The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1911-09-22

in 1860 on this field, which then was
known as the Fair Grounds" The
occasion of that royal visit was the
ST. Louis fair, an annual event on
these grounds as early as 1856.
At the outbreak of the Civil war,
shortly after the departure of the
prince and the duke, this field was
pressed into army service, and became
known as Benton Barracks. General
John w. Noble. at the centennial
week ceremony October g. 1909, dedi-
eating, as Playground" this field,
whose threatened dismemberment into
building lots had prompted the city to
buy it, said, in part:
"On that ground (pointing to where
a large company of children from nine
turnyereins had just concluded turn
ing exercises) was fortunate, as many
of you before me were, to parade with
the soldiers in 1861 and receive in
struction Nothing could be more in
spring than to see these children with
their flags. Instruction has been the
very root of this soil from the days
OFallon gave money to build an agri-
cultural and mechanical institute, de
voted to production and manufacture
So well did the institution do that Mis-
souri,, more than any other state, took
prizes at the Chicago Worlds Fair
Here the seeds of industry were plant
ed, and progress made and studied in
every direction. Here it was that the
great annual fair, showing these prod
ucts, was started, and an amphitheatre
seating 10000 people was erected.
But all this progress and industry
was interrupted The war came on,
and the place was turned into a mill
tary school of instruction. Sherman
came. He had a profound love of
country, and was born soldier, and
he turned the school into a powerful
military camp.
after the war these grounds were
dedicated anew to the use of fair ex-
positionsfi which attracted multitudes.
Then the old exposition came along,
and the exposition was tap on the
old root. Progress has been in great
evidence. progress growing out of
these very grounds, and now | am
happy that they have at last been open
ed to the use of ALL"
Sportsmen remember the park as
the site of the fair grounds race track,
where each spring for many years
meets were held by the st. Louis
Jockey Club. Racing at the Fair
Grounds continued until the state leg
islature stopped bookmaking.
Street illuminations and festivities
became a part of fair week in 1870,
and the Yelled Prophet made his de-
but in 1878. A downtown industrial
exposition established in the early
eighties, partially eclipsed the fair, but
the two institutions existed simultan.
eously for a score of years, the fair
with its big agricultural displays, cater
| ing especially to farmers, and the ex
position, with its fine industrial ex
hibits, interesting particularly coun
try merchants. Neither association at
tempted to SHOW" in 1904 (the st
Louis Worlds Fair year, or any year
| thereafter The Louisiana Purchase
Exposition, with its exhibits from yir.
| tually every country on EARTH totally
eclipsed both of these associations
which heretofore had amply satisfied
not only st. Louisans but visitors from
radius of hundreds of miles. The ex-
position building, and it's companion
building, the old Coliseum, where the
democratic national convention of 1904
was held, were razed about three years
ago to make room for the new public
library building, and the Fair Grounds
would have been cut into lots except
flor the citys timely action.
| But the Worlds Fair was not big
Ienough to obscure the Yelled Prophet,
who with his floats, has appeared on
the streets every October silce his
first appearance thirty-three years ago,
and whose thirty-fourth annual page
ant and ball, October 3, will be the
most brilliant of his long reign. The
pageant, after passing through down
town thoroughfares, will disband at
the new Coliseum, where the Prophet
will hold his ball, the city's most gor-
geous annual social function, and at
it crown his queen