The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-06-04
TAFT STARTS SHOW
PRESSED THE KEY THAT OPENED
THE EXPOSITION GATES.
Big Fair at Seattle in Full Blast;
Thousands of People Visit the
Grounds; View the Buildings and
Gaze in Wonderment at the Exhib-
its That Have Come From All
Over the Earth.

virgin gold, studded with Alaskan mug
gets, President Taft today sent a signal
, flashing over the continent from Wash
ington to Seattle that caused the gates
of magic city of delight to swing
open to clamorous crowd of eager
thousands. In this history making
moment there was spread before the
exultant spectators panorama UNI
known and unparalleled-the spectacle
of "a fair that was ready" Whistles
shrieked and the guns of the warships
in the harbor doomed as the barriers
that held back the waiting people
were opened, and the grounds were de-
luged with an ocean of humanity that
filled the stately buildings to over
flowing.
The Formal Ceremonies.
There were formal ceremonies in
which all those who have worked so
hard for the success of the Alaska -Yu-
kon Pacific, exposition participated
congratulating each other on the glorious
elimination of their endeavors. There
was a mad blare of tom-toms and
trumpet sas the hoarse-v voiced bankers
began their long spiel in front of the
attractions on the Pay Streak. There
We're gutteral cries from the Esqui-
maux, the Siwashes, the Indians of the
Yukon and the giant aborigines of the
far north, remnants of vanishing tribes
who are nearing extinction as the re-
suit of the Caucasian conquest of an
empire typifed by this mighty exposi-
ton. The Orient was well represented
by thousands of japanese and Chinese
and the race hatred of the Occident
was for the moment forgotten.
Electric Cars Stop Two Minutes.
In the city all street cars were stop
ped for period of two minutes as the
fair opened and business generally was
suspended for that space of time. Many
thousands of tourists from all over the
United States and foreign countries
are here for the opening day, and every
train brings additions to the throng
Hotel managers declare that they are
able to care for all corners, although
there will necessarily be some crowd
ing, and all have agreed to make no
increase in rates either now OF at any
time during the fair.
Eight vessels of the United States
navy, comprising the first squadron of
the Pacific fleet, are at anchor in the
harbor as Uncle Sans contribution
to the success of the opening day of
the fair. Japan is officially represent
ed by two cruisers, commanded by Ad-
miral Ijichi The guns of all the war
ships aided in the deafening hullaba-
loo of noise that greeted the birth of
the newest worlds fair There have
been larger eXpostions, but none more
beautiful and picturesque than greet
ed visitors today. Glstening cascades
and guyser basin form the centre of
an elaborate decorative scheme. about
which are grouped the main buildings.
They include the agriculture, manu-
features, state fisheries, mines, machin-
cry, fine arts, transportation, for
eign, auditorium, forestry, united Stat
es government, Canada, Japan, Alaska,
Hawaii, Philippines and government
fisheries.
Foreign Exhibits Palace.
The Foreign exhibits palace con-
tains house exhibits from Great Brit
ain, France, Germany, Russia, the
netherlands, Chile, China, Columbia,
Costa Rica, Ecuador, Formosa, Korea,
French East Indies, German colonies.
Guatemala, Honduras, British India,
Mexico, Dutch East India, Nicaragua,
New Zealand, Panama, Peru, Siam, and
Salvador.
For months an army of landscape
gardeners have been setting out the
millions of plants which will later
make the grounds a riot of color.
Everywhere is seen the cactus dahia,
which is the official flower of the ex-
position. In one vast bed there are
more than 100000 tufted English pan
sizes.
Best of Attractions.
With. five applications for every
space on the Pay Streak, the manage
ment of the exposition had no difficulty
in picking out attractions that make
this amusement thoroughfare along the
shore of Lake Washington outrival
Chicago's Midway or the Pike at St
Louis.
Outside of the distinctly amusement
features Seattle has scores of unique
,, exhibits. Promptly on entering the
grounds the visitor sees a golden mon
ument i'll which $1,000 worth of Alas
ka- Yukon dust has been used. In an
other exhibit is $5,OOO,OOO worth OF
gold dust, and if the visitor wants to
| see how this was obtained he can have
the privilege of panning gold from ma.
tive Alaska gravels.
"Old Faithful" the famous Yellow.
stone Park geyser, has been repro
| duced, spouting water to a height OF
100 feet, Illuminated at night by mul
| ti-color electric lights. As part OF
the Hawaiian exhibit there is an exact
reproduction of the volcano Kilauea il
action.
No Subsidy From Government
The Alaska Yukon Pacific exposition
has no subsidy from the government
but the government has appropriated
100000 to make showing of the in