The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-09-30
the CORN PALACE IS ON
1t Was an Enthusiastic Scene al, the
Corn Palace When it Was De.
clared Formally Open.
Fine Tribute Was Paid Lieutenant
santelmann PM His Rand of
Musicians by the People.
stood and Sang America to
Rand Accompaniment AMI Wav-
ed tie American ,.'lly

Rand Accom- panilnent AMI Way.
ed the American l:ll:.
1t was a wildly enthusiastic scene
Monday when the corn palace
was formally opened to the rublic.
A crowd of good proportions was in.
the building long before the concert
began and the people occupied their
time in looking over the county agri-
cultural exhibits and viewing the in
dustrial display in the gallery. botn
of which offered much instruction
along the various lines.
The interior of the building never
looked handsomer and many words
of praise were heard from the visitors
who have been coming to Mitchell
ever since the inception of the palace.
The fifty-four posts in the auditorium
are decorated in outline with yellow
corn, over red cloth, with heads of
pampas grass additional to last year.
The national colors are displayed by
yards of bunting hung around the
gallery and owe the stage, while
small American flags are clustered
at many of the large posts. At each
side of the stage are two American
shields of red, white and blue corn,
and across the prosecenium arch is
the word welcome in very large let
tiers of yellow corn. The effect of all
this is heightened by hundreds and
hundreds of ~incandescent electric
lights which are everywhere present
and makes the cen a beautiful and
enhancing one. From the rente' of
the roof hangs an immense star filled
with electric lights that casts a pref
ty and effective glow.
A little before 2 O'Clock the Grand
Army of the Republic, the Woman's
Relief Corps and the students of Da-
kota Wesleyan University formed the
parade at the corner of the Wild
mann hotel and headed by the Uni
versity band marched to the corr pail
ace. BY that time the crowd in the
building had increased to very large
proportions and it was a most excel
lent first day audience, and was high
~ 0oGAolJ1A5 W LlS l1dAd6CUuCuC.
When the curtain was drawn up
the United States Marine band was
revealed, and they were greeted with
applause that told of the popularity
of the men associated with the navy.
President Robert Burns called the
audience to order and announced the
formal opening of the 1909 palace,
touching briefly on the appointment
of the r palace committee by the
business men of the city last spring.
He paid a fine tribute to Mr.. Floyd
Gillis, of this city, as the decorator
of the beautiful building, and the
fine success which crowned his eff
forts. This merited statement was
| greeted with much applause for the
young decorator, and the public COM
mendation he received at the hands
of the president was all merited. MI.
Burns referred to each member of
the committee and told of their duties
John Michels as having the decor
ations and building in charge and
the excellent manner in which he had
performed his duties; l.. L. Ness, who
has looked so we'll after the adver-
Using; S. e. Morris who saw that the
agricultural exhibit was so large and
fine; j. T. Morrow as treasurer, and
l.. j. WEIGH as collector, whose dut-
les have been attended to with fidelity
and lastly the president, who had Sc
cured the attractions.
DR.. Samuel F. Kerfoot, president
Of Dakota Wesleyan, delivered a most
impressive invocation.
The address Of the afternoon was
delivered by Mayor A. E. Hitchcock,
who spoke as follows:
The Mitchell corn palace Of 1909
decorated and equipped for exhibit
ton and entertainment, presented by
the Corn Palace Association, is form
ally accepted by the citizens of Mitch
ell as work we'll done. In behalf of
the city, 1 tender to this association,
sincere thanks for the worthy efforts
bestowed and heartily congratulate
President Burns and each member
of the committee upon the success
of their services and trust that the
appreciation by the general public
of the beauty of the decorations. the
high grade of the exhibitions and
the excellence of the entertainment
will in some degree, be compensa-
ton for their labor and sacrifice.
Iou WGlS SlCCIOu VII CuC 0llCCJo
this morning, by the word, welcome,
floating in the breeze and the word,
welcome, greets you upon entering
the palace. In behalf of the city OF
Mitchell. permit me to say that the
cordial word, welcome, will greet you
every hour of your presence in the
city.
The beauty and richness of this
occasion call for a few words as to
the significance of the festival of
1909.
The most attractive story in song
or history is that of the rise of an
individual or country from depres-
sion to victorious success. For a
number of years prior to 1892, the
Dakotas had been in gloom. Settlers
had come to the then far west with
cherished hopes of securing homes
upon fertile prairies; to win through
industry and thrift, golden fields of
grain and corn interspersed with
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