The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-07-18
GEN. LEE In
ST. LOUIS
Writes Strong Appeal for Viz
ginia Building at Exposition
SELECTS ADMIRABLE SITE
President Francis, Descendent Of vir-
ginians. Gives Lee His Choice-He
Says Monticello Reproduced
Will Be Center ofAdmiration.

General Fitzhugh Lee Is at present in
st. Louis getting pointers on how to work
up a great exposition. He purposes to use
of President Francis, OF the 81 Louis
Fair. as far as that be possible, in max
inc the jamestown Fair a. great success.
While in st. Louis he is doing everything
In his power to help Virginia to credit
able exhibit at the exposition .here next
year. The appended letter addressed to
the Virginia commissioners explains IT.
self:
st. Louis. Mo-. Southern Hotel,
July 10. 1858.
Hon. G. w. Koiner, Colonel a. NJ. Bow
man and j. l.. Patton. Esq, Virginia
Commissioners. Louisiana Purchase
Exposition:
Gentlemen, do not officially
represent our State at the exposition to
be held here. yet, as Virginian. l nat
uraly feel a great interest in having the
State in which Mr.. Jefferson was born,
lived and died properly represented ut
the celebration of the great act or MS
administration when President OF the
United States.
For the purpose OF securing information
which would be useful In organizing the
projected work of the jamestown EXPO
sition, I have been visiting the buildings
and grounds OF the exposition here.
Everything is done on a vast scale. I'M
mense structures for public purposes are
nearing completion, at cost of hundreds
os thousands of dollars, the root OF the
Agricultural Building, for instance, COW
cring twenty acres Of ground,
Selected Admirable Site.
Yesterday Governor Francis, tho presi-
dent of the exposition, invited me to join
him and go over his grounds, especially
those set aside for the various State
buildings saying II would select site
for n Virginia building he would reserve
1t. that thirty-hve States had already
done SO and that applications We're COM
inE in from others, so that soon there
would be no more space for such purposes
loft.
! took the responsibility of doing so, and
was fortunate In securing heautifnl
piece of ground In the midst of an oak
grove, most conveniently located In every
way, which can be conveniently reached
by the Intermural, or Exposition Railroad,
and In vehicles by the broad avenues
from every direction.
I know you are prohibited by law from
using the funds of the State except for
State exhibits, which will be placed in
the various public buildings, and that a
building, such as proposed, must DO erect
cd By private subscription.
II the necessary amourl--aDOut SlhWU,
in my opinion-rcannot be collected Viz
ginians who visit the exposition will have
no home on the grounds, but must wan
der around and find shelter and rest
Ing place In the Headquarters of other
States.
There is Virginia Society here in
st. Louis and we have arranged for n
meeting of its members tonight, to con-
slider this subject and make subscrip-
ton to erect a Virginia headquarters
building. The society has "A membership
OF some 300, but many of them can only
subscribe small amounts,
Monticello the Favorite.
Governor Francis, whose grandparents
on both sides We're Vlrgnians, is greatly
concerned about IA Virginia building, and
will offer every facility for it's erection
Indeed, he regards this celebration as a
sort Of Thomls Jefferson exposition. lie
strongly advocates the reproduction OF
Monticello, Which, II properly done, Will
attract a greater number of persons and
be of greater interest than any building
on the grounds
hope you, gentlemen are at work in
Virginia. No time Is to be lost. The eA-
position opens next May, and severe
winter will greatly retard work | hope
the Jamestown Exposition Company may
be able to assist financially. too, because
from room in the building Jamestown
Ia "a, al