The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1914-02-27
To Attract The Big Crowds
Expected At The Expo
Which viii Open In The West
At A Future Date

San Francisco, Feb. 26-The gates
of the Panama-Pacifc international
exposition will swing open Feb. 20,
1916.
Glints OF gold from vast oriental
domes, Venetian blue on minarets,
great red roofs of the exhibit palaces
so far completed, superb mural deco;-
ations, and colossal groups of statu-
ary, give glimpses of the exposition
as it will be.
Thirty-three OF the worlds great ma
tions have voted to participate official
ly, Argentina leading with an appro-
priation of $1,3O0,0OO Japan will ex-
pend 100000, Italy 100000. Brazil
$4,000 and Canada 100000. Fifteen
hundred merchants and manufacturers
of Germany have formed league to
participate. Six hundred of the manu-
facturers of England will take part.
The celebration will witness the great
est gathering of the American states
N
leading with an appropriation of $780,
900.
Upon the floors of the vast amphi-
theatre on the shores of San Francis.
co harbor more than 1000 men are
hurrying to completion the shell which
will house the exposition. Sept. 1
there were only two exposition struc-
lures upon the grounds. BY May of
this year five OF the exhibit palaces
will be ready for the displays of the
world, July all of the thirteen main
palaces will be completed and exhibit
ors may begin installation.
| Hundreds OF thousands of rare
shrubs and trees, including 500 giant
tree ferns from Australia, are here
TO be set in the grounds. Before the
grounds, which face the north on San
Francisco harbor, just inside the Col
den Gate, and extend almost three
miles east and west, there has been
created marvellous esplanade, the
Marina villa gardens)
This Is a great broad stretch of
lawn, dotted with cypress and eucal-
yptus, more than 400 feet in width
and one mile in length 1t forms the
frame of the main northern facade of
| the exhibit palaces along the shores
of the harbor, the surprising frontage
| that will be first seen by visitors who
reach the exposition city by water and
enter San Francisco bay through the
Golden Gate.
In the Marina. with its vast stretch
of grounds and terraces, fountains
| will play and huge groups Of statu.
airy win be seen at intervals. Here
In the course of the exposition thou
sands will gather to view, by day, the
assembled warshlps of the nations, the
birdmen of the world in mimic contest
with the warcraft, motorboat races,
yacht races, and all sorts of aquatic
sports,
Here, at night, visitors will behold
the exposition transformed into a
dream city by hundreds of colored
searchlights passing through evolu-
tions in color, playing upon vast clouds
OF smoke liberated high in the heav-
ems by aerial bombs.
The scene of the most impressive
construction today Is that of the vast
main exhibit section, Eighty million
feet of lumber, enough If put in boards
one foot wide and an inch thick, to
extend more than three times around
the world, at the equator, are being
used in this section. Here the build.
ings are grouped in the center of the
grounds, the group facing north upon
the harbor for one mile and present
ing the effect of almost a single pal
ace.
The standing army of the United
States could be hidden within theiI
-.s..