Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-04-30
Auspicious Opening Of
St. Louis Exposition

IL, lSV1, appointed the national com
mission of nine members. 1t was
then decided to open the exposition or
April 80, 1903.
Officers were elected, the compan.
was incorporated and the site for thu
exposition was chosen in Forest park
q vast natural park in the southwest
ern border of st. Louis. Trees were
felled, some hills were leveled, thu
course of the River Des Peres which
ran through the park, was In par
changed, and the mammoth enterprise
was under way, by the time that, o.
August 20, 1901, President McKinle.
issued a proclamation addressed 4
all the nations of the world and ex
tending them an invitation to par
ticipate in the worlds fair. Accept
ances received indicated the official
participation Of nearly all the civilized
governments Of the world.
The site was made ready, embrac.
ing 1,240 acres Of ground, practically
an area two miles long and one mile
wide, requiring six miles of fence
to enclose it. The worlds Columbian
exposition at Chicago embraced $50
acres, the Paris exposition in 1900
occupied 1876 acres, the Pan-American
at Buffalo 300 acres, the Centennial
at Philadelphia 236 acres, and the
Trans Mississippi at Omaha $50 acres.
The Chicago exposition buildings
covered a total Of 200 acres, while
over $50 acres are covered with build,
ings at the Louisiana purchase expo
sition.
The main exhibit palaces a. st.
Louis have under roof 12S acres,
Those at Chicago covered eighty.two
acres, at Buffalo fifteen acres, and al
Omaha nine acres.
opening Postponed.
AS the time passed and the exposi-
tion Increased in magnitude the en-.
Nhusiasm Of the project correspond.
ingly increased. Additional approp.
riations for the erection of buildings
and exhibits were made by the United
States government; Missouri alone
appropriated $1,000, 900; foreign ma.
tions increased their original approp,
riations and asked for larger allot-
tents Of space for their exhibits, and
the exposition was practically re.
planned on the most liberal basis. II
finally became apparent that the i'm
mensity Of the enterprise would pre-.
clude its complement and formal
opening to the world on the date
originally appointed, April 80, 1908,
and the time was extended n year
and officially announced.
On April 80, 1903, twenty months
after the first stake for the location Of
the exposition buildings had been
driven on September 8, 1901. the ex,
position stood over half completed,
and on that day was officially dedi.
Gated to its memorial purpose by the
president of the United States, Theo.
dore Roosevelt, and other national
dignitaries, and officials Of the Elk.
position company. Some Of the small,
Ter buildings had been erected, most
of the large exhibit palaces had been
completed, although macshinery hall
and the transportation building, two
of the largest on the grounds, had
Just been commenced, and Mexico had
the only completed national pavilion
on the grounds.
In the dedication ceremonies Form
err President Grover Cleveland also
participated, marking an unique
epoch in the history Of the United
States when a president AMI a former
president Of the United States assist.
ed In ceremonies commemorative OF
a national event.
In the years additional time grant.
ed, every effort was made to hurry
the work of completion of the EXPOSE
ton, and to collect and rush forward
the exhibits TO be installed from the
four quarters of the earth. In the
exposition grounds the force Of 5000
workmen was constantly augmented
until 10000 were daily engaged in
rushing the work to a finished termin
alton.
AT the opening. excepting in a Few
minor details. the Louisiana purchase
exposition stands practically com
pleted at a cost of almost $4,000, 900
Big Appropriations.
The United States governments Alp
preparation amounted to $1,000, 900
and In addition the government ne
Gently loaned to the Exposition com
pany s4.6OO,oOo. making a grand total
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