The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1905-09-21
OUR TRIP TO THE WEST
What The Reporter Editor Saw on
His Trip to the Pacific Coast
and Portland Exposition.

After taking cursory glance at the
city OF Portland, and getting our bear
lngs, the first thing we did was to board
the street cars for the Exposition
grounds, which are within easy reach OF
the business center of the city, being a
ride OF about twenty minutes through a
beautiful residence district
The Lewis and Clark exposition or
more commonly called the Portland
exposition is held to commemorate the
Tooth anniversary efthe completion of the
long journey across the mountainous
wllds by the Lewis and Clark exploring
expedition which reached the city OF
Portland late in the year 1905 alter
enduring trials and privations which
would have caused a less intrepid band
OF advcnturers to turn back. Nleri-
wether Lewis and William Clark were
NirSinans, and both had been army
officers which military training admira-
bly, fitted them to command their
expedition. They started from the
mouth OF the Missouri river on May IL.
; iSol, spending that winter among the
, Indians at point fifty miles above Bis
lnarck, N. ID. They made the return
trip the following year, reaching st.
'-ooio 'oSpl. ID, lOUO.
On entering the grounds the first
thlnS that attracts our attention is the
proluslon OF beautiful roses which are
found In all parts Of the grounds, hedges
OF La France roses bordering the walks
and paths for blocks at stretch, while
American beauties four to five feet high
are growing like not house plants. The
site OF the exposition grounds was we'll
CHOSEN, the main buildings being locat-
ed at the south end of the grounds. The
buildings and grounds are arranged
much after the style of the st. Louis
World S Fair except of course that
everything is smaller and more compact,
put this is a good fault, for you do not
have to walk four or five miles to Get
from one building to another.
All OF the western states are repre-
sented by state buildings, most of them
we'll filled with exhibits of the state,
and each one claiming that it is the
pest OF the far western states. A strik-
ing feature of the exposition is the
beautiful natural lake on which ply the
launches and gondolas, while extending
across one end of it to a peninsula is
built the Trail, or midway of the expos
ltlon. The name is unique, but the
concessions are not, there being but
one really meritorious attraction, that
being kilra1y's Carnivaf of Venice. All
of the others are merely cheap side
shows, not worth even the small price
OF admission charged to see them. The
government buildings including the
fisheries are located on the peninsula
which is reached by long walk across
the bridge which connects it with the
Trail, and it is the best exhibit at the
exposition, much of it being the same as
was shown at st. Louis. The fisheries
exhibit is one Of great interest, espec
tally the pool in which number of
seals are playing and there is ALWAYS
crowd of people around this pool,
There are about 402 acres of land and
water enclosed within the eyposition
fence, and the sight at night is beau
tlful one when all the buildings are
illuminated with thousands of electric
lights. The foot hills of the Cascade
range OF mountains reach down to the
western edge of the grounds, and in the
distance the picturesque Willamette
river, While on favorable days four snow
capped mountains can be seen. Mt
Hood, Nit. Adams, Mt. st. Helens and
7 MT. RAINIER One of the most interest.
ing buildings we visited was the Fores.
try building, and it was unique in CON.
structlon, the walls being constructed
OF huge logs ct pine, while tifty-two ot
the giants of the forest each fifty-fom
feet IN heighth, form the columns which
uphold the structure, and contain mil.
lions OF feet OF lumber. We saw sinple
planks which We're over twenty feet
IN width, and We're hewed out from the
logs with an AK, being too large to he
cut by saw The exhibit surpassed
anything ia this line at either the chi
cago or st Louis Worlds fairs.
| One OF the days on which we attended
the fair was Elks day, and these ioIly
fellows had big parade, and there was
over 1000 ia line who participated IN
the festivities of the day. The bows
who wear the purple colors were every.
where in evidence, the Portland Ellis
being attired in flowing Chinese kimo.
mas, and the "Hello Bill" sounded from,
one end of the grounds to the other
IN the evening there was a monster
clam bake ON the island, at which AN
enormous aumber of clans were baked
IN the sand with roasting ears. and
thousands of people were served.
Contrary to the experience of other
exposltions held in this country. the
Portland exposition has proven money
maker, the attendance having long
since passed the million mark, and in,
stead OF the subscribers to the stock
losing their money, it is estimated thew
Will receive their original investment
and at least 40 per cent interest for the
use OF their money for year and a
nall, as when we xere there all the ex-
penses of the exposition had been met,
and from that time on the net receipts
We're piling up dividends for the stock.
holders. When it is remembered that
the Chicago Worlds Fair stockholders
have Just recently received the last
payment of the money which they ad-
vanced, and then only II! per cent of
what they paid in, it will be seen that
the western people can show the east
erners thing or two in financing a big
deposition. ''e
Portland itself is a beautiful city OF
something like 10000, and is modern
in every way except the large number
OF frame business houses, which were
built when it was impossible to secure
orick or stone, yet there are many fine