The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1901-12-27
OFFICIALS USE THE SPADE
Ceremony of Breaking Ground for
Louisiana Purchase EXPOSE
ton Is Observed.
COLD WEATHER SP0ILS SOME Of PLANS
Day Selected for This First Public
Celebration in Connection with
the Worlds Fair Is the Anniver-
sary of Formal Transfer of Terri
tory to United States.

st. Louis, Dec. 21.-The first public
celebration in connection with the
worlds fair to be opened in st. Louis
in 1903 in commemoration of the one
hundredth anniversary of the Louis
lana purchase was held Friday, when
ground was broken on the site in For
est park. This day was selected for
the important event because it is
an anniversary of the formal
transfer of the Louisiana territory to
the United States. The day was holt
lay in St. Louis and throughout Mis-
souri,, as well as in most of the pur-
chase states, whose governors issued
proclamation asking for general OBJ
servance of it as Louisiana Purchase
Flag day."
Cold Causes Change of Plans.
Great preparations for the event had
been made by officials of the worlds
fair, but owing to the unusual severity
of the weather it was decided to aban-
don some of the most striking fea-
lures and substitute others.
At the appointed time, directors and
officers of the Louisiana Purchase Elk
position company, Gen. John c. Bates,
Maj. Henry X. Hunter, Fifteenth United
States cavalry, and other army officers,
governors of states and guests assem-
bled 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 struc-
tural site of the Educa tional building
to soften the ground.
Officials Weld the Shovel.
Arriving at the site, the party as
sembled at the place indicated and
welded the shovel in this order: Presi-
dent David Francis, Treasurer w. H.
Thompson, Secretary Walter b. Stew
ems, General Counsel B.air, Director of
Exhibits Skiff, Director of Works Tay-
lor, Chief of the Department of Edu-
cation Rogers and the architect OF the
Educational building, vice presidents
of the exposition company, members
of the executive committee, represent
atives of the worlds fair national COM
mittee and the board of lady man
ayers and chairmen of each of the
standing committees of the company.
Salute of Guns Fired.
AS this part of the ceremony was
being carried out, battery A, of the
Missouri national guard, fired 60 guns.
The 60 guns were divided into nine
groups, with three minute intervals be-
tween each as follows: twenty-five
for the 10 original states and those
created from them, IA for Louisiana
Purchase states, one for Florida, one
for Texas, three for the territories dis
covered and settled subsequentto 1916,
five for the states ceded by Mexico in
1s4s, nine for the insular possessions,
one for Alaska and one for the District
of Columbia.
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 infantry, Missouri ma
tional guard, Col. Sinclair command
ing, the party was received with mill
tary honors and escorted to the Coli
scum, where the remainder of the
programme was carried out.
At the Coliseum.
The immense hall of the Coliseum
was crowded with thousands of per-
sons, among whom were many chill
dren, the public schools having been
closed for the day. On the platform
at one side of the Coliseum, deco
rated with United States flags and
banners and bunting of red, white,
blue and yellow, the official colors OF
the Louisiana Purchase Exposition
company, were seated officers of the
worlds fair, municipal officials, Con-
gresham James A. Tawney and
Worlds Fair National Commissioner
John NJ. Allen, the orators of the
day, governors of states, national
commissioners, members of the board
of lady managers, Gen. Bates and
staff and other invited guests.
Exercises at the Coliseum.
President d. r. Francis, of the
Louisiana Purchase Exposition COM
PAW, called the Coliseum meeting to
order. and Rev. DR.. Samuel j. Nicolls,
of Westminster Presbyterian church,
pronounced the invocation. Hon.
James A. Tawney, of Minnesota, chair
man of the house committee on expo
sitions, was introduced and made the
first address.
Congressman Tawney was followed
by Worlds Fair Commissioner John
Allen, of Mississippi, who delivered an
eloquent address. A band of 60 pieces
rendered a special programme of pa
triotic music.
Day Observed in Colorado.
Denver, Col, Dec. 21.-In compliance
with the proclamation of Gov. Orman,
the statehouse was Friday decorated
with flags, 116 being placed in win
dows and five large ones floating from
stats. The occasion is the anniver-
sary of the signing of the treaty in
New Orleans, December 20, 1903, where
by the United States acquired the
Louisiana purchase.
Children Burned.
D;obr,,,onI Nv noo T,ro Iii