Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1909-02-17
SEATTLE EXPOSITION.
DESCRIPTION OF WORLDS FAIR
BY OTTO l.. JAIN.
Former Decorahian Writes of the
Wonders of the Coming EX-
position, the Buildings, the
Statuary and the City
of Tacoma.
Tacoma, Wash, Feb. 4, 1909.


On June LIST, President Taft will
press the electric button which will
formally open TO the world, the
AlaskaYukon Pacific Exposition, 70
be held at Seattle, Wash, from said
date until October 10th.
Although at the fair will be ex-
hibits from nearly every nation on
earth, and most of the states of the
Union, yet the original idea of the
promoter was the exploit of Alaska,
Yukon and the great Northwest,
hence the title, 'A.-Y. P. E." This
aim is to show the world and espe-
cially the Anglo-SaXon race the
great possibilities of Alaska and the
Northwest.
Alaska, which Uncle Sam acquir
ed but little more than thirty years
ago, from Russia, for a few millions
to show her our appreciation of her
friendliness towards us in some of
our former strifes, and which by
many statesmen was considered as
giving away precious money for a
worthless iceberg, but since has
proven to almost be goldberg,
and which has given not only hum
dred-fold, but thousand-fold in re-
turn, out of her mineral wealth
alone, to say nothing Of her fish,
fur, timber and farming, which is
carried on very successfully in
southern Alaska.
But that is not all to be seen at
the Seattle fair. There will be the
Agriculture, Manufacturers, State
Fisheries, Mines, Machinery, Fine
Arts, Transportation, Foreign, Aud
ment, Canada, Japan, Hawaii, Phil
ippines and Government Fisheries
buildings, with their respective ex-
hibits. besides many of the states,
several cities, and most of the
counties of the state of Washington
will have buildings. The A.-Y. P.
E. statue which is forty feet high
and beautifully designed, will be
gilded with 100000 worth of pure
Alaska gold dust, the grand basin,
floral gardens, athletic grounds,
aerial navigation, u. S. and foreign
battleships in the harbor, all these
and many other attractions will be
features of this most beautiful fair,
and then last but not least is the
amusement avenue, to be known as
the Pay Streak" where the goth
century performer does things not
dreamed of by our forefathers;
where the most daring and artistic
actor and actress is to be found, rs
we'll as the comic clown with his
fun and frolic.
The Exposition promoters boast of
the construction work being ahead
of any worlds eXpositions yet held,
and that every thing will be in place
at the day of the opening, and rs
the writer had the pleasure to visit
the grounds on the first of February
and saw how the work is being rush
ed and nearly all of the main build
ingS are already finished, as we'll as
most of the streets and walks paw
ed, water mains and cutters all laid,
and four months until the opening
day, | could not help but give credit
to all that has been said for
it's early completion. The people
of the middle west should not miss
this opportunity to visit the fair
and great northwest, especially Pu-
get Sound and surrounding country.
Very reasonable excursion rates
by all western railroads and liberal
stop-over privileges granted, which
will make it all the more pleasant
a trip to take. Many of the younger
people of the prairie country who
never have seen mountain, great
canyons. or even big forests, will
find this an exceptional pleasure
trip, and | am sure they will never
regret money and time so spent. OF
all the great mountain ranges,
chains, or peaks, Mount Tacoma
stands alone as the peak of all
peaks. This eternal snow covered
monarch Of mountains can be seen
best and plainest from the city OF
Tacoma, which all fair visitors
should make a point to see. 1t costs
but so cents round trip from Seat
tie to Tacoma by boat and hotel
accommodations will be much cheap
er during the fair in the latter nam
ed city. A person could in many
instances afford to make the trip
every day and save money by doing
so.
Tacoma has now population of
$4,000 and is the scene of the
greatest railroad activity in the
United States. AS Tacoma and Sc
attic are rival cities the visitor
should not try to obtain information
in Seattle regarding Tacoma, as
he'd be apt to be only misinformed.
There is no doubt but all my honest
readers by this time know that the
writer is a resident of Tacoma, but
nevertheless, every assertion / have
made is true, to the best of my be-
lief and knowledge
Very truly yours,