The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-03-21
Former Gopher State
Folk Aid Frisco Expo
Continued From Page One.

would beft state of great wealth
and varied industrial interests. The
society received and entertained Com
missioner Cal. e. Stone and the Min
nesota delegation when the site for
the Minnesota building was chosen
and dedicated Miss Nina Leona
Jones. native of Rochester, Mimi,
raised the American flag and a ban
ner bearing the seal of the state over
the Minnesota site.
Making Study of Exhibits.
A committee of the society of
which Mr.. Gray is the chairman, is
now making study of exhibits and
other matters connected with the ex-
position, and will make recommended
lions TO the state commissioners. The
society is acting entirely in an UNI
official capacity.
The Minnesota Society of Califor-
mia will establish headquarters on
the fair grounds after the exposition
is opened, probably in the Minnesota
pavilion, with men in charge to di-
rect the visitors from the North Star
state about the fair grounds and to
points of interest in the city and the
environs. The society will have an
entertainment committee for the peo-
pie from back home"
A bill providing for an appropria-
ton of $l50,O00 for a state exhibit
building is now pending before the
Minnesota legislature An appropria-
ton of that size is well above the
average of state contributions, which
range from $4,000 TO $1,000,000. Cal
ifornia proposes to spend the latter
sum. The state officials who have
responded TO the memorials sent by
the Minnesota society have expressed
themselves favorable to the proposed
Minnesota appropriation. President
Gray of the Minnesota society re-
Gently received a letter from Cover
nor Eberhart dealing with the sub
ject as follows:
March 3, 1913.-Mr w. S.
Gray, President, Minnesota So
ciety of California, Pacific Build
ing, San Francisco, Cal. My
Dear Sir: | have your esteemed
favor of February 81 expressing
the sentiment of the Minnesota
Society of California toward the
question of an appropriation by
the state Of Minnesota for the
Panama-Pacifc Exposition and
am gratifed TO know that you
have addressed yourself directly
TO the individual members of the
legislature.
Il am doing all that is con-
sistent to secure proper repre-
sentation, having recommended
the same in a special message
to the legislature, and | have
gost ,nrh ~, he MID
patriotism of our people to be-
lieve that they will give the mat
ter the proper consideration.
Yours very truly, Adolph Eber-
hart, governor"
An imposing Structure.
Minnesota ought to be able to
build an imposing structure and fill
it with first class exhibits, represent
alive of the great educational, agri-
cultural and industrial interests of
the state for the sum of $150,000,"
said Mr. Gray "All we are inter-
ested in is 40 see our old state intake
a fine showing. We don't care for
splurge. We want TO see an eX-
hibit which. will make the visitors
from foreign nations interested in
our great commonwealth. Minnesota
is really one of the most remarkable
states in the Union. 1t has been and
still is one of the greatest numbering
states in the land. 1t is one of the
finest agricultural states in the coun-
try. Very few people outside of the
middle west know that Minnesota
has great park section in the
northern counties with scenery which
cannot be equalled except in the
great show places of nature.
"The people of the world ought to
know that Minneapolis has the great
est -four mills in the world, that
the same city has one of the largest
and greatest universities in the
country. that the public school sys-
tenn of Minnesota is one of the best
in the world and is backed by
greater potential wealth than the
school system of any state in the
country"
According to the present plans, the
Panama-Pacifc International EXPOSE
ton will cost about $50,000,000. This
is a huger sum than has ever been
expended on any worlds fair But
projects, such as the San Francisco
exposition, generally call for a great
er outlay of money than the original
plans provide, and it is safe to ven
ture the prophecy that the Panama
Pacific fair will cost $SO,O00,0O0 be-
fore it is finished.
Will Make 1t Magnificent
When San Francisco won the expo
stion, the people of the city and of
the state of California pledged them
selves to make it the most magnifi-
cent that this or any other country
has ever held. If money, the most
famous architects, color artists, sculp.
tors and landscape gardeners in the
country can outstrip all the exposi-
tons of the past, it will be done.
The setting for the San Francisco
fair is ideal. 1t is a crescent of land
stretching two and one-third miles
along San Francisco bay from the
Golden Gate to the ferry slips at the
foot of Van Ness avenue, the princi-
pal boulevard of the city. The site