The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1904-05-05
Decorations of st. Louis Down
Town Streets Were PrOfuse
and Beautiful.
DISTINGUISHED VISITORS PRESENT
The President of the United States
Touched the Golden Button In
the White House.
The Cascades Sent Down Their Floods
Thousands Of Banners Unfurled
and the Great Exposition Was
Opened to the World.

St Louis, April S0.-Saturday at
noon the great exposition upon which
the city has lavished millions Of mon
Sy 20 which her people have devoted
years of their best endCavors and for
which they have lasOred with infinite
patience and persistence, was thrown
open to the world
The time for promises and pledges
has gone. the day of fulfillment is at
hand. and never has any city put forth
greater effort to keep the spirit and
letter of her pledge than has st. Louis.
All of Friday and Friday night the
people worked with desperate energy
20 accomplish the thousand and one
things that always remain to be done
az the last moment At the exposition
10000 men worked all day putting the
final touches upon the grounds build.
ings, sidewalking, cleaning buildings,
removing sCaffOlds and arranging eX.
hibits. This work was continued with.
out cessation until dawn. In the down.
town streets and in the residence dis.
triCts the decorations are profuse and
beautiful
The exercises Saturday was more
serious than resplendant. There was
comparatively little of the glittering
pageant that marked the dedication
exercises a year ago, but the cerem0-
mics preceding the formal opening
were none the less interesting.
At & o'clock In the morning all the
high dignitaries of the exposition met
a. the administration building and
headed by a band, marched to the
plaza Of st. Louis in the center of the
exposition grounds. Representatives
Of foreign governments met at the hall
OF congresses at the same hour and
timed their parade to the plaza so as
to arrive at the same moment the ex.
position officials marched in from the
opposite direction. At the same time
representatives 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 form.
ally called to order by President Fran.
els Rev. Frank w 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 ]. V. Skiff, the
director OF exhibits.
The chorus Hymn of the West" the
words by Edmund Clarence Stedman
and music by John Knowles Paine,
made by the following gentlemen:
Mayor Wells, of st. Louis, Hon. Thos
y. Carter, president of the national
commission; Senator Henry S. Burn.
ham. 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
X. Nuncio, of MeXcos, in behalf of the
foreign commissioners; F. H. Harri
man Of New York, for the exhibitors
The last speech of the day was by
Secretary of War William II, Taft, and
Al its conclusion the signal was given
10 President Roosevelt in the white
house. the golden key was pressed, tho
cascades sent down their floods, the
thousands of banners were unfurled
and the great Louisiana purchase eH
position was opened TO the world.
Excursion trains came in by the
score and Saturday was officially
declared a legal holiday by Mayor
Wells
Among the distinguished visitors to
arrive Friday were Secretary of War
William II. Taft. who represents the
president and Gen. A. X. Chaffec
They reached the city at o'clock Fri
day night and were met by Gen. Bates,
President Francis and other officials
The special congressional train bear
ing 400 persons, including the commit
tee from the house Of representatives
appointed to attend the opening exer'
cises, also arrived Friday night, as did
governors from a number of states and
several notable foreign visitors.
War Vessels Arrive.
During the day the United States
gun boat Nashville and the torpedo
boat destroyer Lawrence, which will
represent the navy at the fair, arrived
in 81. Louis harbor Although the
boats arrived at an hour somewhat un
expected, which caused disarrange
ments of plans for a more elaborate
demonstration by thousands who had
planned to go down to the river tc
meet them the greeting to the craft
was nevertheless fitting. AS the ships
came into the harbor they were greet
ed by chorus OF whistles and shouts
of welcome from crowds on excursion
steamers. Salutes were fired in ar
swer after which delegation oi
Worlds fair officials, including mem
bers OF the exposition reception com
mittee, left their yachts and boarded
the Nashville. Commander John Hub
bard received the party and after com
Ing ashore went to the city hall where
he was formally received by Mayor
Wells and city Worlds fair officials
Later Commander Hubbard was re
csiyed by President Francis.
Fears He Has Hypnotic Mania.
New York. May 2.-Dr. Patrick II
Collins, OF Detroit, Mich, Sunday ap
peared at Bellevue hospital here anf
asked to be examined as to his menta
condition. He said that he had reason