The Indianapolis journal., 1904-01-31
INDIANA COMMISSIONERS
PREPARING FOR THE FAIR
Rooms in the Statehouse Now a
Center of Unusual Effort
and Activity.
WORK ON THE EXHIBITS
No Pains Spared by Public
Spirited Men in Charge of Va
rious Departments.

1alr commission In Room IS IN the state
house is one Of the busiest places In Indian
spolis at present, and it will be a center
OF even greater activity as the date for
the formal opening of the exposition draws
near. The organized efforts of the COM
mission for the past eight months are now
bearing fruit and the men in charge of the
numerous departments into which the work
of preparing for Indiana's participation in
the big fair has been divided are now able
TO show results and give a definite idea
OF what the States exhibits will be. In
fe : departments the work of collecting ex-
hbits Is well under way and in all the
work has been so systematized and is so
well In hand that it is possible to tell just
what will be accomplished.
One OF the most interesting features Of
the Indiana exhibit will be the one under
the direction of the committee on fine arts
and woman's work. of which c. c. Shirley,
OF Kokomo. is the chairman. and exhibits
for this display have already been gathered.
Mrs. w L. Bergman, of Upton, has had
charge OF assembling of the display OF
women's work and she has already col
lected some 200 pieces OF fine lace and sam
pies OF needlework and equal number
OF pieces Of decorated china. These exhib-
its will be displayed in the Manufacturers
and Fine Arts Palace and by the middle or
February experts will have carefully In
spected the collection now in hand and Sc
lected the more meritorious pieces TO be
forwarded TO ST. Louis. In this department
as in every other only such exhibits will be
sent TO the exposition as have passed the
closest examination Of fully qualified ex-
perts, for nothing will be shown as an In
diana product that is not of the highest
he Ioo and
will be shown in large plate glass cabinets.
arranged to occupy the space 15x20 feet that
has been secured in the palace OF manu-
factures. the china Will be shown In
similar cabinets in another section OF the
building. the space reserved for this ex-
hibit being 15xl5 feet. Each specimen or
handiwork will be catalogued with the
name and address of the artist who
made it.
DISPLAY OF PAINTINGS.
The display of paintings by Indiana
artists which will constitute an important
part OF the exhibit OF this department will
be shown in the Indiana building The
committee has asked Indiana artists and
the owners OF notable paintings by Indiana
artists to loan their paintings to the COM
mission to be shown in st. Louis during
fhe exposition. the commission bearing all
the expenses of the exhibit and guarantee
ing the care and return Of the paintings.
Gratifying responses have been received
and already over dozen specimens of the
best work OF prominent Hoosier artists
have been received at headquarters, while
Assurances have been received OF the loan
OF a large number of other paintings, all
OF which will go. TO enhance the beauty of
the Indiana building.
The original manuscripts of almost all the
notable books by Indiana authors have been
secured and will be displayed in glass cases
IN the State building. Handsomely bound
copies OF all works by Indiana writer's will
also be placed there and Will be at the dis
posal of visitors to the building. Not the
least interesting feature of the library
Will be the files Of all the newspapers of
Indiana. Every newspaper In the State has
been asked TO place the Indiana building
on its mailing list during the exposition.
that Hoosiers at the fair, by dropping in
at the State building and going through
the files, may keep In touch with their
home news. The newspapers have invari-
ably replied that the request will be COM
piled with.
The committee in charge of the agricul-
tural and horticultural exhibits is another
that is making rapid progress and has
tangible results to show for It's laborS. This
committee, of which Warder w. Stevens. of
Saf m, Is the chairman, has secured agents
in ch county to assemble exhibits of all
agrl itural products and notwithstanding
the Il that all the work must be per-
form gratuitiously the most gratifying
return. 1re shown The agents have taken
and have displayed unusual diligence, with
the result that specimens of corn, oats.
grasses. ct cetera, ad infnitum, have been
gathered together and great quantity is
now assembled in warehouses, ready for the
culling process of the experts. who will go
through it all in making up the States
exhibit that will show Indiana's claims to
recognition as one of the leading agricul-
tural States in the Union. CIore &. Over
street, the Franklin firm that has charge
OF the grain exhibit, has large warehouse
almost full OF specimens and all the prod
ucts win be in hand by the 1st of March A
prominent feature OF the agricultural ex-
hibit will be an immense statue or monu-
mems OF the grain so largely grown in In
diana 1t was originally projected to re-
produce the soldiers and sailors monument
In corn, but IL was found that the cost OF
such an exhibit would be beyond the re-
sources of the commission, and the idea
be fully as striking and mucn more ex-
tensive than If this plan had been carried
out
HORTICULTURAL EXHIBIT.
Sylvester Johnson. of Irvington, has
charge OF the horticultural exhibit and it is
worthy OF note that Mr.. Johnson has been
selected as one OF the judges in the horti-
cultural exhibit at the exposition. notice to
that effect having been received by Senator
Beveridge a few days since. This recogni-
ton OF Mr.. Johnson is regarded as ample
evidence that the Indiana horticultural dis
play will be par excellence. A great deal
OF the work so far accomplished by him has
been the gathering of specimens of fruit
which are now in cold storage in Indian
apolis.
For the live stock exhibit. which is under
the direction OF the agricultural committee
agents have been secured all over the State
who will look after the securing OF exhib-
its Of the various breeds of horses cattle
hogs, ETC., bred in Indiana. For instance
two experts are looking after the exhibit
OF Shorthorn cattle. two others have charge
OF the Berkshires, two others are looking
after the Polled Durhams etc These
agents. who are in close touch with the
leading breeders of the State, have sent ont
letters through the commission asking the
cooperation OF the breeders. Replies re-
ceived indicate that the men who raise fine
stock OF all kinds are fully alive 10 the
value OF getting specimens from their
farms on exhibition and will be only too
glad TO meet the commission more than
half way. The commission will bear the
expenses OF transportation, etc
IiIdiana's mineral exhibit at the fair will
be notable chiefly for the display of stone
and coal. the chief mineral products of the
State, although specimens OF every mineral
included in thu States natural resources
will be shown. W. w. Hicks is at the head
OF the department Of building stone The
contract for this exhibit has been let 70
a Bloomington firm that has planned Ia
make the exhibit in the form OF great
stone fence. 10 surround the Indiana ex-
hibit I'm the minerals palace. All kinds of
Indiana stone. dressed and in the rough
will be shown I'm this display. The coal ex-
- Il.