The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1909-06-01
SEATTLEFA
OPENS ON Time
Taft Presses Button Setting
Wheels in Motion.
KEY IS OF GOLD NUGGETS

Under Way, With Buildings and
Grounds Completed and Exhibits in
Place, Bearing Out the Motto Of
1.-THE Show That Will Be on Time.'
Scenic Beauty and Novel Features.
Seattle, Wash, June 1.-The Alaska.
Yukon-Pacific exposition is open. At
IL o'clock, Seattle time, President
Taft pressed the button which set the
machinery in motion, using for the
purpose key formed of Alaska mug.
gets. AS the wheels in the various
buildings began whirring and the lat
est of the worlds fairs was declared
officially opened one feature that ex
cited the enthusiastic comment of the
great crowds present was that the
management had lived up to it's motto
of 'the show that will be on time
Not only were the buildings completed
and the grounds covered with grass
and flowers. as though they had been
planted for years, but every exhibit
was in place. It is the first time any
exposition has actually opened on the
opening day and the departure has
proved most welcome to the visiting
thousands.
The ceremonies on the grounds be-
gan two hours before President Taft,
on the other side of the continent.
pressed the button that made the
great fair living thing. The scene
presented carried out Charles Dana
Gibson's verdict after visiting the
grounds that the A.-Y.-P. is "the most
beautiful exposition ever planned
Situated between two fresh water
lakes in forest of great trees, with
one open colonnade showing a back.
ground from different angles. the nat
! ural setting to the picture Is ideal.
Buildings Go to University.
There are the usual buildings seen
at expositions, with the advantage
that many of these are to be per.
manent and after the fair is closed on
Oct. Is will be turned over to the
University Of Washington, on whose
campus the fair is held. The fact
that the exposition grounds belong tc
a college is the cause of a third nov.
city, which is that this Is "dry'
show, no intoxicating liquors being
sold in the vicinity. Still a fourth
unique feature is that this exposition
did not ask Uncle Sam for a cent
The 100000 which was spent on the
government buildings was given vol
unfairly. To most these are welcome
departures and have created favorable
comment.
Originally it was intended to make
this latest of the expositions simply
an Alaska fair on which 100000
would be spent. Then the plan grew
concluded to make it representative
of the entire Pacific civilization that
is awakening and springing into be-
ing all about the shores of the worlds
greatest ocean. 1t ended up by spend
ing at least q hundred times the
amount first contemplated
The A.-Y-P. is commemorative of
morrow rather than yesterday. a
prophecy rather than memorial 1t
exhibits what are unknown and unde.
veloped, the potentialities of the Pa.
cific Northwest, Alaska and countries
bordering on the Pacific Otherwise
stated, it is an exposition of what is
very largely unknown rather than of
the highest development Alaska has
remained first in the title and inspira-
ton of the exposition.
Country Of Great Riches.
This territory, for which we paid
$7,200,000, produces three times that
amount every year In gold alone. IN
the last forty years 1t has produced.
besides it's gold. $s0.o00.0O0 worth o.
turs and its fisheries have handled q
product valued at s96,000,oO0. The
exposition serves to show Americans
that Alaska is an empire OF agricu'
tural and forest wealth. as wei as 3
treasure box of minerals.
But, while the exposition Is tmpOr
tant as a means Of exploiting Alaska.
it has a much broader aspect anc sig:
nificance. It serves to focus attention
upon the undeniable fact that Seattle,
the chief city Of Puget sound. is the
natural gateway to the greatest Of the
worlds markets. It, is the shortest
road to the most promising fields 81
trade extension in the Orient and the
focus of Northwestern development In
the United States. ..z4- --
The Far Eastern countries border
ing on the Pacific, including the Phil.
ippines and Hawaii, have the most
elaborate exhibits at Seattle that they
have ever attempted anywhere. Here
it is possible to find out what these
countries need as we'll as what they
produce. Japan perhaps more than
any other Eastern nation has grasped
the commercial Importance of the ex.
position am it's official representation
has been carried out on compre.
hensive scale.
For the amusement street of the
exposition a novel name and many
novel features have been found. What
was the Midway at Chicago, the Pike
at St. Louis, the Trail at the Portland
exposition and the Warpath at James
town is called the Pay Streak at Sc
attic.