The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-07-30
"a TRAMP ABROAD"
Interesting Letter from Mr.. August
j. Rehbein.

y. henDeln.
When somebody said good
many years ago, Lets have fair,
so that the fellow living over in the
next county may see just how far
we have progressed" that some
body did not realize that he was
starting a movement which from
county affair, would develop into a
State exposition, and from that
into one of national Importance
and so on to an exposition which
would engage the attention of all
nations. To-day, the commerce of
the world is being enlarged, the
friendly diplomatic relations of ma
tions are more closely comented,
and in the larger sense, the educa-
ton of the people of the earth made
broader and more effective because
of that first little county fair, held,
we will say, five miles from nowhere.
Governments are taking into ac-
count the good results of these var
ious expositions, and for that rea-
son are making a closer study of
each one held.
Most of our expositions held in
the past have been founded upon
some historical event, for example.
The Centennial Exposition held in
Philadelphia, 1876, commemorated
our Declaration of Independence;
the Chicago Worlds Fair the dis
covery of America by Columbus in
1892; the st. Louis Exposition. the
purchase of the Louisiana territory
in 1903; the Lewis and Clark EXPOSE
tion at Portland, Or, that of our
first great exploration across the
continent, 1S04-6; and the James
town Exposition, the settlement at
jamestown, Va, in 1907. The
Alaska -Yukon-Pacific Exposition is
based upon no such historical incl
dent; it is simply and frankly a
broad commercial proposition, and
the official statement expresses the
purposes of the Fair. First, to
exploit the resources and potentiali-
ties of the Alaska and Yukon terri
tories in the United States and the
Dominion of Canada. Second: To
make known and foster the vast i'm
portance of the trade of the Pacific
ocean anu Ol IuS NOulIl bOlu
ing thereon. Third: To demon
strate the marvellous progress OF
Western America, where, within a
radius of 700 miles of Seattle, u
100000 persons live, who are di-
rectly interested in making the eX-
position the true exponent of their
material wealth and development.
From an educational point of view,
this exposition will be of great value
in exploiting the great and various
resources of the Pacific northwest.
Let me illustrate the spirit and en-
terprise of the people in this section
of our country. On October ,,
1906, the citizens of Seattle were
asked to subscribe 100000 in stock
for the exposition. They raised
S650,000 in single day by in
dvidual subscription, and when it
became necessary to raise more
money, S350,00O worth of bonds
were sold in two days, and when
the landscape department advertis-
ed and asked for $4,000 geranium
plants, 10000 plants were brought
to the fair in one afternoon. Such
manifestation of energy and en-
terprise should have successful
termination, and the people OF this
country, in general, should well
come an opportunity such as this
fair gives, to show that they appre-
ciate and rejoice in the prosperity
and wonderful achievements of our
neighbors in the far northwest.
Our stay at Seattle being limited,
and wishing to see all we could in
the shortest time possible, every
moment was occupied. Our first
forenoon was given over to calling
on the following friends, whom we
found all we'll and delighted to hear
from dear old Wayne county: Mr..
and Mrs. William J. Grambs, Mrs.
Robert Knipe, where we found Mrs.
Kalisch of Honesdale, and her
daughter, Miss Carolina Kalisch
visiting; Miss Laura Emo, neice of
Mr.. Afford Emo of Seelyville; Miss
Clara Chase, whose mother once
lived at Whites Valley; Mr.. Earl
Lee, nephew of VIM. II. Lee, Esq. ;
and Mr.. and Mrs. George Lent.
Mr.. Lent left Kingston and San
gertus some thirty years ago, and
came to Seattle, Washington, when
it was only a small, prosperous vii
lage, and to-day, he is at the head
of one of the Alaska Navigation
Companies, which has some forty
steamships in it's fleet. We also
met, at the fair grounds, Rev. Adam
Murrmann, who is preaching in this
vicinity, temporarily. We were for.
tunate in having such good friends
as Mr.. and Mrs. George Lent al
Seattle, who so kindly took us
about in their large touring car
pointing out and explaining to us
the various improvements made
and those contemplated, and show
ing us many points of inerest We
Il Il l.