Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-30
HE PRESSED THE KEY
President Roosevelt Sets Ma
chinery in Motion
AT THE WHITE HOUSE
MANY DISTINGUISHED PERSONS
WITNESS CEREMONY.
Felicitous Messages Of Congratulation
on the Successful Opening Of the
st. Louis Exposition.

gold Key by Which the electrloal CIRCUIT
| was broken releasing the gigantic power
of the Louisiana purchase exposition AT
st. Louis. putting in motion the forty thou
sand horse-p power machinery and the fairy
like cascades the exposition grounds
The ceremony took place in the east room
of the White House thirteen minutes past
| o'clock eastern standard time. As the
| President pressed the key the Sd Battery
| of United States Artillery, stationed on
| the grounds of the Washington monument,
| south of the White House. fired a national
| salute of twenty-one guns. Congratuia-
| tory messages then were exchanged be-
| tween the President and David X. Francis.
president of the Louisiana Purchase Expo
stion Company.
The historic ceremony was witnessed bs
| a notable assemblage. Among those who
| were guests of the President in the east
| room were the members of the cabinet, ex-
| cept Secretary Taft, who is in st. Louis as
| the personal representative of the Presi-
| dent the chief justice and the associate
| justices of the Supreme Court of the United
| States Senator Frye, president pro tenn
pore of the Senate; Speaker Cannon or TIE
House of Representatives, Ambassadors
| ministers and other representatives oi loI
| eign governments at this capital, the ms
souri, delegation In the Senate ana the
| House of Representatives and prominent
| people in the various walks of civil ne
| The Marine Band WAS stationed IN the
| vestihule of the White House and rendered
| a suitable program Immediately precenns
and subsequent to the ceremony In the east
| room.
| Arrangements for the Ceremony.
A half hour before the actual opening or
| the great fair took place the invited guests
| were assembling In the east room. ihe'e
arrangements had been completed Tor the
| ceremony The telegraphic facilities were
| installed under the supervision of MAJ.
nf Tinted
States Signal Corps chief of the telegraph
| and cipher bureau at the White House:
| Three circuits between the east room ana
the administration building of the exposl-
| ton were provided by the Postal Telegraph
| and Gable Company. One was Installed rs
| circuit over which the President released
| the mechanical power of the exposition:
| another was employed for the interchange
| of messages. and the third was held in re-
serve in of the failure of either of the
other two to work properly. The connec-
through the switchboard in the White
House telegraph room.
The handsome mahogany table which sup
ported the telegraph Instruments was To-
Gated in the south end OF the east room.
On it rested a small dais covered with blue
and gold plush, to the top of which was
attached the gold key with which the Presi-
dent closed the circuit. The same dais and
the same key have been used on several
similar historic occasions. In 1888 Presi-
dent Cleveland used the same key in start
fair and in 1898 ii was used to start the
exhibit of the American Electrical Institute
The key and dais have been In the possess
sion Of Gen. E. ). Greeley, president gen
eral of the Sons of the American Revo-
luton.
AT the table arranging the preminaries
of the event were Major Montgomery and
E. w. Smithers. the chief operator of the
White House. The St Louis end of the
circuits was directed by p. V. DeGraw. the
eastern press agent of the exposition. Tor
|
telegraph table was a bell circuit connec-
ing it with signal bell on the roof OF the
White House. AS the President pressed
the key Major Montgomery pressed bulb
he held i'm his hand, that action ringing a
bell on the roof instantly Private b. r.
Hill of Company B. United States Signal
Corps located there dropped hag, thus
signaling the battery of artillery that the
machinery of the fair had been started.
The salute followed. The battery was In
command of Capt. Charles T. Summeral1.
First Lieut. E. p. Nones and Second Lieut..
Henry P. Kilbourne.
The late arrival of some of the diplomats
delayed the ceremony taking place at pre-
cisely / O'Clock. Just before touching the
kew the President announced that he had
received a message from the exposition
management stating that everything was
ready for the pressing of the key and the
opening of the exposition
The Messages Exchanged.
The message was as follows:
ST LOUIS, Mo-. April 30. 1904.
president David r. Francis. president OF
the Louisiana purchase exposition. presents
his compliments to the President OF the
United States and bees to say that the
management of the Louisiana purchase ex-
position awaits the pleasure of President
Roosevelt who is to transmit the electrical
energy which is to unfurl the flags and
start the machinery of the great exposi-
ton"
After this announcement the President,
before touching the button. said:
The Presidents Reply.
.J have received from the exposition
grounds the statement that the manage
mept of the Louisiana purchase exposition
awaits the pressing of the button which is
10 transmit the electric energy which is to
unfurl the flag and start the machinery of
the exposition.
II wish now to greet all present, and es-
pecially the representatives of the foreign
nations here represented, In the name of
the American people. and to thank these
representatives for the parts their several
countries have taken In being represented
in this centennial anniversary OF the great
est step in the movement which transform
ed the American republic from a small con-
federacy of states lying along the Atlantic
seaboard to a continental nation.
This exposition Is one primarily INTENDED
to show the progress In the industry the
science and the art not only of the Ameri-
can nation, but of all other nations. in the
great and wonderful century which has
inst closed Every department of human
activity will be represented there; and per-
haps I may be allowed, as honorary presi-
dent of the athletic association which,
under European management. started to re-
viye the memory Of the Olympic games to
saw that am glad that In addition to pay
ing proper heed to the progress OF industry,
of science of art we have also paid proper
heed to the development of the athletic
nastimes which useful In themselves
which are useful showing that IL is wise
for nations TO be able to relax well az
work
II greet you all. appreciate your having
come here on this occasion, and In the
presence of you. representing the American
government. and the governments e the