The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1909-06-03
ALASKA YUKON
FAIR IS OPENED
President Taft Presses Key and
Starts Wheels.
SEATTLE IS WILD WITH JOY
Formal Inauguration Of the Great ps
cific Coast Exposition Is Marked
by DIsnified Ceremony and
Much Rejoicing.

Seattle, Wash, June lat exactly
1890 o'clock this afternoon, Seattle
time, President Taft in the White
House in Washington, pressed bear
tiful gold telegraph key, and at the
signal that flashed all the way across
the country the wheels in every part
OF the Alaska Yukon Pacific exposition
began to turn and the great fair was
opened
When the suspicious moment ar
rived every whistle in Seattle was
pulled wide open, every other noise
making contrivance was brought into
use, every man, woman and child of
the city's Inhabitants and of the thou
sands of visitors already here cheered,
and the opening of the exposition was
accomplished in the midst of deafen-
ing din and general rejoicings. For
two minutes every street car stood
still and all business was suspended.
Ceremony Is Impressive.
a.sThen came the formal and impress
size Eeererngnies in connection with
the opening, The parade and speech
making were participated in by all the
officers Of the exposition, the officials
of Seattle, and Gov W. B. Hoggatt of
Alaska, Lieut.. Gov. James Dunsmuir
of British Columbia, Gov. M. Z. Hay
of Washington, Gov j. H. Brady of
Idaho, Gov. William Spry of
Btah, Gov. F. w. Benson of
Oregon and Gov Gillett of Cal
ifornia. In addition to the Pacific
coast executives. Gov Fort of New
Jersey was represented by his son,
Leslie r. Fort.
An interesting and picturesque fea-
ture was the naval parade. Among
the many vessels in line were the
six cruisers of the Pacific feet under
the command of Rear Admiral Trial
Sebree, who recently succeeded Rear
Admiral w. T. Swinburne. Following
these and arousing much enthusiastic
comment were the Japanese training
ships Aso and Sayo, finely decorated
in honor Of the occasion. The sailors
and midshipmen from all the war
ships. both American and Japanese,
afterward landed with side arms and
paraded.
Exposition Cost $fo,OcO, GOO.
The Alaska Yukon Pacific exposition
cost $4,000, 900. and was built in two
years After entering the main gates.
two buildings standing In cluster of
efees to the left first meet the eye.
One is where the administration of the
exposition is centered and the other
is the Auditorium, brick and steel
building of imposing architecture.
To the right, and across Puget
Plaza, is the Fine Arts palace. This
building contains a valuable art dis
play loaned from famous collections
all over the world. A few steps lead
to the intersection of Olympic place
and Alaska avenue To the right is
a view down the PAY Streak" the ex-
position amusement way. and to the
left, front view of the Auditorium
and the University of Washington, in
the distance.
The Pay Streak" is also reached by
following thoroughfare to the right,
just inside the main entrance gates,
and on past the rest headquarters of the
Women's league and the Masonic,
Swedish and other buildings.
Makes Beautiful Picture.
Crossing over Olympic place and
walking to a point of vantage in front
of the main government structure, the
beautiful picture of the fair is I'M
folded, 10 the right the Alaska build
ing, TO the left the Hawaiian building,
and, on either side of the Cascades,
the Oriental, Foreign. Manufactures,
and Agricultural palaces. In the dis |
lance are the Masonic pavilion. the
buildings of Canada and Japan, and,
completing this picture, Mt Rainier,
the highest mountain peak in the
United States. Various avenues and
streets branch OF in every direction. |
On every thoroughfare is something Of
interest Buildings stand out every
where in this forest of frs. Natural
beauties are on every hand
The Fine Arts building Is not far
from the entrance to the grounds. 1t |
is a permanent structure Of concrete
and brick Next In line comes the !
main government building, with it's
massive dome. the architectural eli |
max of the fair.