Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-11-13
International Exposition to Be
Held in 1909 Will Be
Notable One
I'LL EXPLOIT NoRTHLAND
Much space Will Be Devoted to Exhi-
bition Of the Resources Of Alaska
United States and the Orient Will
Also Have Large Share in the Ex-
position.

Another worlds fair Is due in little
less than three years, a western worlds
fair this time, yet one which will in
clude in it's attractions the pride of the
southern seas and the wealth of the
Golden north. 1t Is to be called the
Alaska Yukon Pacific exposition and is
already in course of preparation at
Seattle, Wash.
The most notable achievement to
late of the management of the new
AIR was the raising In one day OF
$50 900 to finance the enterprise. This
was an accomplishment never before
equaled by any city, and If 1t is to be
taken as criterion Of what is to fol-
low the fair of 1909 is certain Of sue
cess.
1t was Seattle spirit, nationally fla
NOUS that made possible the raising
of this food of gold. And the same
Seattle spirit will back the project
during the next three years. The fair
was conceived before the gates of the
Portland exposition had swung to for
the last time The idea took. and in
MAY a corporation was formed. Dur
ing the summer the people talked 1t
I'D, and 1t became the consensus of
opinion that $5oO0G0 would be neces-
sary If an exhibition worthy the fame
of Seattle and the northwest was to
result. 1t seemed lot Of money, but
the people weren't scared at all.
Will X. Parry, chairman Of the ways
and means committee. had charge OF
the raising Of the funds, and he pro
claimed Everybody helps" the slogan.
1t took. 1t was emblazoned on the
dead walls, placarded on street cars
and automobiles and posted IN shop
windows. And on Oct. 8 eyeryb body
helped. The soliciting committee WIS.,
tied the high and low, and every one
gave his mite or his much. And when
the work closed with the end of the
business day the treasury had $650OO0
In checks and gold, quarter more
han was asked for.
When the legislature of the state OF
Washington, commonwealth having
population of less than 100000,
meets this winter the legislators will
be asked to vote 100000 for the com
ing fair. And there is every prospect
that this sum will be granted. The
rational government will be asked for
mother $1,O0O,0OO. and the individual
exhibitors and foreign nations will
swell the grand total to $10,o00,O00.
The fair is going to tell the people
who come to it, first of all, some things
about Alaska that few people know.
Did you, for instance, know that with
in the arctic circle can be grown
grasses and vegetables and the harder
grains? Did you know that since the
Klondike rush $1S0,00O,p00 worth of
gold has come to Seattle from the
northland; that the whaling industry
has been worth $100O00.000? Alaska
was the biggest bargain Uncle Sam
than the Louisiana territory. Alaska
cost $7,2OO,O00 Its imports and ex-
ports are annually more than three
times the purchase price.
There will be an Alaska building at
the Alaska " kon-Pacific exposition
and probably another building to house
the displays from the neighboring ter
ritory, Yukon. Gold was found in the
Yukon country long before it was
known to exist In any quantity on the
American side.
The national exhibition at the fair
will deal largely with the northland
but will not neglect the United States
proper or the interesting island posses
sions. The orient generally will have
dependencies in the islands of the Pa.
cifc they will wish to exploit, and
Australia and New Zealand probably
will have separate displays. And then
there are Canada and Mexico.
Asia and Oceania have ten times the
population of the United States; they
occupy three times as much space
Trade between the nations bordering
on opposite shores Of the broad Pa
ciic, while growing every year, is by
no means what it would be If eact
knew the needs Of the other. To con
tribute this information, through the
medium of exhibits, will be principal
object Of the Alaska Yukon-Pac ex
position.
The builders Of the Alaska Yukon
Pacific exposition have the experiences
of line Of earlier fairs to guide them
and they have noted one lesson and
proflted by it already. Every one re
members how the staff palaces at st
Louis and Portland went for song
and some Of them without even the
song. There will be nothing Of the
sort at Seattle, for most Of the build
ings will be erected for all time.
The grounds of the lusty young Uni
versity Of Washington, an institution
which already ranks at the top of the
northwestern list, have been chosen
as the fair site. They embrace 1856
acres, ideally situated on the shore of
Lake Washington, the largest fresh
water body in the west. 1t is planned
that the fair buildings, after the fair
shall be used as recitation halls and
dormitories for the sons and daugh-
tiers of Washington.
The plan now Is. and 1t seems Sc
popular that it's success is assured, fol
the participating commonwealths to
erect buildings and donate them to the
university. Each state that is repre-
scented at the fair of 1909 will be repre-
sented in the college thereafter as long
as its building stands. The structure
will be lasting memorial to the pro-