The Tupelo journal., 1903-05-01
THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE.
Centennial of the Acquisition of the
Inland Empire Which Napo-
leon Sold for a Song.
PREPARATIONS FOR THE CELEBRATION.
On April 30 VIII he Witnessed, at
81. Louis. One of the Most I'M
posing Spectacles i'm the History
of the United States-Three Days
of Stirring Incidents.

st. Louis, April PA salute of Joe
guns will to the world, at
noon, April 80, the close Of the first
century of an inland empire that Ma
poleon sold for a song.
Seldom in the official life of a great
democratic nation will be the pomp
pageantry of monarchy have been sc
overshadowed as at the dedication Oh
the international exposition to com
memorate that event.
One of the most impressive military
spectacles of peaceful times will
sweep through the metropolis of the
Louisiana domain-a glittering dis
play of American arms and the man
at the zenith of the republics power
Kings, emperors and potentates
send their ambassadors to swell the
homage of this people to the genius
that, by bloodless conquest. gave tc
the country a territory one-third the
size of all Europe.
For the first time in the history
of the government, the entire diplo.
matte corps leaves the capital on a
special TRAIN to travel into the heart
of the nation.
The presence of the president OF
the United States, his cabinet, con
gress and the supreme court, at the
head of the armed column, is intend
ed to symbolic a government by the
people and its achievements.
Orders have been issued by the wal
department to mobilize in the vast
buildings of the exposition 1000 bat
~tle-scarred regulars. The powerful
monitor, Arkansas, is ascending the
historic river, once claimed by De
Soto in. the name of his Spanish SOY.
ereign.
Governors of states are picking
their crack militia regiments for a
brave show. Ten thousand stalwart
types of the volunteer of the future
are furnishing their weapons for
this day of dignitaries.
Through all these preparations run
the quickened spirit of newer "ar
gosies of commerce." the dawn of yet
undreamed wonders of science and
coming triumphs of civilization.
The Universal exposition is the
mouthpiece of this vague unrest; its
christening with glory of military
panoply. stately ceremony and reign
of fire by night, is the opening page
of the fairy book.
That the national government
might be interpreted as stamping its
approval on an enterprise that has
cost it more than six millions Of dol
lars, Maj.-Gen. Henry c. Corbin will
marshal the parade from its starting
point in ST. Louis to the palaces of
the Ivory City.
Estimates by the passenger depart
ments of % railways converging at
st. Louis indicate the attendance at
the dedication of 100000 to 100000
visitors. mainly from points in Mis-
souri,, Illinois, Iowa, Arkansas and
Oklahoma.
Three days will be crowded with in
cident. National day falls on April
30. The president dedicates the
Worlds fair. International day fol
lows on May 1. Addresses by the
French and Spanish ambassadors, and
a reception to the diplomatic corps,
are the features.
State day, May ., concludes the eel
ebration. Gov. Benjamin b. Odell of
New York and Gov. A. NJ. Dockery of
Missouri make addresses; a great
civic procession moves over the route
of the military parade, and the cor
ner-stones of state buildings are laid.
Dedication night and the evening
of May 1, the Pains will ~monopolize
the heavens. Their display of pyro-
technics, under their contract with
the exposition, calls for the explosion
of $4,000 in burning powder. Leo
Stevens, the Stanleys, of London; the
Baldwin brothers, will manipulate
seven mammoth gas balloons at a
great altitude, where the most star
Ting fireworks exhibition is to be
given.
The monitor Arkansas. herald of
the coming dedication will anchor on
the river front of St. Louis, April 30,
lying there until after the last day
of the dedication. The largest war
vessel that ever assembled to the
Worlds fair sity will be visited by
thousands of persons who have not
II of the fighting navy. The
blue jackets and marines aboard will
take part in the military pageant.
En- Route to St. Louis.
Boise, Idaho, April 25.-Gov. Merri-
rison left last night for st. Louis, to
be present at the dedicatory cere-
monies of the Louisiana Purchase eX
position.
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