Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1904-12-08
WORLDS FAIR CLOSES
END COMES AFTER DAY AND
EVENING OF FESTIVITIES.

Man at Head Of the Great Enterprise
Given an ovation-Totai Attendance
Is in the Neiehborhood of 100000.
Exposition Proves a Great Success.
st. Louis, Dec. 2.-The Louisiana
Purchase exposition has ended. The
stupendous and magnificent exposi.
ton whose tendrils of interest have
extended into every portion of the
civilized world and even into aborig-
lnal recesses, bringing within the
gates OF ST. Louis millions of visitors
from throughout the entire world, has
run its course and now passes into
history as probably having comprised
the most representative collection Of
resources. industries, art, peoples and
customs of the world ever assembled.
From the inception of a project to
hold an exposition to fttingly COM
memorate the Tooth anniversary of
the purchase of the Louisiana terri
tory until the portals were thrown
open and the world was invited to en-
ter and enjoy the completed exhibition
of the worlds life occupied a period
OF seven years. The duration of the
exposition has beer seven months,
and during that time nothing has &C.
Cured to throw a dampening effect
on the interest or to detEact from the
exposition in any way, The best or
der has been maintained throughout;
there have been a few fires, but all
were of small moment. with the ex-
ception Of the destruction Of the
House Oh Hoo Hoe and the partial
destruction OF the Missouri building
recently. The former was Immediate
ly rebuilt. No loss of life has oc-
Cured during the exposition from ac-
cident. st, Louis has proffered her
most gracious hospitality to the world,
and ii has been accepted. Throngs of
visitors have poured in to attend the
exposition, with the expectation of
being pleased and satisfied. They
have departed amazed and gratified.
The opinion has been expressed at all
times, on all sides, and without re-
serve that the Louisiana Purchase ex-
position has been a success. Congrat-
ulatory messages were received in
large numbers from all parts of the
country and from abroad. conveying
Fluctuations upon the success of the
exposition.
Francis Says Farewell.
The man probably most prominent
ly known in connection with the
Worlds fair is the president, David
R. Francis, and it was deemed fitting
that the final day should be designat-
ed as Francis Day" in his honor.
2 This exposition has been the work
of my life said President Francis.
1T 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 ad.
j%ectives in trying to describe this fair.
1t is as difficult to do it justice as it
is to paint the lily" {
The 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. On the open.
ing day the vast assemblage was
buoyant IN spirit and filed with a
unanimous desire. to give expression
to good feeling; yesterday depression
prevailed generally. because the con-
clusion was at hand and il was rather
a mournful assemblage that formed a
solid phalanX around the tall monu-
ment and listened to the farewell adj
dresses. There was cheering, but it
was the cheering of final leave-taking
and not the spontaneous outburst of
enthusiasm. The principal speeches
delivered were by Governor Dockery
of Missouri n President Francis.
Promptly at 4 o'clock ali the great
exhibit palaces We're closed and visit
ors were excluded. In the Palace of
Agriculture onslaughts We're made on
some of the exhibits where the set
tings were composed OF straw and
fragile material. and for a time gen.
eral denolishment was threatened,
but prompt action in effecting a gem.
eral ejectment put a stop to the
threatened turmoil.
AS the night drew on throngs con-
centrated in the main avenues to view
for the last time the magnificent cleo.
trio illumination. One solid stream
OF humanity swept through The Pike,
from II to end. The spirit of rev
elry was there. Never since the open.
ing had more %enlivenment been
shown at night on the grounds.
Over on Agricultural knoll the
great floral clock clicked off the min
utes OF the departing pageant. And
in the night rang out the tones OF
the massive bell as the midnight hour
was tolled by the great clock. In
stantly a hush seemed to pervade the
entire grounds. The glowing electric
bulbs slowly began dimming, the pull.
sations of the great engines that
drove the Cascades gradually died
down. The light faded steadily, di.