Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-12-01
WORLDS FAIR GATES ARE
 OPEN TO PUBLIC TO-DAY.
Record Breaking Attendance the Day Set Apart to Honor President of the Fair-The Day Was Legal Holiday in the City and State Appropriate Exer- cises Held in Many Buildings.

St Louis, Dec 1.-Tdeal early winter weather; the gates thrown open to children and to those who were worthy but had been unable to atteud from pecuniary reasons; crowds pouring through the turnstiles from the open Ing of the gates until far into the day, marked the last day of the Louisiana Purchase exposition. President David k. Francis was the guest of llopor to- day and ceremonies were conducted commemorating his services In making the exposition success. and at the same time bidding farewell to the worlds fair, the magniticence and greatness of which have been acknow- ledged throughout the world.
 It is estimated that to-dny's attend ance was nearly rccord-breaker, bur 1t will not be known until the exposi- ton has closed and the attendance fig ures officially announced. The attend ance for the previous weeks has been announced Sunday nights and the off cial announcements last Sunday showed that 1S,317,457 admissions had been recorded since the exposition opened April 80 The banner months attend ance was in September. when tlie to- tal was 3,65l,S73. The largest single days attendancefwas on September l5, when 'St Louis day. was observed. ls That every citizen of St Louis might participate in the last day of the expo sition and help observe Francis day. to-day was proclaimed a holiday by I Mayor Wells. Governor Dockery had likewise proclaimed throughout the state that to-day was especially set apart for paying final homage to the exposition, and the crowds that poured into tlie, city on, the early trains attest ed to the fact that the proclamation was observed. Many business houses closed today and all public schools were closed There were additional forces of officers and guards to pre- serve order In handling the crowds, l but every visitor was bent on having a last good time and there was little need for guards except for giving di- rections md looking after the comfort of the visitors generally.
 Early in the day a special trolley car l left the residence of President Francis, conveying him to the administration
 building. Mayor Wells and the expo slti0n committee on ceremonies acted l as escort. 1 After a brief reception in President | Francis's office she was escorted to the plaza of St Louis. The procession was
 headed by a military escort composed of alt the military. organizations on tire
 grounds, the regular soldiers stationed
 at Jefferson barracks. and other miIi. ] tiry organizations of St Louis. Gen.
 eral E. NJ. Rice acted as marshal ot the day.
 At the plaza of St Louis, President I Francis took his place on the north
 side of the Louisiana Purchase monil. ment to deliver his farewell address from the exact place where were held
 the opening exercises just seven
 months ago. The members of the na-
 tional commission. the board of lady
 managers, the members of the foreign
 and state commissions. and other nota ble guests were near the speakers
 stand and stretching away into the dis Itance on all sides was a sea of faces The assemblage was called to order
 by Mayor Wells Rev Dr s. J. Mic.
 coils, or the Second Presbyterian
 church Of St Louis, invoked blessings | Brief addresses were made by Cover
 nor Dockery Tn behalf of the state II stliu NdyOT WSiiS III ucudtl VI IHE Ckty of St Louis President Francis was
 introduced and delivered his farewell
 address. As lie stepped to the front l the assembled thousands che9red President Francis spoke briefly, de.
 scrihing the exposition as n monument
 to the industry of the world, as q uni versal institution of instruction and as la patriotic success. When he had lceased speaking the crowd agair cheered and then dispersed to see for
 the last time the wonders of the expo 1 sition.
 Drills and concerts and receptions l generally throughout the grounds oc
 cupied the latter part of the day \ President Francis was rendered gen
 eraI reception nt the house of board
 of lady managers.