West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1914-11-05

fspeeeh Of COLONEL FRED PAUL
GROSSCUP, president of the West
Virginia commission TO the Panama
Pacific International Exposition, de-
iivered before the state board OF
trade, Wheeling, Oct. 10, 1914.l
Mr.. President and Gentlemen of the
State Board OF Trade:
Some weeks ago we received an inyi.
tation from this body. through your ex.
celient secretary. Mr.. II. Il. Naylor. To
address you on the subject of the Pan.
ama-Pacifc Exposition. to be held In
San Francisco. beginning Feb. 20 and
continuing until Dec. 4. 1915.
must confess. on receipt OF this In.
vftation my first impulse was to write a
courteous and respectful letter declin.
Ing to appear before you. mainly be
cause all OF you who know me know
that ! am not a public speaker. that I
have not devoted my life and what lit
tie ability ! may have to making pub.
lie speeches and have not used the
press. by letter or otherwise. to enun.
ciate opinions; but the position oc.
cupy as chairman of the West Virginia
commission. having In charge West
Virginia's interests at this great Expo
sition. makes II duty that /. on after.
thought felt could not be avoided.
The Centennial Exposition.
We have had many expositions In the
past. In 1876 we had the Centennial
Exposition at Philadelphia to celebrate
the one hundredth anniversary OF
American Independence.
In 1892 and 1893. IN the great city OF
Chicago. was celebrated the four hun.
dredtb anniversary OF the discovery of
America by Christopher Columbus.
That also was great subject TO be
placed before the minds of the Ameri,
can citizenship. 1t was the beginning
OF America. and the American boy and
girl today hear the name of Chris
TOPPER Columbus with greater degree
or thankfulness and with an enlarged
reverence because OF having celebrated
that event at the Chicago Exposition.
In 1901 the American people conceiv-
ed the Idea OF holding the Pan-Ameri-
can Exposition. This was not for the
purpose OF celebrating any great past
or historical event, but the purpose was
to bring together In a closer relation.
snip and communion OF interests the
various nations OF the great American
continent.
In 1904. at St Louis, we celebrated
the louisiana purchase, celebrating an
event that extended our country across
the great domain of the plains in the
west to the place where the sun sets
last upon this country's shores, and
lastly. In the year 1907. we celebrated
at Norfolk, or Jamestown, on the At
iantic coast, the tercentennial, the
landing OF the first permanent English
settlement ut jamestown. in the moth
er state or Virginia
Mans Greatest Engineering Feat.
AS l said In the beginning. all OF
these, except the Buffalo Exposition.
were historical end intended to re-
fresh the mind ana review the history
OF our country, all of them celebrating
events which started the United Stdtes
Of America toward the greatest nation
OF the globe. Unlike these past Exposi.
lions, we now have before us an Ex-
position that Is TO celebrate an event
of the present, TO celebrate not only
the greatest practical engineering feat
known to mankind. feat that could
not be accomplished successfully by
the great French nation-but we are TO
celebrate an accomplishment that
brings the great Atlantic ocean on our
east to the great Pacific ocean on our
west. shaking hands with each other
and. In the process. handing the com.
modities of the east to the west and
the commodities of the west TO the
east, as If 1t were a kernel in the
hands OF two men face TO face. The
lesson taught by this is that the com
merciai relations OF the world from
this date are changed.
After contest by many Of the states
OF the sou.h and west for the honor OF
being host In the celebration of this
great event. California was chosen by
the national congress as being the most
fitting state and San Francisco. its
greatest commercial city, as the most
fitting place for this great Exposition.
There can be no doubt OF the wisdom
shown In this choice. Dramatically II Is
almost perfect. During the months OF
the Exposition the mean temperature
Is about 80 degrees. In the last TWEEN.
~ years there have been only twenty.
seven days during which the tempera.
fure exceeded 90. and during the same
period II has not fallen below 30 The
difference between day and night tenn.
perature is little The warmest hour
about 2 o'clock In the afternoon. has a
mean temperature Of 20 and the cold
est hour, about 6 a. M. has a mean
Temperature Of 90 degrees. Such a eli
mate. as you will well understand. will
admit OF the greatest comfort 70 ia
visitors during the Exposition.
In my judgment no more beautiful
place, no more practical place, no
more inspiring location could have
been found San Francisco and the
state Of California at the beginning Of
this great undertaking raised immedi
ateiy something over S2OOOO.OOO "a
build and exploit this undertaking.
Since that there has been added 500.
100000 from other sources, not inciud.
Ing the appropriations from forty-two
Of the forty-seven sister states
Wonderful Work Done.
One Of the most important state
ments % be made on this subject IS
that on the 6rst day Of September,
1914, the Exposition was more than 30
per cent complete. One reason OF this
r. because the climate permits OF con
slant building operations during al
the months 81 the year. Unlike the
Chicago Exposition. The opening OF
which had 30 be postponed for twelve
months on account OF incomDleteneas:
unlike The ST Louis Exposition that
hao 10 be postponed for twelve months
on account Of SIS inc0mpIofenoss and