The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1904-05-06
LOUISIANA PURCHASE EXPOSE.
TON FORMALLY INAUGU-
RATED AT ST. LOUIS.
GREAT CROWD ATTENDS
OFFICIAL CEREMONIES
Roosevelt Touches Button at Wash
ington That Sets Machinery in
Motion = Exchanges Congratula-
tons with President Francis.

day afternoon, to the tolling of bells,
amid the crash of bands, the sweeping
chorus of the "Star Spangled Banner"
sung by a thousand voices, and the
cheers of the greatest throng ever as
sembled in the city of st. Louis, the Lou
isiana Purchase exposition was formally
declared open.
Notwithstanding the ominous pre-
'diction of the government forecaster,
who prophesied rain for the latter part
of the day and lowering skies for the
morning, st. Louis put forth her best ana
bravest effort in honor of the opening
of her great exposition. The morning, at
least, was bright, and the most was made
of it.
Crowds Attend Opening.
The official hour for the commence
ment of the exercises was nine O'Clock,
at which time the officials of the exposi-
ton, members of the national commits
sion and of the board of lady managers
were scheduled to meet at the admins
tfation building. Long before this time,
the grounds were filled with nearly half
the population of the city of st. Louis
and the remainder, apparently, was
%thronging to the exposition grounds.
TO the many thousands of the local pop
-ulation were added many more who
came in on excursion trains Friday
night and Saturday morning. Although
no special effort was made by the
sagment Of the exposition to secure a
large attendance for the opening day,
the crowd was fully as large as that
which filled the grounds n year ago
when the exposition grounds were dedi-
Gated with so much pomp and ceremony.
Promptly at the hour set the officers
and directors of the exposition, the
members of the national commission
and of the board of lady managers were
gathered at the Administration building,
where. as rapidly as possible, they were
formed into a procession and marched
to the plaza of st. Louis, in the center of
the grounds, where the formal exercises
of the opening were conducted.
AS the column from the Administra-
ton building entered the plaza, a long
line, formed of Representatives of for
eign governments, which had assembled
in the Hall of Congresses, came pouring
into the plaza from another avenue.
A third column came shortly afterward
formed of representatives of the states
and territorial governments in the
union.
Ceremonies Begin.
The participants in the exercises
quickly took their places at the base
of the Louisiana monument, where a
small stand had been erected for the
speakers and seats provided for the lis
teners. The assemblage was called to
order without delay by President D. R.
Francis, of the exposition, who request
ed the audience to rise while Rev. Frank
M. G%unsaulus, of Chicago, delivered the
rccaticn
DR.. Gunsaulus concluded his eloquent
invocation with the Lords Prayer, in
which the audience joined. President
Francis, as the chief executive of the ex-
position, then delivered his address.
Keys Presented to Francis.
At the conclusion of his address Presi-
dent Francis recognized William H.
Thompson, of the committee on grounds
and buildings, who presented to Preai-
dent Francis Isaac S. Taylor, the direc-
tor of the works. Mr.. Taylor delivered
to President Francis the keys of the ex-
position and presented diplomas Of mer-
it to the chiefs of his staff.
After the rendition of the march
louisiana" by Sousa's band, Presi-
dent Francis transferred the exposition
buildings to Frederick j. v. Skiff, the d.
rector of exhibits, the performance be-
ing emblematic of the facts that the
buildings had been erected by the men
in charge of that portion of the work
and were now ready and waiting for the
installation of the exhibits through MI.
Skiff's department. Mr.. Skiff made a
short address.
Sing "Hymn Of the Vest
The grand chorus, Hymn Of the
West" was then sung by a choir led by
Alfred Ernst. The music of the hymn
was by John Knowles Payne, and its
words were written by Edmund Clarence
Stedman. The words of the hymn are
as follows:
o, Thou. whose glorious orbs on high
Engird the Earth with splendor round.
From out Thy secret place draw nigh
The courts and temples of this ground;
Eternal Light,
Fill with Thy might
These domes that in Thy purpose grew,
And lift a nations heart anew!
Iiinmine Thou each pathway here,
To show the marvels GodShath wrought
Since first Thy peoples chief and seer
Looked up with that prophetic thought,
Babe Time unroll
The fateful scroll,
Il empire unto Freedom gave
From cloudland height to tropic wave.
Poured through the gateways of the North
Thy mighty rivers join their tide,
And on the wings of morn sent forth
Their utsts the far-off peaks divide.
BY Thee unsealed,
The mountains yield
Ores that the wealth of Ophir shame,
And gems e~nwrought of~seyen-hued flame.
Lo, through what years the soil hathlain
Al Thine own time to give Increase
The greater and the lesser grain,
The ripening boil, the myriad ieecei
Thy creatures Craze
Appointed wa3ss