The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1903-05-07
NOW DEDICATED
PRESIDENT ACCEPTS ST. Lo,ns
FAIR BUILDINGS.
Great Crowds Of People Wttn.
the Ceremonies--A Raw, Bl...
Day, Combined With Inadequ.ts
Police Regulations, Mako II Va,
Uncomfortable.

St. Louis, May President Roosevelt.
fought his way through the bi0oes.
crowd he ever encountered in his l;fo
at the fair grounds yesterday. He as.
sisted in dedicating tho half completed
buildings and accepted them in the
name of the government from the no.
tional committee, whose duty it is 10
zee that the $4,000, 900 given by con.
gress is expended as judiciously as DOS.
sible.
Secretary Stevens. of the exposition
company, estimates that 800, 900 peo.
pie crowded their way into the fai,
grounds. At least 10000 were pa ked
like sardlnes into the huge Liberal
Arts building, where the exercises took
place. The weather, combined with
the woefully inadequate police arrange.
ments, made the day term of misery
for great many individuals who would
otherwise have enjoyed themselves to
the utmost. 1t had turned bitterly
cold overnight, and though the lower
ing clouds did not turn loose the rain
to spoil the parade, there was pene-
trating wind that sent the chills up
and down the frames of the spectators,
1t was therefore red-necked, blue
faced crowd that watched the parade
headed by General Corbin in all the
gold lace his exalted rank allows
Miles and Corbin.
General Miles. who ranks General Cor.
bin notch, sat for the most of the
time while the parade YVES passing the
presidents stand hidden behind pill
lar. General Corbin came to the stand
as soon as his part of it was over and
stood near the president, where the
eyes of multitude could drink him in.
After the governors OF the states, with
their stats, had passed the reviewing
stand, President Roosevelt and his par.
ty battled their way through the Lib
eral Arts building, where the dedica-
tion exercises took place. 1t was an
unruly crowd under that big roof. and
no wonder, for not more than tenth
of the assemblage could hear a word
spoken from the platform. At inter.
walls the president had to stop talking
altogether until the enthusiasts in the
rear had become tired of yelling "St
down." or "What's the matter with
Teddy"
The management had forgotten all
about providing gavel for the occa-
sion, and Chief of Detectives Desmond
sacrificed his umbrella. The handle
of his rain protector was used by Presi-
dent Francis to call the crowd to order.
When all tho governors-nineteen in
number-had reached the platform it
was discovered that there were not
chairs enough to GO round, and some OF
them sat on the floor.
A crest" was promised the president
after the exercises, but when he reached
the Office of Governor Francis, in the
administration building, nearly all the
prominent citizens of St. Louis came
in with their wives to shake his hand.
Finally the secret service men of the
staff spirited the president away to
selected room where he was hidden
from the crowd until dinner. After
dinner the president admired display
of fireworks and then went to his train,
happy but most exhausted man.
Program Of Exercises.
Following was the program at the
exposition grounds after the great MIL
itary parade:
Introductory address by President
Francis.
Invocation, by His Eminence James
Cardinal Gibbons.
Introduction of Hon. Thomae ID. Car
ter, of the national commission, presi
dent of the day.
Grand Chorus, "The Heavens Pro-
claiming"
Presentation OF buildings, by DAVID
R. Francis, president of the exposi'
ton.
Dedication address, by the president
of the United States.
Chorus, "Unfold, Ye Portals"
ADDRESS, by Hon. Grover Cleveland;
America" with full chorus anu
band accompaniment.
Prayer. by Bishop. E. R. Hendrix
Benediction, by Ri. Rev. Henry "