The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-06-01
PRESIDENT SETS IN MOTION
ALASkA=YUK UKON=PAClFIC
EXPOSITION
Presses Telegraph Key of Alaska Gold Sending Spark Across Continent
Exercises Carried Out With Military Precision Receptions State
BudngsJames Hill Reviews History of Pacific Coast Region
and Its ProgressTafs Congratuatory Message

Seattle, June President Taft. in
the White House, at 3 O'Clock tlis
afternoon, pressed a telegraph key
OF Alaska gold and sent spark across
the continent that put In motion the
wheels OF the Alaska Yukon-Pacific
exposition; loosed the waters of its
fountains. uD1urled its banners, start
ed its bands playing. released showers
Of daylight fireworks. called upon the
saluting guns of the American and
Japanese fleets. set all the steamers
In the harbor. and all the locomotives
In the railroad yards, believing and
shrieking. and brought forth universal
rejoicing from all Seattle, which had
toiled for years to bring about this
day
The exercises at the grounds pre-
cedng the Presidents signal were
carried out with military precision.
The exposition gates were opened at
80 o'clock. AT $50, troops from
the United States army and navy. the
Japanese cruisers Aso and Soyo and
the state militia paraded through the
ground under the command of Col.
i. c. Woodbury., u. S. A, and the
column was reviewed from stand
at the head of the court Of honor bv
exposition officials, visiting governors
and Admirals H. Ijichi and Uriel
Sebree.
The ceremonial exercises were
held in vast natural ampnitheatre
sloping to Lake Washington.
The stage of this theatre seats 1,500
persons and is located at the lake
side.
The program consisted of music. In
vocation by Catholic Bishop Edward
j O'Day, brief addresses by Director
General l. A. Nadeau and President J.
z. Chitberg. the long address by
James j. Hill, chairman of the Great
Northern board, and benediction by
Episcopal Bishop Frederick w.
Koator.
Then just before noon, Pacific time,
word was flashed TO the White House
that all was ready and President
Taft's response set loose the flags,
bells, machinery, curious Japanese
fireworks and noise. When the mes
sage was announced, a huge gong
struck five strokes, and an enormous
flag was unfurled and thousands OF
small flags were scattered in the
breeze. A mountain battery fired
salute of twenty-one guns, the Japan
ese and American fleets In the harbor
several miles away crashed out their
tribute. Luncheon was served to in
vlted guests at the speaking platform
and in the New York building During
the afternoon, there were receptions
at all the state buildings. The day
was warm and partly cloudy.
The fair as thrown open today. was
finished and carpenters and painters
were nowhere TO be seen. The few
DELAYED exhibits will be installed at
night The only serious deficit is In
the Hawaiian and Philippine displays.
but the transport Dix Is speeding
hither witn them and should arrive
next Thursday.
In opening his address, Mr. Hill
said:
The idea of federation of the
world comes nearest realization in the
great eXposltions that assemble actual
evidences of mans progresN in self
development and toward his develop
ment of the earth. The people who
furnish exhibits. standing side by
side. could not always live in peace
In close personal contact Men In our
day move towards their material ad~
yances principally through the Strug-
gle for wealth. The comforts and
llxuries that have been won from the
earth arc symbols of greater things
behind. An exhibit of the works of
industry, science and art is, there
fore, a human document of high and
convincing value.
MOST of the expositions OF the past
han htcfnriN r1anfiIo III ic sign
OF development when we move away
from dependence on some past fact,
and celebrate #instead the general
sweep of such forces as make for fu-
ture progress. The nation today faces
forward. not backward. Such is the
genius Of the Alaska Yukon Pacific ex
position. 1t is expressed in It's very
name; beginning with the farthest.
newest and least developed district
OF our national domain, covering q
coast that reaches from well within
the Arctic circle to near the tropics.
and embracing all the mystery and
might that have been suggested by
the word Pacific" for nearly four
hundred years 1t appears in the de-
sign Of this beautiful exposition city
and It's indignation with your State
lnl|eTSlIy anu llo lulules ooiuclueu6
more Inspiring than date, something
OF the onward and upward impulse
that is older than nations, institu-
lions, industries, older than man him
self; something active. personal
achieving. inheres in the thought and
labor crowned today by this happy
event. You have learned more OF your
own powers by carrying to successful
completion an enterprise so ambitious.
The outer world, by which Alaska and
the Pacific Coast are still largely I'M
known and unappreclatei. will carry
away from here information as well as
= delight. 1t Is, perhaps, small cpl
sode in the march Of human events
pnd the unfolding OF nations his
tory, but In some ways, also, 1t may
mark an epoch.
This occasion MARKS also change
IN the conscious attitude OF the Pa
cIfc coast toward the rest OF tho