The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1907-06-20
IN THE FAR WEST
Letter from Pacific Coast Con-
tanning Entertaining Matter
OF INTEREST TO ALL
Description of the Preparations for
the AIaska-PaCifiC- Yukon
Exposition

SEATTLE, WASH, June 15-With
Nature at her best, with as pretty a
stage setting as could be found any
where, and with IL, 1000 people looking
on and shouting their applause
hiIariously, the actual work of pre-
pairing the Observation-Disclosures
Exposition grounds began, and the
first ground broken last Saturday
afternoon on the shore of Lake
Washington.
Slipping on three sides away from
the lake the hilltops fringed with
young frs, and acres and acres of un-
broken brushwood, such is the
picture of the exposition grounds as
they are at present.
A great effort was made to render
the ceremony of launching this
gigantic undertaking as spectacularly
as possible. A huge parade blocked
the city's traffic for an hour or more.
Three brass bands, regiment more
or less of mounted police, detach.
ment of regulars from Fl. Lawton,
number of blue jackets from the
navy yari, together witch the local
magnates, escorted the noted visitors
from the N. P. car to the grand stand
erected for them.
There were noted men from every
city of the Northwest. The Hon.
John Barrel, President Roosevelt's
personal representative, Gov. Mead of
this state, Gov. Chamberlain of
Oregon, Harry White of California,
and a few foreign consuls.
The real enthusiasm began when
Director Nadean handed the golden
shovel and pick to Pres. Chilberg of
the Exposition Board and told him
to dig. He did his best. Every man
of any note was forced to take his turn
at digging before the crowd was
satisfied, and yet I've seen men in
overalls that could beat those high
toned fellows welding a shovel and
pick, but they turned over quite a
space of sod, and then all at once the
spirit Of the souvenir fiend broke
loose and the people began falling
over each other in their mad rush for
some of that dirt-just common
yellow-brown sand and Washington
gravel. The bunting was torn to
shreds, flags torn down and the tiny
ones carried away intact, but when
a woman began climbing up the
side of the stand and tearing at the
five-foot flags, someone in authority
stretched forth protecting hand and
the larger flags were saved to the
Exposition.
A number of ADMINISTRATIVE Sons
they are called here-were present and
becoming imbued with the white
mans mania also began to search for
souvenirs. One husky young "Son"
in beaded moccasins and Fedora hat
espied that golden shovel. 1t evide ntly
looked good to him as a souvenir of
the occasion for he coolly shouldered
it and walked away. No one could
deny that he had superior taste in
souvenirs, but as the shovel and pick |
were of immense cash value, being
gilded with Alaska's most precious
metal, and as they had been prepared
expressly for the occasion, with a
view of exploiting one OF Alaska's
alluring resources, it was thought
best to return the implements as
Alaskan Exhibits, and poor Lo was
forced to seek souvenir with a
smaller cash value.
There is something unusual in the
reason for this Exposition. 1t marks
no noted event; has no historical
setting whatever. Unlike other ex-
positions its foundation. is not
builded upon the past but has to do