Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-05-18
Halsey r. Watson Tells of His Four
Days Visit at the Louisiana
Purchase Exposition.
ADVISES VISITORS TO WAIT
Montana's Building Practically Com
pleted and Well Represented
In Other Buildings.


when my wife and | visited the *
position, neither the grounds nor the
exhibits were so far completed as to
afford the pleasure which had been
anticipated.
I'VE spent four days In ST. Louis,
three full days on the grounds. They
are immense and it is a full day S
work to even pass through one-third,
giving passing notice to buildings and
exhibits, so during our visit 1t was
quite impossible to visit every build
ing or pass critically upon more than
a fraction OF the whole.
The great cascades and lagoons
are beautiful, especially at night.
when the fountains play and thous-
ands Of electric globes from every
building shed light upon the great
white buildings and DO sparkling wa
ter. Fifteen miles of asphalt pave
ment are claimed, but probably not
more than three miles were complet.
ed when the exposition gates were
opened on the 30th of April. The at
tendance was 167 600 the first day and
on the following Tuesday the paid
admissions were reported to be
slightly in excess of $4,000, though
on account of the size of the grounds
and buildings there appeared no
crowd at all.
The government exhibit appeared
complete and was certainly beautif-
full; individual exhibits in many of
the buildings were in readiness and
open but everywhere were uncom'
pleted booths and exhibits, in some
sections not even the floors laid, in
others great vacant spaces left for
exhibits which had not even arrived.
A st. Louis paper stated n morning
while | was there that there weie
four hundred cars of exhibits waiting
to be unloaded and | have no doubt
1t was true. for everywhere about the
grounds, within the buildings and on
sidetracks lei the outer limits were
long lines of cars with unbroken seals.
In the great transportation building
the only exhibits actually complete
were those of the Pullman Palace
Car Co. and the Great Britain section.
In the electricity building the exhib-
il OF the Bell Telephone Co. was fin
ished and some others were nearing
completion.
The finest completed exhibit on the
grounds was that of Japan in the
NGIied Industries building. There the
little island kingdom showed the
most beautiful of hand made crock
cry. glassware, bric-a-brac. screens
and wearing apparel. Everything
was brought for sale and the duties
paid on the exhibit amounted to $780,
900. Numerous pieces were valued at
from $500 TO 1000 each and there
were many at even higher figures.
Japan has done finely. In another
portion of the grounds a number of
native buildings are nearing compile
ton, the grounds round about being
set with trees and shrubs from ia
pan. 1t will certainly be beautiful
when completed.
"Of the state buildings nearly all
are well toward completion. though
in the case of Maryland and a few
others the frame work was just being
erected. The Kansas and New York
buildings we're the only ones of a
dozen that We entered which were
all ready.
Not one single attraction on the
Pike was entirely ready for visitors.
Three were announced as open, but
within each workmen were all about.
Few new features We're apparent, but
when completed doubtless many a
pleasant hour can be spent on the
Pike.
The Montana building is quite as
well situated as any, is of tasteful
design. well arranged and furnished
within and hung with some of the
choicest OF the paintings of Charley
Russell. Paxton and other Montana
artists, beside pictures of the COVER
nor, Judge Edgerton and other prom
inent Montanans. Miss Cruise and
Mrs Carson, of the board of lady man
ayers. were present and diligently at
work completing the decoration of
the building and pleasantly entertain
ing visitors. Hon. Lee Mantle, of the
state board. was Ia the city, but | dad
not meet him.
THE Montana exhibit in the build.
ing devoted to mines and metallurgy
was practically complete. The Fer
gus county ores were placed and the
tags being written. Our county is
quite as well represented as any save
Silver Bow. Prof. Winchell, of the
School of Mines, is in charge.
In the Educational building Mon
tana has three recesses, m devoted
to the work of the Butte schools. one
to those OF Helena and the other a
miscellaneous lot from other towns.
| was unable to find anything from
Fergus county.
Frank Spragg, of Denton, is in
charge of the Montana exhibit in the
agriculture building anG has very
neatly displayed a fine collection of
grains and grasses from Montana
fields. The vegetable and fruit x
hibit will not be placed until fall.
There were to be seen but little from
Fergus county, but when the wool
crop is harvested, samples of the
Montana product will be- given a prom
inent place ii forwarded in good con
dition.
Altogether Montana's portion of
the exposition is quite as well ad-
vanced and as creditable as any, and
much more SO than that OF many
states.
1T is certainly going to be a great
show. but | would advise those con-
templating a visit to wait until Sep
TENDER. From appearances | should
say that all or even seventy-five per
cent Of the grounds and exhibits VIII
not be fully ready before June 10Th
and as II is exceedingly hot-nights
as we'll as days-in st. Louis In July
and August. | believe a visit Will be
found much more enjoyable next TALL
than at any previous time.
There are temporary hotels on the
grounds and just outside the gates
but though ii is forty minutes ride on