The Springfield herald., 1899-06-16
FORTUNE FOR A FLAG
The Worlds Fair Banner Property
Of q Chicago Man
Rstuss. oasr e seaooo Maas ~. ..
EA0aisAAAa fss the TreaasrsA
ss~vsAir Woyea ~ Won.
sA Of TVsnsy.sa1 otatss.

eesd. Evanston, H., IL the owner OF .
United States dag for which he has
refused IN offer Of $4,000. 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
icA to buy that piece Of silk."
The nag was made by the women Of
the United Ststes ~ the official flag
of the worlds fair. It headed the open
ingprocession; # vas the first flag to be
unfurled, and the last to be lowered
at the exposition. Every thread of
silk In the bsnnsrSwas taken from the
coooons and woven by American wom-
en-. The stan also II an interesting
composite Of historic woods from all
the states and territories of the union.
Since the worlds fair this flag has
added 10 its honorable history by lead
ing President NcKinley's inaugural pa
rade, serving a. Chicago's flag at At
lanta, in New York and elsewhere. Mr..
Knapp intends sending it to the Paris
exposition, where 1t will doubtless be
the official flag,
The silk of which the nag 10 made
was all grown In America, 26 states con-
tributing the raw material. Not a
thread Of imported silk was allowed
to enter the flag. which measures 6x6h
feet, with . fringe Of gold silk four
inches wide. It IL also the first flag
to contain A stars on 4 blue field.
But perhaps the most unique part
Of the flag IL the stan. 1t il made OF
piece Of Illinois cherry 10 feet long,
surmounted by . golden eagle. The
staff IL inlaid with pieces Of historic
wood. representing each state md ter
ritory Of the union. The inlsid pieces
are placed In row running down
ward along the lower section of the
stan. starting with design consisting
OF II stars about i've feet from the
lower end of the stan. 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 stsrs. Connecticut IL repre-
sented by q star made from q piece of
the famous charter oak Of colonial his
tory. Massachusetts by q piece Of the
old elm from Boston common, Vir-
ginis by piece of the old Monitor,
and each Of tho original 10 colonies
has contributed wood equally historic.
The 81 remaining states are repre-
sented by squares and the hve terri
tories by diamond-shaped pieces of
historic wood. Illinois has piece of
walnut taken from the residence of
shadrach Bond, first governor OF the
state, located at the old capital at Kas-
kaskis. Nsbraska's square came from
the fagstah Of old Fort Kearney, while
the diamond Of Arizona is the Oldest
piece Of wood In the flagstaff. 1t was
taken from the famous ruins of Casas
Grandes, near the Gils river, in Pinal
county, Ariz. These were standing
when vazquez de Coronado. the first
Spanish explorer, visited Arizona in
1s40. The wood was taken from the
only joist remaining in the building.
The idea of such q flag originated
with Mr.. Knapp soon after congress
appropriated money for the worlds
fair. He told his plans to the board of
worlds fair commissioners and on April
4, 1891, the board passed q resolution
empowering Mr.. Knapp to work out his
idea, the product to be the official flag
Of the worlds fair. He Immediately
went to work sending circulars to the
commissioners Of the various states and
territories, explaining the plans and
difficulty was experienced in getting
the native silk and women to weave it,
but through IN order placed with the
American Silk Culture association, COM
posed entirely of women, Mr.. Knapp Sc
cured a flag made entirely by women
from silk raised by women of 26 states.
Curiously enough, the flag was made
in Arch street, Philadelphia, on the
same street, and within n few blocks
of the house in which the women of
Philadelphia made the Paul Jones flag,
lis years before.
i The flag arrived in Chicago October
20, 1902, and was hung on the handsome
staff. The next day it headed the
opening parade. On the opening day.
May /, 1893, the flag was presented to
the board of lady managers OF the fair
by Mr.. Knapp. After the worlds fair
the official flag was shown at the prize
winners exhibit in New York. 1t was
there that the attention of the English
collector was attracted to it. He began
with an offer of $4,000 for it and raised
the bill daily until 1t reached $6o,o0o.
Mr.. Knapp grew angry then at the
Englishman's evident conviction that
anything in America could be bought.
This flag is not for SALE" Mr. Knapp
said. There isn't money enough in
England and America to buy it.'-Chi-
cago Inter Ocean.