The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1904-12-02
A BR1LL1ANT ENDING
st. Louis Exposition Closed
With Francis Day.
FAIR PRESIDENT HONORED BY THRONC
Speeches by Governor DOckery and
Mayor WelIs--Frsncis and TbOmp-
son Presented with Sill
YER Service.

lufCiaSe exposition mas enucu. Inc
! StupendOus and magnificent exposition
whose tendrils of interest have extend
ed into every portion of the civilized
world and even into aboriginal recess
es, bringing within the gates of St
Louis millions Of visitors from through
out the entire world. has run its course
and now passes into history as prOba-
bly, having comprised the most repre-
sentative collection of the resources,
Industries, art, peoples and customs of
the world ever assembled. From the
inception of a project to hold an expo
sition httingly To commemorate the
Dne hundrcdth anniversary of the pur-
chase of the Louisiana territory until
HE portals were thrown open and the
world was invited to enter and enjoy
life occupied a period of seven years.
The duration of the exposition has
been seven months, and during that
lime nothing has occurred to throw
dampening effect on the interest or to
letract from the exposition in any
" dA Nv b'Sl blt'l ll'lN b''il illilll-
.ained throughout There have been
few fires, but all were of small mo-
ment. with the exception of the de
'truction of the House Of Hoo Hoo and
he partial destruction of the Missouri
building recently. The former was i'm
mediately rebuilt No loss Of Life has
occurred during the exposition from
accidents. ST. Louis has proffered her
most gracious hospitality to the world
and it has been accepted.
ThrOngs of visitors have poured in to
attend the exposition with the cXpecta-
lion of being pleased and satisfied.
They have departed amazed and graft
led The opinion has been expressed
at all times, on all sides and with
out reserve that the Louisiana Pur-
chase exposition has been success.
Eongratulatory messages were receiv-
ed in large numbers from all parts of
the country and from abroad convey
ng fluctuations upon the success of the
exposition.
The man probably most prominently
AHVN II NobhNNhip NiAAi wv ''' w "
lair is the president, David X. Fran
lis. and it was deemed fitting that the
inal day should be designated as Fran
.is day in his honor.
This exposition has been the work
IF my life" said President Francis.
It has consumed my entire time for
The past four years, but every hour has
been an hour of pleasure to me. |
have exhausted my stock of adjectives
IN trying to describe this fair. 1t is as
difficult 10 do i, justice as it is to paint
.he lily"
The closing exercises were held at
the base of the Louisiana Purchase
monument IN he plaza of 81. Louis.
where were held seven months ago the
exercises that formally opened the
gates to the world ON the opening
day the vast assembage was buoyant
IN spirit and filled with n unanimous
desire to give expression to good feel
ing: now depression prevails because
Of the conclusion at hand, and it was
rather Il mournful aSsemblage that
formed a solid phalanN around the tall
and listened To the farewell
addresses. There was cheering, hut it
was the cheering of final leave taking
and not the spontaneous outhurSt of
enthusiasm. The principal speeches
delivered were by Governor DOckery
Of Missouri and President Francis.
Mayor Wells spoke briefly ANA intro
iucod Governor Dockery. who said in
part:
In bidding farewell to the worlds
lair | want TO pay tribute to the
Kindly feeling expressed toward this
I'll States. In the execution Of this eX-
position we have been Americans and |
not purtiSauS. We have united in do I
IN" everything possible to contribute .
toward its success. and the president |
las shown unqualified interest through !
out.
II want to pay a tribute to grand /
Did Missouri, She has thrown open |
her arms in hospitality and extended
TO the world. | am proud of /
he fact that the brightest and most !
resplendent state given To the Union by /!
rhoGas Jefferson in the Louisiana pur-
chase was the state of Missouri.
The ST. Louis exposition takes
ong stride toward the conquest of the |
seas, of which | now warn the ma
ions. We don't intend to send our
but we do intend to send our
merchant ships, and we will contest on
he seas for the trade of the world"
After the cheering following Presi-
lent Francis speech had died away
1estus J. Wade of ST. Louis. member
If the board of directors, was intro
luced and presented to President
'rancis beautiful silver service as a
oxen of esteem from the exposition
4 similar gift was pre-
ented to Treasurer William IL.
Thompson.
As the night drew on thrOngs cOnccn-
rated in the main avenues TO view for
- 4 .s.s5