The age-herald., 1901-12-21
Governors of Four Louisiana Purchase States Participate
 ed in the Ceremonies
HISTORICAL SHOVELS
 USED ID BREAK DIRT
Holiday In St. Louis and There WaA a General Observance of Louis. lana Purchase-FIas Day
 In Several States.

St. Louis. December 2o-The governor of four Louisiana purchase states. Minne- osta, Nebraska, Missouri and Arkansas. several members of congress and worlds fair national commissioners and other in- vited guests. among them General John c. Bates, commanding the department of the Missouri and Cok John D. oglesby. representing Governor Yates of Illinois. participated in the ceremonies attending the breaking of ground today on the site of the worlds fair in Forest park. Three historic shovels were used in the ground breaking. The first was one of iron and oak, lent by the Massachusetts State ar- senal, Boston, where it had been placed in 1S06 as relic of early American work manship. An exact reproduction of. that shovel. a manufacture of the Louisina purchase made of ebony and steel, sil- yer plated, was next put into use. A ver- itable relic. an old wooden shovel thought to have been one of the tools employed by the 200 white miners from France and the 800 African slaves from San Domingo. brought over by Francis Reinault in 171s to work in the St. Gene vve. Mo. mines. was the third used. It was originally found in St. Francois county. this state. by F. J. Monelle. while sinking shaft in the famous Flat River lead district and is now the property of the Peacedale Museum, Rhode Island.
 Prominent Speakers.
 Speaking by Governor Francis, Con- gressman James A Tawney. of Minne- sota. and Governor Jefferson Davis of T. i nous Sixty was the programme at the Coliseum where several thousand persons were present.
 | A banquet at the Southern Hotel in the evening completed the days programme. l The day was a holiday in St. Louis and throughout Missouri. as well as in most 1 of the purchase states. whose Governors issued procIamations asking for a gem eraI observance of Louisville Purchase Flag Day." Owing to the unusual severi- ty of the weather, the open air cere- monies attending the ground-breaking were transferred to the Coliseum, and the parade was abandoned
 At the appointed time the directors and officers of the Louisiana Park Purchase Exposition Company. General John c. Bates Maj. Henry Hunter, Fifteenth Uni ted States Cavalry, and other army of- ficers, Governors of states and guests. as- sembled at the St. Louis Club. Carriages were taken and the party was driven to Forest Park. where the ceremony of breaking ground was carried out A huge fire had been built on the structural site of the educational building to soften the ground.
 Welding the Shovel. Arriving at the site. the party assem- bled at the place indicated and wieided the shovel in this order:
 President David Francis Treasurer ". H. Thompson. Secretary Walter B. Stew ems. General Counsel Blair. Director of Exhibits Skin. Director of Works Tay- Tor. Chief of the Department of Educa,- ton Rogers, and the architect of the Educational building. vice presidents of the Exposition company, members of the executive committee, representatives of the Worlds Fair National committee and. the board of lady managers and chair men of each of the standing committees of the company.
 As this part of the ceremony was be- ing carried out Battery A of the Missouri National Guards fired sixty guns
 At the conclusion of this part of the ceremony the carriages were re-entered by the party and were driven down town. Stopping at the armory of the First ln- fantry. Missouri National Guard Colonel Sinclaire commanding. the party was re- ceived with military honors. and escorted to the Coliseum, where the remainder of the programme was ca-ried cut
 On the Platform.
 Onthe platform at the Coliseum were seseed officers of the Worlds Fair. mu- p.pical officials, Congressman Tavnev and Worlds Fair Commissioner John Nj. Allen. the orators of the day, Governor members of the board of lady managers. General Bates and stan and other in- vited guests
 The days celebration was concluded this evening at the Southern Hotel, where 200 officers and directors of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Company and their guests sat down to an elaborate banquet. Among those present were H. D. woot- en, member of Congress from Texas: Worlds Fair National Commissioner John M. Allen of Mississippi and J. I. Whitaker and J. c. Yancy, Worlds Fair commissioner from Arkansas
 Messrs. Wotten and Allen responded