The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-03-27
Individuality Will be Key Note
 of the Big Show
STATE BUILDINGS NEW
Amusement Enterprises Will Sc Orig. inal and Many Wonders Are Promised for the Trail.
 Electric Display.
BY HENRY E. REED.


 open at Portland June l. Is individuality. By this is meant the quality of ooldness of conception, originality of design and I treatment organization and administra- tion which distinguish the Centennial from other enterprises of it's kind and establish it in a class by itself. Life, color, demonstration and motion are the chief features of all departments The progress of man, the development of in- dustry, and the potentialitles of nations in time of peace and their resources as war powers have never before been so well presented in manner within the l comprehension of the average human mind.
 The centennial is the only international exposition ever held on the edge of | continent, in a section of country rela- lively unknown, and sparsely settled, ana wlthal, the most habitable of the world unsettled regions. It Is the only exposi tion ever held whose main purpose IS to exploit the section of country in whose name 1t Is given, and to call to the at tention of those seeking to better their condition the advantages which that sec | tiOh oHtiS lO settlement dHQ lnuuStrY. IL is the only exposition wholly national and international in scope and free from | the aspects of localisIn, sectionalsm and colonallsm, ever held at so great dis tance as 5000 miles from the federal cap- ital of the nation. under whose auspices | 1t Is given.
 | It's Chief Purpose. It aims, among other purposes, to estab- fish closer trade relations between more I 1a inv la. ,I1 TA is therefore appropriately named Lewis and Clark Centennial and American Pa cifc Exposition and Oriental Fair It's chosen field for thls commercial exploita- ton Is Asia and Oceanica, on the western shore of the Pacific ocean. and the United | States on the eastern shore These coun- | tries, considered collectively, have over 100000 square miles of the earth's sur face 900 of its population, and they annually do about 5000 OO0,00O of the worlds commerce.
 | The European and Oriental buildings are the first of their kind. At all previous expostlons the European and Oriental exhibits have been distributed through out number of buildings, according to grouping and classification. At Portland this year Europe will be under one roof. l likewise the Orient.
 The state buildings will be a radical de l parture from tho established custom of expositions. At other expositions, states. like private exhibitors, have been re- quired to install their displays if they | wished to enter them In competition. in the regular exhibit buildings At Port | land states may erect their own buildings and install therein collective and com petitive exhibits. This plan Is better for the states In that 1t puts their exhibits in their own buildings, and at the same | time permits the exhibits to be entered in competition for all prizes that may be | offered.
 Choice of Working Exhibits.
 In manufactures, liberal arts and varied industries Portland has the choicest of working exhibits. All are live, active dis plays showing the progress of the world, and the processes leading up from the raw material to the finished product. The representatives of the exposition, who spent all of last summer ana fall at St. | Louis, selected the cream of the displays shown at the Worlds fair. Not only that, | but they visited the great centers of in- dustry in the east and personally solicited and procured some of the highest types of working exhibits which were not dis | played at St. Louis.
 | In machinery, electricity and transpor- tatlon, the rule of action which governs every exhibit Is applied. Every exhibitor to whom space has been allotted is ex- pected to install upon t something novel relative to his exhibit and show it's oper- | ation.
 The Forestry building ls in itself A fife working exhibit of the timebr resources of the Pacific coast states, which com prise the greatest timber region in the world. Constructed of huge logs feled along the Columbia river, it is the most unique and attractive architectural crea- Il ton ever seen at an exposition Mo Dtl. ..lAs
 pansive water feature as Portland has in the 220 acres of Guilds lake While only electric launches, gondolas and row boats will be used, the water is deep enough to float many of the river boats engaged In inland traffic that make Port land their home port. In comparison with Guilds lake. the grand basins of former expositions will seem small indeed
 The location of the Government build ing and exhibit upon peninsula in the middle of Guilds lake impart to the par ticipation of the United States an indi- viduality amounting almost to the hold ing of an exposition within an exposition. It would not be possible even to sum marize what Uncle Sam will exhibit Suf- flee 1t to say that he will demonstrate to the satisfaction of all visitors his great ness in time of peace and his resources as world power.
 Originality In Amusements.
 Originality, at which all departments strive, will characterize the amusement feature. known at Chicago as the Mid way, and at St. Louis as the Pike At Portland 1t will have a new name and will be called the Trail. It Is an H-shaped platform resting upon pillng. extending out into the lake. Connecting the Trail with the government reservation will be a bridge of nations, modelled after old London bridge. The features of the Trail will be wholesome, amusing and instruc- tive. Hit the Trai is the slogan.
 Warships, ocean steamers, sailing veg sels and transcontinental railroad trains pass the exposition grounds. person so desiring may board train at the grounds and travel to any Joint in North America reached by railroad. Likewise. he may board a steamer or sailer and travel to any country in the world Ocean and rail meet at the Centennial Exposi- tion and are in themselves live. moving exhibits representing transportation. Natural scenery of unsurpassed beauty Is an asset that no other exposition has had. All visitors will want to see the | Rockies. Yellowstone, the Columbia | river, Alaska, Puget Sound, Yosemite. Crater lake, the Pacific ocean and thou sand and one other points. There will be no need of Tyrolean Alps of artificial construction Co impress the sightseer at the Centennial Exposition with the gran deur of mountain scenery. One may see from any point on the grounds the Cas- cade mountains and their grand snow