The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1912-12-18
Seventy Per Cent of Visitors, It is
Estimated, Will Come Through
This State.
NETHERLANDS REPRESENTED
Jonkheer DR.. John Loudon, the Min.
lister For Holland, Attended
the Ceremonies.
BY United Press.


Glory, the red, white and blue of the
Netherlands, and L'Etoile du Nord of
Minnesota were unfurled at the Pan
ama-Pacific Exposition grounds Tues
day in dual dedication of the sites
selected for the national building of
the little nation by the North sea and
the state building of Minnesota.
Jonkheer DR.. John Loudon, minis
ter to the United States for Holland,
was the official representative of his
country at the ceremonies.
Cal E. Stone of Minnesota accepted
the deed for the laters site in the
name of the governor and the people
of his state.
Several thousand people attended
the exercises, both at the Presidio
and On the Exposition grounds, and
the program was said to be one of the
best which has ever attended any of
the site selection ceremonies.
In honor of the occasion, Colonel
Cornelius Gardener turned out his
entire post for dress parade and re-
view by DR.. Loudon and the Mime
sofa commissioner.
During the midst of the review the
large throng on the field was startled
by the appearance in the air of Silas
Christoferson, the aviator, in his
hydroplane, the machine circling
gracefully over the field and then
disappearing in flight over the bay.
Vice President R. B. Hale of the
Exposition company, presided at the
ceremonies following the military re-
view, and, in opening, extended a
welcome to the representatives Of
Minnesota and the Netherlands.
Chester A. RoWell, representing the
governor of California, extended the
greetings of the Pacific coast to the
visitors as did also Colonel Gardener
on behalf of the army. W. A. Cowen
spoke ON behalf of the Minnesota So
c1ety.
Following the program at the Pre-
sidio the party adjourned to the Min
nesota site. At the request of Com
missioner Stone, Miss Nina Leona
Babcock, a native of Minnesota,
raised the flag of the North Star state
at the ceremonies held on the plot
of ground selected by Commissioner
Stone
Members of the Minnesota society
of. California attended the exercises
in large numbers.
Commissioner Stone spoke briefly
in accepting the deed to the ground
in behalf Of Minnesota.
TN receiving this deed I pledge
the support of the governor OF Min
nesota and of the people of that state
to support and cooperate in making
the exposition in 1915 which is to
celebrate one of the greatest events
of the age the greatest success pos
sible," he said. 81 am plain bust
ness man, not an orator, and l think
that this is the reason why my gov
ernor selected me for this honor-to
indicate that he considered it a bust
ness matter and desired to see 1t car
ried through with all dispatch.'
Affirming Minnesota's interest in
the exposition, Commissioner Stone
said that seventy per cent of the peo-
pie attending the exposition will pass
through Minnesota, on either the trip
out here or returning home, and that
from this extensive travel through
his state the people of Minnesota are
expecting to share with California in
the fruits which will follow the hold
ing of the exposition.