The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-05-03

J = st. Louis. April est. Louis tonight
iS prepared for the greatest day in her
history. Tomorrow at noon her great
exposition. upon which the city has
laVished millions OF money, to which her
people have devoted years of their best
endeavOr. and for which they have
labOred with infinite patience and per-
sistence. Will be thrown open to the
world.
All of today and all of tonight the
people have worked with desperate
energy to accomplish the thousand ana
n things that always remain to be
done at the last moment. At the expo
sitfon grounds, 10000 men have work,
ed all day, putting the final touches
upon the grounds. buildings, sidewalks
cleaning buildings, removing ~scaffolds
and arranging exhibits. This work viii
continue without cessation until dawn
and it is confidently expected that when
the fair opens at noon tomorrow, every
thing humanity possible will have been
done to adYan the work to the farth-
est INIT of preparation. In the down
town streets and residence district, the
decorations are profuse and beautiful.
The exercises tomorrow will be more
serious than Respondent. There will be
comparatively little of the glittering
pageant that marked the dedication ex-
ercises a year ago, but the ceremonies
preceding the formal opening will be
AOIle the less interesting.
Rev. Frank w. Gunsalus of Chicago
will deliver the Innovation. At the on
clusion OF the prayer. Director of Works
Isaac 5. Taylor will deliver the keys
of the buildings to President Francis.
who will in turn transfer the buildings
to Frederick ]. ". King. the director
of exhibits. The chorus Hymn of the
West" the words by Edmund Clarence
Stedman, and music by John knowles
Poine, will then be sung, and addresses
will be made by the following gentle
bSnen:
Thomas 7. Carter, President of the Ma
tiOna Commission; senator Henry
Burnham. of New Hampshire, in be-
! half of the United States Senate: Con-
: gresham James A. Tawney, of Mime
sofa, for the National House OF Repre-
-sentatives; commissioner General AL
bino r. Nunco. of Mexico in behalf o.
the foreign commissioners; z. H. Har-
riman, of New York. for the exhibitors.
The last speech of the day will be BY
Secretary of War William H. Taft ent
at it's conclusion the signal will be Civ
en- to President Roosevelt in the White
House, the golden key will be pressed
the Cascades will send down theil
floods, the thousands Of banners Will b
unfurled, and the great Louisiana Pur'
chase Exposition will be open to the
world.
II IS expected that ali 6iiCI IIlOuE
crowd will attend the exposition a:
excursion trains are coming IN by the
score and tomorrow will be o~f1icial!!
declared a legal holiday by Mayor
Wells. Among the distinguished visi
tors to arrive today were Secretary o
War William II. Taft who represent.
the President and General A. r. Chat
fee. They reached the city at 8 O'CLOCK
tonight and were met by General Bates
President Francis and other officials
The special congressional train, bearing
four hundred persons. including thu
committee from the House of Represen
tatives appointed to attend the opening
exercises also arrived tonight, as die
Governors from a number of states an(
several notable foreign visitors.
During the day the United State
%gunboat Nashville with the TORPEDO
boat destroyer Lawrence which wi!
represent the navy at the fair, arrived
AS the ships came they were greete,
by a chorus of whistles and shouts o
welcome from crowds on excursion
steamers. Salutes were fired in answe
which official visits were exchanged.