The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1909-06-03
SEATTLE FAIR
OPENS ON Time
President Taft Presses Button
ThatStdTtS Wheels inMOtiOn.
KEY is OF GOLD NUGGETS

MISUNDERSTANDING Exposition Is
Under Way, With Buildings and
Grounds Completed and Exhibits In
Place, Bearing Out the Motto Of
'the Show That viii Be on Time"
Scenic Beauty and Novel Features.
The Pay Streak"
Seattle. Wash. June The Alaska
Yukon-Pacifc exposition is open. AT
II o'clock. Seattle time. President Taft
pressed the button which set the ma
chinery in motion. using for the pur-
pose a key formed of Alaska nuggets.
As the wheels In the various buildings
began whirring and the latest Of the
worlds fairs was declared Officially
opened one feature that excited the
enthusiastic comment OF the great
crowds present was that the manage
ment 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 flow.
ers. as though they had been planted
for years. but every exhibit was in
place. II Is the first time any exposi.
tion has actually opened on the open.
ing day. and the departure has proved
most welcome to the visiting thou.
sands.
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. q"
Situated between two fresh water
lakes in a forest of great trees. the
natural setting to the picture is ideal
There are the usual buildings seen at
expositions. with the advantage that
many OF these are to be permanent
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 exposi-
tion grounds belong to a college is
the cause of third novelty, which is
that this IL dry" show. no intOxi-
eating liquors being sold in the vicin-
ity. Still a fourth unique feature is
that this exposition did not ask Uncle
Sam for cent The $500. 900 which
was spent on the government build
ings was given voluntarily. To most
these are welcome departures and
have created favorable comment.
Commemorate No Past Event.
The A--Y.-P. is commemorative OF
no past event. II Is hung upon to-
morrow rather than yesterday.
prophecy rather than a memorial II
exhibits what are unknown and unde.
veloped. the potentialities OF the Pa
cihc northwest. Alaska and countries
bordering on the Pacific. Otherwise
stated. IL Is an exposition of what Is
very largely unknown rather than OF
the highest development Alaska has
remained first in the title and inspira-
tion of the exposition. This territory,
for which we paid ST.2O0. 900. produces
three times that amount every year
in gold alone. In the last forty years
II has produced. besides its gold. $780,
100000 worth OF furs. and its fisheries
have handled product valued at $780,
100000. The exposition serves to
show Americans that Alaska is an en-
pire OF agricultural and forest wealth
as well as q treasure box of minerals.
The far eastern countries bordering
on the Pacific. including the Philip
pines and Hawaii, have the most elab-
orate exhibits at Seattle that they
have ever attempted anywhere. Here
IL is possible to find out what these
countries need as well as what they
prod6ce. Japan perhaps more than
any other eastern nation has grasped
the commercial Importance Of the ex-
position. and its Official representation
has been carried out on a compre-
hensive scale.
For the amusement street of the ex-
position 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 ex.
position and the Warpath at James
town is called the Pay Streak at
Seattle.