The age-herald., 1901-12-03
Thousands of People Cheer the Mention of President
 aooSeVeIVs Name
SENATOR DEPEW THE ORATOR
Railroads Entering Charleston Put On Extra Trains to Carry the crowds-Exposition Not
 Yet Finished.

Charleston, December 2.--with imposing ceremonies embracing parade of federal forces, State militia and Confederate Veterans, beautiful women and cheering collegians, programme of exercises graced by distinguished speakers and words of greeting from the President of the United States. the South Carolina Interstate and West Indian Exposition was opened officially this afternoon. | In the auditorium at the exposition grounds an audience of 4O00 people cheer | ed the name of the President of the | United States, gave hearty applause to Hon. Chauncey M. Depew, the orator of the day, listened attentively to the af- ternoon's exercises and then joined the crowds in inspecting the grounds and marvelled at the audacity of Charleston in undertaking an exposition of such magniture.
 | After welcoming addresses at the audi torium by F. w. Wagener, president of the exposition company. and Governor M B. McSweeny, Senator Depew was in troduced by J. Adger Smith, mayor of | Charleston.
 MT. Depew said in part:
 Senator Depew Speaks. | The exhibition is a triumph of revolu- tion and evolution. There has been no period since the colony of South Carolina adopted the theoretical but impracticable charter prepared by the great philoso- pher John Locke in 1674 down to the treaty of Paris with Spain in 1899, when this happily-conceived enterprise was possible until now It is an omen of fu- ture development and prosperity for Charleston that the moment it's citizens saw the time had come they entered upon this beneficent work with patriotism courage and confidence. It required near | ly a century and a half of struggle and preparation before there existed an in- dustrial and manufacturing South in the United States and Spanish Islands in the Caribbean sea free and Independent to l meet upon the common ground of united welfare and reciprocal benefits.
 President Touches Button.
 Then the exposition, on a signal from the White House, where President Roose- l welt touched a key connecting with the exposition, was declared open. Greetings were exchanged between Wagener and President Roosevelt, the latter asking Captain Wagener to please accept for yourself and convey to your associates my hearty congratulations upon what has been achieved and my earnest wishes for the complete success of your undertaking. I hope 1t may prove of great and lasting benefit to our indus tries and to our commerce with the West | Indies."
 I Inc fc anf i'm tofa of paredness. chiefly owing to the scarcity | of cars to transport exhibits here. Be- l tween two and three hundred cars of ex- l hibts are on the tracks at the park, but they are being rapidly unloaded and put l Tn place by an army of men working | twenty-four hours a day.
 SOME FACTS OF INTEREST
 ABOUT THE EXPOSITION. The principal object of the exposition is to make a fully representative dis play of the manufacturing progress and commercial possibilities of the country | and particularly of the Southern states | A commercial problem at this time con- fronts the South. and perhaps the su- | preme purpose of the fair is to solve it. 1 The great advance in the number of cot 1 ton mills constructed in the past few years. and the consequent increase in the l output of finished products have created a surplus of cotton goods.
 Of this product China was at one time the largest consumer. outside of the l home markets. The recent disturbance in that country. however, has virtually | paralyzed the markets and the home sur | plus multiplies. The principal undevel- l oped markets in close touch with the l South are in the West Indies. and 1t is hoped through the medium of full dis | plays at the exposition to establish trade relations with that part of the world. | The exposition site occupies about 160 | acres of land or the bs nks of the Ashley. 1 with frontage of 2OO0 feet on the river | The architecture Of the building follows | closely the styles which were introduced at the Chicago Worlds Fair and nearly 1 all the natural beauties If the site have 1 been retained.
 1 The court of palaces around which the man exposition buildings are grouped is 120e feet in length and over 900 feet wide. | This court contains 1.C59 900 square fees ard one of it's unique featsres is sunk l en garden filled with ropical plants | grouped around an elt ctric fountain. | The women's department Is under the direction of Mrs. Sarah Calhoun Simonds, a srani-nieca Of the great statesman, John C. Calhoun.
 The Southern Railway, in connection | with the Georgia Railway, today ou. | on two fast treins between Atlanta and Charleston. The Plant System similarly increased its Charles ton Savannah ser vice. ana the Atlantic Coast Line will add new accommodations shortly. These acditions to the regular schedules will be | further increased on January 1 by the inauguration of the regular winter fast service of these roads, giving splendil travelling facilities between Charleston and the outside world
 November Receipts $45,776,776.