The Monticellonian., 1901-12-06
CHARLESTON K OP[NED.
The South Carolina and West Indian Exposition at Charleston,
 S. c. Opened.
PRECEDED BY AN IMPOSING PARADE,
An Address of Welcome Delivered by Gov. McsSeeney the Open ing Grafton by Senator Chnuncey NJ. Depew-EXchnngeo of Greetings With President Roosevelt.

Charleston, $. C..Dec. 3.-The South Carolina and West Indian exposition was formally opened to the world with words of greeting from the president of the United States. An imposing parade of military and civic bodies, formed downtown, escorted the guests of honor to the exposition grounds. where they took part i'll all appropriate programme of exercises. In the afternoon ali Charleston ob- served the day as n holiday and the city was handsomely decorated. The weather was beaujful. After the parade the guests of the day assem- bled in the auditorium, where the ceremonies took place. The invoca- tion was delivered by the venerable Charles $. Nedder, of the Huguenut church, and Capt. F. W. Wagener, president of the exposition company. and Gov. NJ. B. McSweeney spoke words of welcome.
 Hon. Chauscey NJ. Depew Orator.
 Hon. Chauncey NJ. Depew, United States senator from New York. ora tor of the day, was then introduced by Mayor Smith. At the conclusion of the senator's oration, Mir. Wagen- CT stepped to the wire connecting the auditorium with the executive man. sion in Washington and sent greet ing to President Roosevelt. \ few minutes later the response of the president was received and the expo sition was formally declared open. \ number of state days have been ar ranged the first on the list being Utah. December 1, is the day assigned them.
 Object of the Exposition.
 The principal object of the eXposi- tion is to make fully representative display of the manufacturing pro gress and commercial possibilities of the country and particularly of the southern states, \ commercial problem at this time confronts the south, and, perhaps. the supreme purpose of the fair is to solve it. The great advance in the number of cot ton mills constructed and the output of finished products has created | surplus of cotton goods. Of this product, China was at one time the largest consumer outside of the home markets. The recent disturb anee in that country, however, has virtually paralyzed the markets. ana the home surplus multiples. The principal undeyeloped markets in close touch with the south are in the West Indies, and it is hoped, through the medium of full displays at the exposition, to establish trade rela- tions with that part of the world.
 The exposition site occupies about one hundred and sixty acres of land on the bank of the Ashley, with a The architecture of the buildings fol lows closely the styles which were in- troduced at the Chicago Worlds fair.
 The Departmental Buildings.
 The number of great departmental buildings is IT.: The cotton and com meree palaces. the hall of agricul. ture, minerals and forestry build ing and structures devoted to wom- an, art, the negro, transportation and machinery. The administration build ing occupies a commanding site. The cotton palace covers 50,000 square feet of ground. The commerce palace contains 43,o0O square feet of floor space.
 The hall of agriculture the same area; the administration building 16,- GOO square feet and the transporta. tion and machinery buildings each about 10000 square feet. A commodi. ous auditorium seats about 1000 peo- pie.
 The United States government, ir spite of the failure of congress to make an appropriation. has dis. play here, the exposition company having provided the necessary accom-. modations for the government ex. hibit recently seen at Buffalo.
 The court of palaces around which the main exposition buildings ar, grouped, is 1,200 feet in length and over 900 feet wide. This court con tains 1,6j0,000 feet, and one of its unique features is a sunken garder filed with tropical plants grouped around an electric fountain
 The woman's department is under the direction of Mrs. Sarah Calhoun Simonds, a grandniece of the great statesman, John (. Calhoun.