Washington State journal and Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1906-1907, 1907-04-24
BIG FAIR
is NOW ON
JAMESTOWN EXPOSE
TION WORK OF ART.
Is ABOUT 80 PER CENT FINISHED
-PREsTIDENT ROOSEVELT
IN LEADING ROLE.

Norfolk, Va, April 22.-Despite the
energetic efforts of officials and work
men, the James Tercentennial expo
s!tion will be opened this week un-
ready. Many Of the structures that
are to house domestic and foreign
commercial exhibits and shelter the
achievements in the industrial arts
are incomplete. Yet the sum of what
has been done, as compared with the
unfinished work, forms a satisfactory
result.
In the beauty of the water show
with its amazing gathering Of for
eign fleets, representing the most for.
midable types Of naval fighting ma
chimes of nearly every power Of the
world, and in an opening program
with President Roosevelt in the lead
ing role, with diplomatic, military
and naval representatives of great and
small foreign nations participating,
the public will have its recompense.
The grounds and buildings at the
exposition are about so per cent fin
ished. Several of the most important
buildings are built solidly. of brick
cement and iron and these are intend.
ed to remain on the grounds as nu.
cleus of a great park.
Regardless Of the permanence OF
the work, however, the exterior OF
most of the buildings will be ready
when the exposition is formally open.
ed on Friday.
The inception of the jamestown Ter.
centennial exposition sprang from a
desire of people, many of them de-
scendants from that hardy English
stock that settled among the Indians
here 300 years ago, to teach to its
brothers and sisters, and display to
visitors from the older nations, the
traditions that have been handed down
by those courageous colonists. When
completed it will be almost all that is
implied in the expression, "a worlds
fair" but it will not stop there. No
other exposition has attempted to
show the world the life of the colon
lists, the hardships Of the pioneers
who opened new country after civil.
cation had been attained on the sea
board and the achievements these
people worked from raw materials.
twenty-five states will trace their
history from their earliest days to the
present and the exhibits will be
sheltered by appropriate buildings.
The state buildings have grouped
along the command an excellent view
Of the navies of the world. It is this
great naval display that will prove
the GROWING glory of the exposition.
Nothing like it has ever before been
attempted. There are few harbors in
the world that could accommodate so
large an assemblage of warships. The
fleets will number, in addition to sew
eral of the best types of each of the
foreign naval powers, the Atlantic
fleet of the United States navy, UNI
der command Of Rear Admiral Evans,
which is conceded to be the finest or
ganizatlon of fighting machines afioat.
The seal Of government sponsorship
will be set upon the exposition by the
coming Of the president of the United
States, ambassadors and ministers of
foreign governments. the governors
and representatives of states and ter
ritories and delegations representing
important civic bodies.
On the first day will be fired the
salute to the Union by the assembled
warships and the salute to the presi-
dent Of the United States artillery
stationed on the grounds as he steps
or the government pier from off the
Mayflower. The fact that the exposi-
ton is SO accessible from Washington
has resulted in an unusually large
humber of acceptances by diplomatic
representatives.
Complete arrangements have been
made for the protection of the visitors
to the exposition. Both --.e exposi-
ton authorities and the police de-
partment at Norfolk have arranged
with a detective agency to assist in
the police work. Detectives are being
called in from all over the country to
Join in the service.