The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1904-04-30
st. Louis Fair Opened Today
With Impressive Ceremonies.
100, 900 Thousand Thron god the
Grounds-President Roosevelt at
Washington Started Machinery.
PROGRESS OF THE EXPOSITION

| St. LOUIS, april 0O-OHuer Ialr
skies, in the presence of one hundred
and fifty thousand people, the Louisi-
ana Purchase exposition formally
opened shortly after noon today.
President Roosevelt, at Washington,
pressed key and the gigantic ma
chinery which forms such splendid
part of the great fair was galvanized
into life.
With the starting Of the machinery
flags broke out in profusion all over
the grounds, and the immense thrcng
stood silent. The women, impressed
by the beauty of the scene, then broke
into q mighty cheer.
The exercises which preceded the
setting of the machinery in motion
were impressive, and were held in the
shadow of the magnificent monument
of st. Louis.
Rev. Frank W. Gunssulus, of Chi.
csgo, offered the invocation. Presi.
dent Francis, of the exposition, spoke
OF the work of the great fair and
chorus of three hundred voices sang
the hymn of the west. Then Mayor
Wells, of st. Louis, spoke briefly.
Senator Carter, president of the ma
tional commission, Representative
Lawney, Edward II. Hartman, New
York, also spoke, and the band played
"Star Spangled Banner"
Then Secretary Of War Taft as
representative of the president deliv-
cred the grafton of the day. The
chorus sang "America" then came the
rush and roar of she machinery, the
gush of water, the flash of lights, the
cheers of thousands and the dispersal
to see the exhibits.
Along the broad avenues aud spa
cious terraces of the great Ivory City
representatives of all nations elbowed
each other today. Tall and gaunt
Patagonians from the southernmost
region Of America walked side by side
with the Esquimaux-children of the
frozen north. Subjects Of the mikado
sauntered along the roadway, casting
furtive chances at the fierce Cossscks
of the Don; sooty Nubians jostled yell
low Mongols, and picturesque Turks,
Moors, and Soudsnese added rich color
to the picture. 1t was veritable con-
gress of nations OF course all Europe
was represented. Foreigners of digni-
fed appearance and resplendent in
uniforms covered with gold lace were
encountered at every turn. There
were Germans, Austrians, English
men, Swiss, Italians and Spaniards.
France, the original possessor of
the great Louisiana territory, was
much in evidence. Above the heads of
the throng floated the flags of all ma
tions.
The wisdom of the committee on
ceremonies in making the opening ex-
ercises as brief as possible, was evil
dent. No one was in humor to listen
to long speeches, or iowery disserts-
tions. Every one was anxious to begin
the inspection of the great exposition,
and the crowds that ebbed and flowed
through the great white palace, and
along the broad avenues was an
earnest of the multitudes yet to come
when the pilgrimage to the Mecca Of
civilization should have been fairly
begun. 1t Is true that the exhibits
are not yet complete in all their de-
tails. They nave not arrived so rapid
ly as was expected, and the work of
classification has been somewhat de-
layed. Still, with these draw backs,
the attractions may be said to surpass
those of any previous exposition in its
completed state.
::All the arrangements for handling
the crowd were excellent. The gates
were at no time choked, and the
thropg passed into the grounds with
less trouble than is often experienced
at a theater or other place Of amuse-
ment. Aside from the foreigners,
who formed but a small portion of the