The Washington bee., 1907-05-04


invite attention TO letter published on
your editorial page to the effect that the
Negro Building is at least hree-fourths
of mile from the main pier and other
buildings; that it is located in the far
corner, and that some of the main build
/ ings are a mile from the Negro Build
ing. You further state that leading ex-
hibtors have withdrawn because of mis-
management of the exhibit and that l
| have been notified that colored people
would not be permitted to ride on boats
conducted by white men from Washing
ton to Norfolk, and ask me to explain
why | have not made this public
1t is true, as stated by your CORE
spondent, that the Negro Building is
some distance from some of the other
leading buildings on the Exposition
grounds The entire Exposition grounds
are about three-fourths of mile long
and about one-half mile wide, and lead
ing features are placed throughout these
entire grounds 1t is manifestly i'm
possible for the Negro Building to be
near all of these large buildings, unless
it was efficiently large to reach from
one end Of the grounds to the other.
The Negro Building, however, is in
close proximity to the Inside Inn, the
leading lodging-place for the best white
people who will attend the Exposition.
1t is iwthin two hundred yards Of the
Baptists Building, which will contain
the exhibits Of the Baptist denomination
(white) throughout the entire United
States, Considering the fact that the
Exposition Company has given six acres
of ground for the Negro Building and
its approaches, [ regard the location
as surprisingly advantageous, and I do
no, believe that | could now choose
that amount Of space in any part of the
Exposition grounds that I would regard
as preferable to the space now occupied.
Instead of any withdrawal of exhib-
i,--s from our Exposition, we are re-
sorting 10 every. conceivable contrivance
in order To provide for the nearly three
thousand exhibitors who are daily ship
ping their material to US for exhibition.
These exhibitors include a 5000 exhI
from the Hampton Institute an exhibit
Of twice that value from the State Of
Missouri, and exhibits of approximately
similar value from Ohio, Kansas, Mis-
sissippi. South Carolina, North Caro-
lima and other States.
l have not received a communication !
from any boat line from Washington !
to the effect that colored passengers
Will not be handled. On the contrary, /
l have received the following communi- |
cation from the only line now running |
between these points:
Washington, D. G, April IS, 'o7.
Mr. Thomas J. Galloway,
jamestown Negro Exhibit
Norfolk, Va
Dear Sir:
Replying to ours of the 10th, we can
not, Of course, set aside any particular /
rooms for your people on our steamers.
1t will be necessary to make their res
ervations the same as everyone else, and |
from now on, when our boats will be
running crowded, rooms hould be re-
served as far in advance as possible.
Yours truly,
(Signed) John Callahan,
end Vice-Pres. and Genl. Mgr"
1t has never been my policy to make
any predictions a sto the success of any |
nected, preferring to make it a success
and letting it speak for itself | feel,
however. that in this case I am war
ranted in saying that the Jamestown |
Negro Exhibit has every prospect Of
being OF great credit to the colored
people and of interest to all visitors
who will attend the Exposition.
Ihos. J. Galloway.
Norfolk, Va. April 80, 1907.