The San Francisco call., 1903-12-09

j. A. Filcher, commissioner of Cali
fornia to the Worlds Fair. was the
next speaker His speech in part was
as follows:
In all times. so. far as we are advised. man
kind has been accustomed in one form or
another. to celebrate great events. Pursuant
to this custom 1t Is very natural that the
ton of one Of its most important pieces OF
territory
In 1908 the so-calIed Louisiana Territory.
lying on the American continent and extend
ing from the Gulf Of Mexico to the British
possessions on the north and from the MIS-. MIS-
sIss,ppi river 10 tne summit ,,roasad UI sron1
France by tho United states Government, the
negotiations on the part OF President JereT-
son being conducted by his Minister to France.
Robert R. Livingston and on the part OF
Napoleon Bonaparte then First Consul OF
the republic of France by his Minister, Fran
The sum paid for this Territory was SIS. .ooo,-
600 United States money. Ine importance
Of this acquisition though great at the time,
was not realized 1t gave the United States
control OF the Mississippi River system ana
extended its title over a territory greater
Of this vast domain fourteen states ana Ter
ritories have since been carved-l-oulsiana'
homa, Indian Territory Kansas NEBRASKA
South Dakota North Dakota. COLORADO wy
oming and Montana. At the suggestion OF
the French Minister the boundaries on the
west were left underlined and Immediately
after the purchase the Lewis and Clark ex-
pediton started from St Louis ana eSporTa t a,rl
port the title by right OF discovery ana oe-
cupaton.
a. country under one government reachlng
from the Atlantic to the Pacihc ana estan-
lished the prestige Of the United states Oh
the North American continent.
II was in the Congresses Of the trans MisSis-
sippi States that the question OF celebrating
this purchase was first suggested After re-
peated agitation a convention finally assembled
in ST. Louis the 10th of January, lSSJ, COM
prised of ninety-three delegates. appointed by
the Governors Of the respective States and Ter
ritories of the purchase This conventlon ap-
pointed an executive committee, with the hon
David r. Francis Ex-Governor OF Missouri, as
chairman they decided on celebrating the
event by great worlds exposition ana settIsd
on St Louis the most important IT, city WITHIN pm
holding the same. They prepared a plan for
raising the money to build the buildings and
They fixed the amount at s15. 900, 600. the same
as had been paid to France for the louisiana
Territory one-thrd of this was to be raised
by private subscription one-third by the city
of St Louis and one-third was to be asked
from the General Government Early in the
pleted. Soon afterwards St Louis. authorized
the issuance Of So 600 coo Of municipal bonds
In March Of the same year the Senase mn nnalg ddg
passed the House bill appropriating S5,OOO,00o
by the General Government. This action es-
tablished the success of the stupendous under
taking. A proclamation was issued by Presi-
dent Mckinley inviting the nations Of the
world to participate. This disseminated
through countrys representatives at for
egn courts, and up to this time it is crafty
ing to state that about fifty foreign countries
have signihed their intention to take part In
this worlds congress.
EXPOSITION'S EXTENT.
The ground selected comprised the west half
of Forest Park and includes between 100 and
1900 acres. Fifteen large buildings have been
erected by the exposition authorities for the
installation Of the exhibits which, in their en-
tirety, will embrace nearly all nations and
every worthy effort of man as showing progress
in intellectual pursuits and Industrial develop
mept. These fifteen buildings in the aggregate
cover J2S acres of floor space, and their i'm
mensity be appreciated when IT is known
that the total acreage covered by the floors of
the Columbian Exposition, held ten years ago
in Chicago. covered only So acres. The largest
building is that intended to house the displays
of agriculture. this building being 500 feet wide
by 1900 feet long, or nearly as wide as two
blocks and as long as five blocks of that por-
ton of the city north of Market street. Thirty
seven OF the States participating in this
grand exposition and 1t is estimated that the
aggregate expenditure of States and foreign
countries. added TO those of the Worlds Fair
management. will reach the enormous sum OF
$50, 600, 600. This is nearly twice as much as