The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-05-03
THE ST. LOUIS EXPOSITION
Historical and Descriptive Sketch of the Enterprise.-The
Most Comprei ensive Exposition the World
Has Ever Known.

ton of the worlds peoples. products.
and industries, modes of living, diver
sions. TRANSPORTATION facilities. in fact,
a complete universal concentration OF
arts, manufactures and products Of
the soil, mine. forest and sea, had its
inception in 1898, and was completed
in April, 1904. The exposition comment
crates the centennial OF the purchase
from France, in 1903, by the United
States of the vast strip of territory
stretching from the gulf OF Mexico to
the Dominion Of Canada, and extend
ing from the Mississippi river to the
crest of the Rocky mountain range
and since known Is The Louisiana
Purchase Territory"
The entire Mississippi valley original
~ belonged to France by right of dis
covery and exploration. In 1853 Spain
acquired the Louisiana Territory after
the treaty of Peace at Paris, when
France, which had ceded Louisiana to
Spain under the secret treaty Of 1852
gave up all her other possessions in
North America to Great Britain. Spain
held the territory for 81 wears. return
ing it to France on the demand of Ma
poleon Bonaparte, through the secret
treaty of st. Ildefenso, October 1. 1900.
Napoleon was then First Consul of
France. The United States, by the
Revolutionary War. had won YER
eighty over the territory between the
Atlantic ocvean and the Mississippi
river. Spanish officials were still IN
authority at New Orleans, although
the Louisiana Territory had been re-
turned to France The hostile attitude
OF the S~painards towards Americans
navigating the Mississippi resulted in
agitation which led President Thomas
Jefferson to undertake the purchase of
- 1900 =
to control the mouth of the Mis-
sissippi. Robert R. Livingston, United
States Minister to France, and James
Monroe, afterwards President of the
United States. were accordingly COM
missiOned to onduc the negotiations
for this transfer. Instead Of the sale
on the island of New Orleans Alone,
Napoleon proposed the sale of the en-
tire Louisiana Territory for SIS, 900, 900
in order to secure the funds for the
equipment of his armies
The representatives of the United
States at once accepted the offer and
h treaty was signed ait Paris, April
80, 1903. The formal transfer of the
territory o place at New Orleans.
December 20, 1903, and for Upper Louis
lana at st. Louis on March 10, 1904.
The newly purchased territory en-
braced Loo, 900 square miles, and is
now divided into the following four
SCOAA SNC1NOS NAAANA NSAA ANO1A SSs
Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Indian
Territory, Kansas Colorado, Nebraska,
Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota. South
Dakota, Wyoming and Montana.
In the forepart of 1898 an editorial
WAS published in a st. Louis paper to
- effect that the centennials of the
- tents in the history of the Unit
"a 81 ere % all over and pre-
d;ctsna tbot tho "eatest was yet to be
S.nIS N@ = the acquisition
of the Louisiana Terrlttoryt rms
editorial was taken UP in the press -
Sonnnmented upon, resulting N organ
szed agitation by the Missouri t1lstof-
icaI Society. The clamor for a COM
memorative centennial became SO gen
eral that, in response to strong puollc
sentiment, Governor stevens, Of Mis-
so,Iri issued a call for a. convention Of
delegates representing the states and
territories embraced i'm the LOUISIANA
Purchase Territory, to be held IN 81
d. Louis on Jan. 10, 1893. The convention
was attended by ninety-three delegates
appointed by the respective governors.
and it was unanimously voted to hold
an exposition, international In It's
scope. in ST. Louis. The convention
extended an invitation to the United
States government to assist In the en-
terprise, and appointed an Executive
committee, with Hon. David T.. Fran
Cd dS CUdiIIIldh, ctllu o40V
of fifty representative citizens OF 81.
Louis to cooperate in the matter
plans were devised for raising money
to build the exposition buildings ana
defray the general expenses. n 1t
was fixed that SIS, 000,0 900, the amount
paid for the territory, should be raaseo'
xne-third by private subscription. one
Jthird to be paid by the city. and one.
third to be asked from the Umtec
States government.
The committee was increased In
membership to 200. work immediate
Iy begun. Congress passed a bill jun
4, 1900, promising government supper
and So. 900, 600 appropriation If the cat
liens of st. Louis raiseu slO.OOO,OUo. vi
Jan. II. 1901. it was announced that tns
ST Louis popular subscription hist, %,
the sale Of stock. reached $5,COO,Wo. anC
on JAM. 80, 1901, an ordinance wa:
passed by the Municipal Assembl!
authorizing the issuance Of city bonds
TO the amount of So. 200, 900. The bill
appropriating s5.oO0,OO0 was passed b!
the House of Representatives on Feb
Sand the United States Senate Oh
March 3, and the sum OF s15.OOo,Vo wa
assured. President Mckinley imme
diately signed the bill and ON Marc
IL. 1901. appointed the National Com
mission OF nine members. 1t was the
decided to open the Exposition on Apr
80. 1903. =
Officers were elected. the compan
was incorporated and the site for TN
Exposition was chosen in Forest Tar
a vast natural park in the
ern border of st. Louis. Trees wer
feIled. some hills were 1eveled, tn
course of the river Des Peres whlc
ran through the park, was in par
changed, and the mammoth enterpr1s
was under way by the time tha
on August 20,1901. President McKinle
issued a proclamation addressed to a
the nations of the world and extend
ing them an invitation to participat
in the Worlds Fair. Acceptances re
ceived indicated the official parTfcipa
ton of nearly all the civilized owe
mentS of the world
The site was made ready, embracin
1910 acres of ground practically a
area two miles long and one mile wild