The Washington herald., 1909-11-21
PLAN EXPOSITION
ON OPENING CANAL
Panama California Fair Set
for Year 1915.
TO BE HELD IN SAN DIEGO
Project Intended 70 Characterize
Business and Industrial Develop
ment of Pacific COast-It VIII In
vite Exhibits from Orient and Latin
Observation-Disclosures Interested.

Southern Californians are taking great
interest In movement started al San
Diego to celebrate the opening Of the
Panama Canal with big exposition in
1915. A company has been formed. di-
rectors appointed. and the project is be-
ing carefully started with view to large
success The name for the exposition
chosen is the Panama-California EXPOSE
ton. and If present plans are not changed,
it will be held at San Diego.
]. w. Seton, jr., who is connected with
the executive staff OF the enterprise. is
In Washington. and has the following to
say regarding the proposed exposition:
San Diego is planning 20 hold an ex-
position in 1915. TO commemorate the COM
pletion OF the Panama Canal To that
end business men Of the city have or
ganized and incorporated the Panama
California Exposition Company. capital
lied at 100000 The stock will be taken
by the people OF San Diego:
every commercial, social. and labor
organization in the city has
voted its support. and when the fair
opens, hardly man, woman. or child in
the city VIII be found who does not own
at least one share. II is assured also
that the city win vote al least $4,000
bonds for providing a fair site in the
]. 4O0-acre city park. The project has re-
celved wide advertisement and approval
along tho Pacific Coast and IN the Orient.
and is well started toward a successful
end.
Directors of Company.
The directors Of the company are all
san Diego men. L. 5 Grant. jr.. is
president; John d. Spreckels, first vice
president and among the directors are
I Lyman ]. Gage, former Secretary OF the
Treasury, and A. G.. Spalding. both OF
whom were directors Of the Columbian
/ Exposition at Chicago in 1895. and both
Of whom now reside in san Diego. The
exposition will be typical Of the Pacific
Coast, including south America, Central
I America. Mexico. Japan, China, the Phil
| ippines. Hawaii. and the South Sea ISL
/ ands. Agents are now working in the
I Orient
I san Diego has undertaken the task OF
\ holding the fair, as Il believes its geo
graphical location gives II precedence as
| the logical point 20 hold a celebration
over the completion Of one OF the great
/ est engineering feats man has ever at
Z tempted. and one that means so much 10
/ the Pacific. For the Panama Canal, San
1 Diego is the first and last port Of call on
I the Pacific under the United States flag.
| II viii be the relay station for the At
| lantic-Oriental commerce.
Outlet for Large Territory.
With the completion OF the canal and
new railroads under construction now, il
/ Will be the feeder OF an immense tract
or practically undeveloped territory. en-
| brscing one-fourth OF the entire area OF
the United States. which VIII be rapidly
! settled as soon as Il IS spanned with
rails Thousands and thousands OF acres.
/ capable OF producing nearly every known
grain and fruit. which have not even
/ been scratched with a pillow. viii be open
! 10 settlement. There is plenty OF water
! In the region. and where there IS now
| aridity there viii in a few years be gar
/ dens. providing homes and sUstenance to
\ hundreds Of thousands. All in all. the
! Pacific Coast. and especially the South
/ west, is just beginning 10 breathe.
signs of Progress Everywhere.
Along the entire route from the Pacific
| Coast I have been impressed with the
! signs OF business activity and prosperity
/ and am pleased TO see that all signs OF
/ the recent financial depression have been
/ effaced. and that here. as we'll as on the
other side OF the Rockies. you are NOV
ing ahead with quicker and more con-
hdent stride than before that period.
Every city on the Pacific Coast feels
the impetus Of growing trade. With the
return OF good times the investor and
settler are turning 70 that most favored
section Of the country-the extreme West
and the great undeveloPed Southwest.
Two new railroads are building east
I from the coast Of Southern California
one by way OF salt lake, and the other.
| touching Northern Mexico and Yuma, will
/ extend a welcoming hand 10 the East
{ through Texas. The old ranscontinentaI
railroads are spending Nhlst sums lower
I ing their grades. STRENGTHENING out curves.
and laying heavier rails. while roads
which have heretofore looked upon the
Middle West as their ultimate terminus
/ arc to-day forcing their way through the
/ Rockies to the Coast.
! The most rapidly growing section west
/ Of the Rocky Mountains is. without doubt,
/ Southern California, and the magnet OF
! this section is san Diego, the most south
westerly city in the United States and the
most southern port in California, the
| Plymouth Rock Of the Pacific Coast, for
It was here the harbor Of the sun" that
the first white man landed and the first
/ settlement was begun
San DiesS, with a population Of 5000
has doubled n the past three years and
is to-day growing more rapidly than at
]