The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1904-04-30

Iszs21H#=###=
PRESIDENT DAVID r. FRANCIS.
gone, the day of fulfllment is here, and
never has any city put forth greater
effort to keep the spirit and letter of
her pledge than has St Louis.
Early in the morning all the high
dignitaries of the exposition met at the
Administrative building and, headed
10y bands, marched to the Plaza Of st.
Louis, in the center of the exposition
grounds. Representatives of foreign
governments met at the Hall of Con
crosses at the same time, and their
parade to the plaza was timed so as to
arrive at the same moment the exposi-
ton officials marched in from the OPP
posite direction. At the same time rep
resentatives of state and territorial
governments entered the plaza from a
third avenue, having previously form
ed at the United States building.
After the gathering had been formal
ly called to order by President d. r.
Francis, Rev. Frank Gunsaulus of Chi
cago delivered the invocation. At the
conclusion of the prayer Director of
Works Isaac S. Taylor delivered the
keys Of the buildings to President
Francis who In turn transferred the
buildings to Frederick j. V. Skiff, the
director of exhibits. The chorus
Hymn Of the West" the words by
Edmund Clarence Stedman and music
by John Knowles Paine. was sung and
addresses made by the following gen
tlemen: Mayor Wells of st. Louis, Hon.
Thomas r. Carter, president of the ma
tional commission; Senator Henry E.
Burnham of New Hampshire in behalf
of the United States senate, Congress
man James A. Tawney of Minnesota
for the national house of representa-
tives, Commissioner General Albino Il.
eign commissioners and +. II. Harri-
man of New York for the exhibitors.
The last speech of the day was by Sec
rotary of War William II. Taft, and at
its conclusion the signal was given TO
President Roosevelt in the White
House, the golden key was pressed by
him, and cascades sent down their
floods, thousands of banners were I'M
furled, and the great Louisiana Pur-
chase exposition was open TO the
world.
The picture which has spread itself
out here before and around the Plaza
of st. Louis is wonderfully beautiful.
| Thousands of banners and streamers
were furled on the tops of the struc-
! lures. the cascade had no sheen of wa
| ter, the gondolas were still, the foun-
! tains silent and all the wheels notion.
less. But when President RoOsevelts
| electric touch came from the White
House everything fairly leaped into
life.
| 1t was gorgeous awakening, second
only in brilliance to the illumination at
night, when 100000 electric bulbs glow
from the principal lines of every build
| ing and the waters from the cascade
throw out green, yellow and purple
hues in turn.
The most picturesque feature of the
day from an anthropological viewpoint
was the grand parade of the denizens
Of the Pike. 1t was not column of
freaks, but of typical representatives
of the islands and faraway nations of
the world, every costume and every act
truthfully rejecting the life and habits
of the people represented.
Outwardly the exposition is perfect
picture of art and landscape beauty.
Inside the buildings the aspect of
things is not so satisfactory, but that
is the fault of the exhibitors rather
than Of st. Louis The Japanese exhib-
it is more nearly complete than that Of
any other foreign nation. France is far
behind and Germany Is not much bet
ter, but two weeks will see a wonder
full change In the matter Of prepare
ton.
The government building and the
United States fisheries exhibit are COM
plete in every particular.
During the day the United States
gunboat Nashville and the torpedo
boat destroyer Lawrence, which will
represent the navy at the fair. arrived