The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-12-02

MIDNIGHT is TOLLED
The Lights GIimmer and Fade. the
Pulses OF the Great Engines
Cease Their Beating, and Sill
ence and Darkness
Reinn.
Reign.
(Rv the Associated Press.)


St. Louis, Dec. 1.-The Louisiana
Purchase Exposition has ended. The
stupendous and magnificent exposition
whose tendrills of interest have ex-
tended into every portion of the civil
lied world and even into aboriginal re-
cesses, 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
probably having comprised the most
representative collection of the re-
sources. industries. art. peoples and
customs of the world ever assembled.
The best order has been maintained
throughout; there have been few fire:-
but all of small moment, with the eX-
ception of the destruction of the house
of Hoo Hoo and the partial destruc
tiOn of the Missouri building recent
~. The former was Immediately re-
! built. No loss of life has occurred
| during the exposition from accidents.
st. Louis has proffered her most gra-
| ciOus hospitality to the world. and ii
! has been accepted.
Thro"os of visitors have poured in
| to attend the exposition with the eX-
pectation of being pleased and salts
| fed. They have departed amazed anG
! gratiticd. The opinion has been eN-
pressed at all times. on all sides an1
! without reserve that the Louisiana
Purchase Exposition has been a sue
/ cess.
The man probably most prominently
/ known in connection with the Worlds
! Fair is the president. David r. Fran
! els and it was deemed fitting that the
| final day should be designated as
/ Francis Day in his honor.
| The Work of His Life.
This exposition has been the work
of my. life" said President Francis.
at has consumed my entire time for
! the past four years but every hour
| has been an hour of pleasure to me.
j | have exhausted my stock of adjec-
| yves In trying TO describe this fair.
1t is as difficult to do it justice as ii
| is to paint the lily
1ne closing exercises were held at
| the base of the Louisiana Purchase
monument in the Plaza of st. Louis
where were held seven months ago
/ the exercises that formally opened the
gates to the world. The principal
! speeches delivered were by GovernC<
/ Dockery Of Missouri and President
/ Francis.
! President Francis in his address
| spoke of the lasting influence of the
| fair which marks a new epoch in the
intellectual and industrial advance
/ llelJ Oh lfle world, ana lIle udWIl VI
! new era in the international rela
! tions of governments and people"
! In conclusion he said:
MAY this enterprise with which we
| have been connected for nearly seven
/ years past bring into still closer
brotherhood all the nations and all
| the peoples who have participated in
it. May it deepen our patriotism. MAY
| it strengthen our love for benign
! providence that smiles upon us
Promptly at four o'clock all the
! great eXhiD palaces were closed 2ni
| visitors were excluded. In the pal
ace of agriculture OnSlaughts were
| made on some of the exhibits, where
| the settings were composed of straw
! and fragile material, and for a time
general demolition was threatened, put
| prompt action in effecting a general
| ejectment put stop to the threaten
| ed turmoil.
AS the night drew on throngs con-
| centrated in he main avenue view
| for the last time the magnificent cleo
! trio illumination. one solid stream OF
| humanity swept through the Pike
from end to end. The spirit of rev.
| elry was there.
Steadily the white bulbs silhouetted
! the exhibit palaces against the night,
periodically the illumination of the
| terrace of states Surmounting festival
| hill changed from white to red, then
| to green and then back to white. over
on Agricultural Knoll the great floral
clock clicked off the minutes of the
departing pageant. And in the night
rang out the tones of the massive bell
as the midnight hol.r was toiled by
the great clock.
Instantly a hush seemed to per-
wade the entire grounds. The glow
ing electric bulbs slowly began dim
ming, the Dulsations of the great en-
gines that drove the cascades gradu-
ally died down The ligh faded
steadily. diminishing until but a faint
glow was perceptible. SUDDENLY there
was darkness, and the Louisiana Pur-
chase Exposition had passed into the
chronicles of history.