of the worlds fair. 1t headed the open
ing procession; it was the first flag to be
unfurled, and the last to be lowered
at the exposition. Every thread of
silk in the banner was taken from the
cocoons and woven by American wom-
en-. The staff also is an interesting
composite of historic woods from all
the states and territories of the union.
Since the worlds fair this flag has
added to it's honorable history by lead
ing President Mckinley's inaugural pa
rade, serving as Cnicago's flag at At
lanta, in New York and elsewhere. Mr..
Knapp intends sending it to the Paris
exposition, where it will doubtless be
the official flag.
The silk of which the flag is made
was all grown in America, 26 states con-
tributing the raw material. Not q
thread of imported silk was allowed
to enter the flag, which measures 6x6H
feet, with fringe of gold silk four
inches wide. 1t is also the first flag
to contain A stars on blue field.
But perhaps the most unique part
OF the flag is the staff. 1t is made OF
a piece of Illinois cherry 13 feet long,
surmounted by golden eagle. The
staff is inlaid with pieces of historic
wood, representing each state and ter.
ritory OF the union. The inlaid pieces
are placed in u row running down
ward along the lower section of the
staff, starting with design consisting
OF IL stars about five feet from the
lower end of the staff. In the center OF
the design is larger star made from a
piece OF one OF the oak supports of
the old liberty bell in Philadelphia, and
around it, in a circle, are grouped the
other IL stars. Connecticut is repre-
sented by star made from a piece OF
the famous charter oak OF colonial his.
tory, Massachusetts, by a piece Of the
old elm from Boston common, Nir.
ginia by piece OF the old Monitor
and each OF the original 10 colonies
has contributed wood equally historic
The 81 remaining states are repre-
sented by squares and the five terri
tories by diamond-shaped pieces Of
historic wood. Illinois has a piece OF
walnut taken from the residence Of
Shadrach Bond, first governor of thu
state, located at the old capital at Kas
kaskia. Nebraska's square came from
the flagstaff of old Fort Kearney, while
the diamond of Arizona is the oldcs
piece of wood in the flagstaff. 1t wa!
taken from the famous ruins of Casa!
Grandes, near the ella river, in Pima
county, Ariz. These were standing
when Vazquez de Coronado, the frs
Spanish explorer, visited Arizona il
154o. The wood was taken from til,
only joist remaining in the building.
The idea of such a flag originate,
with Mr.. Knapp soon after congress
appropriated money for the world
fair. He told his plans to the board o
world S fair commissioners and on Apri
4, 1891, the board passed resolutio,
empowering Mr.. Knapp to work out hi
idea, the product to be the official fla,
of the worlds fair. He immediatel,
went to work sending circulars to tn
commissioners of the various states an,
territories, explaining the plans an,
asking for pieces of historic wood. Nor
difficulty was experienced in gettin,
the native silk and women to weave il
but through an order placed with tn
American Silk Culture association, com
posed entirely of women, Mr.. Knapp sc
cured a flag made entirely by wome1
from silk raised by women of 26 states
Curiously enough, the flag was mad
in Arch street, Philadelphia, on til
same street, and within a few block
of the house in which the women q
Philadelphia made the Paul Jones flas
11S years before.
The flag arrived in Chicago octobe
20, 1892, and was hung on the handsom
staff. The next day it headed tn
opening parade. On the opening da,
May 1, 1893, the flag was presented t
the board of lady managers of the fai
by Mr.. Knapp. After the worlds fai
the official flag was shown at the priz
winners exhibit in New York. 1t wa
there that the attention of the Englis
collector was attracted to it. He bega
with an offer of $40, 900 for it and raise
the bill daily until it reached $4,000
Mr.. Knapp grew angry then at til
Englishman's evident conviction tn;
anything in America could be bough
This flag is not for SALE" Mr.. KNAPP
said. ''There isn't money enough
England and America to buy Itch
cago Inter Ocean.
Crippled Feet in China.
Mrs, Archibald Little. an Enr1;e