The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1905-05-20
WESTERN FAIR is READY
Lewis and CLARK Exposition which -
June l., awaits Presidents signal.
Fair Offers unusual oppoftun.
ity to see the Pacific
Northwest.

Portland, May 1eth.-The Lswis
and Clark exposition, which opens
June l, is practically completed, md
will be ready in every detail w4en
President Roosevelt at the White
House, presses the button that
will set in motion the chimes
In one of the towers of the GOvefn-
ment building, and the strains Of
America will proclaim to the world
that the Western Worlds Fair Is
open for visitors.
The fair has been more than two
years in building, and has cost - far
u, 900, 900, while exhibits In the var
ious buildings are valued It i've
times that sum. The fair is held to
commemorate the centennial bf the
Exploring expedition Of Captains
Meriwether Lewis and William Clark
and to advertise the resources Of the
3O7, 600 square miles of territory which
the discovery Of an overland route to
the Pacific added to Uncle Sans
holdings on the American continent
While In some ways similar to ex-
positions which have been held in
the past, the fair can boast of q site
far more beautiful than any ever be-
fore utilized for similar purpose,
and II number of original features
which make it well worth trans
continental trip. Itaims especially to
show the vast resources of the Pacific
Northwest. The Forestry building,
a mammoth log palace covering half
a city block, which Is built entirely
Of mighty fir logs and cedar-bark
shingles, is In itself an eloquent rep
resentative of the timber resources
of the Oregon country. The logs
which compose the side walls and
the supporting pillars of the Forestry
building are as thick as a man is tall,
and one Of them is eight and a. half
feet through and weighs thirty-two
tons.
The Pacific Northwest offers un-
usual inducements to settlers, especi-
ally to farmers, for the country con-
tains a large acreage of excellent
farm lands, which are to be had either
from the government at a nominal
price, or by purchase at prices rang
ing from five to fifty dollars al acre.
Wheat land at twenty dollars ~ acre
frequently pays for itself by th@scrop
OF the first year. The state 81 Oregon
with half million people, easily
might support a population Of ten
million, and similar condition ex-
lists in other western states. Natur-
ally the people realize the need Of
good settlers, and are making every
inducement to bring honest, indus
!: trious people west.
Every state in the Pacific North
west has an excellent display at the
fair, housed in its own building, while
most of the Oregon counties and a
large number of counties i'm neigh
boring states are making individual
displays. One county, Coos, has
erected handsome pavilion entirely
Of Coos county woods, being especi-
ally rich In fine timber. Every state
and every community represented at
the fair will try to show just why it
Is a good place for easterners to To-
cate. The prospective settler may
thus obtain an excellent idea Of the
northwest.
The Lewis and Clark exposition
this summer will offer unusual op-
portunity for easterners to visit a
part of the country which most of
them long have desired to see. The
rates offered-one fare for the round
trip, or less In many cases-are more
liberal than any ever before provided,
and it is not likely that SO favorable
rates will be offered again for many
years. All round-trip tickets are
good for stopovers, and side trips
which may be made at small cost are
numerous and attractive. Yellow
stone Park may be visited en- route.
The journey to Portland includes
some of the finest mountain scenery
in the world, and the Columbia river
is one of unequalled natural attrac-
tiveness.
Portland, which is to be the nations
hostess this summer, is thriving
town of 10000 inhabitants which
grows SO rapidly that the census fails
to keep up with it. 1t is situated on
the Willamette river, twelve miles
from the junction of that stream with
the famous Columbia, and has all ex-