The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-04-24
THE ROOSEVELT TOUCH
WILL START MACHINERY AT
 WORLDS FAIR.
April 30 at O'clock (Eastern Time) Is Appointed for the Ceremony at the White House.
 Notes of Fair.

 afternoon of April Soth, the President of the United States win press the Key of Morse telegraph instrument in the East Room at the White House ana through direct wire connection which VIII have been arranged by the Postal Tele- graph Company will covey instantane- ously to the great central switcnpord on the Worlds Fair grounds, the electric energy which will release the 4c0O0 horse power required to operate the Cascades, the great engines in Machinery Hall and other mechanism of the great Exposi- ton.
 It had been suggested that wireless apparatus be fitted up either at the top of the Washington monument or on the top spire of the dome of the capitol, and that wireless spark be flashed across country to St. Louis upon the opening day. This plan was vetoed, however, and the invitation to start the Fair by the usual method Of telegraphing sub stituted. The members of the Cabinet, the Diplomatic Corps, the Chief Justice and Associate Justices of the United States Supreme Court, the President or the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives together with other distinguished personages will be with the President during the ceremony.
 Immediately after the Presidents ac- tion formally opening the exposition congratulatory message will be sent to President Francis and the Worlds Fair officials, a reply received and the cere- mony in the White House will have been completed.
 The National Salute.
 A national salute of twenty-one guns will be fired on the Monument Grounds, just south of the White House imme- diately following the official opening of the Exposition. The Marine Band will be in attendance at the White House during the ceremonies. The telegraph company will furnish golden telegraph key for the Presidents use.
 For the first time in the two years in which the big task of rearing the great Ivory City of the Worlds Fair has been going on, the people of St. Louis Saturday night obtained an inkling of the gorgeous night scenes that the illu- imitation of the Exposition will present There had been tests before of the elec- tric lighting of single building at a time, but Saturday night for the first time three of the largest and most beau tiful of the great palaces were lighted up for the inspection of the Executive Com mittee. The center cascade was also illuminated, but because the work here has not yet been completed the test was not as satisfactory as those of the build ings.
 When the switch in the power plant was l turned on and the palaces of transpor- l tation varied industries and machinery burst into a dazzling flare of pure white | light from thousands of incandescent | bulbs, the entire site about them was a | mass of seeming flame. The illumina- ylethla Ynfloo and seen from a great distance the sight | was one of the most beautiful to which | the people of St. Louis have ever been treated. The graceful lines and noble | proportions of the palaces were sil- | houetted against the dark shadows of | the night The great palaces, picked | out in living flame, looked like the crea- | tion wrought by a wave of fairy wand. 1 and as the committee gazed on the sight they felt that the promises of the build CTS of the Exposition, that the night ef- fects of the St. Louis Worlds Fair | would be such as had never before been shown. had already been fully realized.
 Editors Going to St. Louis. The Executive Committee of the Vir- l glnia Press association at a meeting recently held in this city voted to hold the annual meeting of the Association at St. Louis, June 30 next. and elected Rep- | resentative Carter Glass, of The Lynch ] burg News, and J. L. Hart, of The 1 Farmville Herald, president and secreta- | ry of the Association, respectively, to rep resent it at the press parliament to be held at St. Louis during the week of of May 16. A permanent badge was adopted, bearing a likeness of the coat of arms of Virginia and the name of the association. All the members of the Executive Committee were present at the meeting.
 The Worlds Press Parliament which will be in session at St. Louis from May 1s to Fist will be the greatest gathering of newspaper men ever brought together It is estimated that between three and four thousand representative newspaper men fro mevery State In the Federal Union and every country in the world, will be present. In the number will be some of the most distinguished foreign journalists from the various capitals of Europe.
 Secretary of State Hay will open the parliament with thirty minutes talk. Other speakers already on the program will be Charles Emory Smith, Colonel Henry Watterson and Edward Box. During the session receptions will be given by the Kansas. Missouri, Indiana, Wisconsin. Arizona, Georga, Texas. Okla homa, Iowa. w. Virginia and Idaho com mission, the Federation of = women's Clubs. and the Exposition itself. The concluding entertainment. on Sunday, May 22, will be trip down the Missis- sippi on the steamer City of Providence.
 Hotel Accommodations.
 There need be no alarm about hotel accommodations at St. Louis during any part of the Exposition. A large number of the hotels in course of construction have practically been completed and the remainder will be finished at an early date. The proprietors of the various flrst-class hotels have made the state ment that rates would absolutely not be advanced during 'the Fair and that the rates are lower than those set by other large cities.
 Hundreds of the best trained voices in