The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-02-20
WILSON OPENS
FR|SC0'SFA|R
BIPUS||H|IB.U7iTON /
Electric Spark Jumping
Across Continent Was
lA The Signal.
EXPOSITION COMPLETE
4 GIGANTIC oATEsisWINGlNG OPEN
FOR VISITORS
TODAY.
EXPOSITION COMPLETE
tny Associated Press,

". :
~ tBy4 Associated Press)
SAN FRANCISCO. Feb. 2o.-An
electric spark Of enormous potential,
Jumping across the continent, opened
the Panama Pacific International Ex.'
position At tlnoonstoday.
IN the white house at Washington,
the President pressed button and
the aerials Of the great government
radio station sat Arlington snarled and
spluttered. The vibrations were re.
ceiyed an intnitesimal fraction OF q
second later by a commercial station
on the shores of San Francisco Bay,
where they were Nrelayed by wire to a
receiying instrument on the Exposl
tion Grounds.
As soon as the signal was received
the wheels began to turn and the ioun
tafns to play; the gates swung open
and Q procession OF citizens, with the
mayor ct tehtrl head, marched on to the
srounds.
Al the same time, Presia Charles
g. Moore, Of the Exposition Company,
informed President Wilson BY word
Of mouth, over a telephone line alrea.
dy set up and waiting, that the wire.
less flash had been received and the
Exposition Is open. In return Presi.
dent Wilson sent his greetings and
good wishes Thus the two latest
modes ot long distance communica.
ton Win be employed to viyify the
fair. Ceremonies OF dedication and ac.
ceptance as brief as It was possible
to makett them followed.
After the outbreak OF the European
war there tsprang up a rumory that the
expedition would mot open. LAS a mat.
ter Of fact the exposition stands today
100 per cent complete, free from debt
and with 81 reignE nations .participat.
ing. Of which 40 have built pavilions
OF thetr own. England, Germany, Aus.
tria and Russia, among the beiliger.
ents, are not officially! represented.
although various Of their commercial
organizsti ions have seen to Il that thew
should not be whollylleft out Of mind,
France, Italy and Japan are officially
represented. as are Al states and ter.
ritortesl under the flag OF the United
Staten. Canada and Australia, under
the British flag, both have buildings.
stmctuarlly speaking. that part OF
the exposition built out Of its own
funds and wholly under, the control of
It's own directors was finished six
months ago m \; II
The grounds lie on the water front
adjoining thes United States military
reservation known as the Presidio.
facing San Francisco Bay, with the
Golden Gate visible to the west. fHl5
The broad stretches Of mural ex.
panse are grained and stained to tho
texture and color OF Italian trayerttns
Where the statuary has not been
wrought from the same material. It
mas oeen finished a soft bun, or burnt
orange. llsj5Ig'3sl - :.
Thus the exposition. as a whole has
the soft tone of a. pastel, done in the
impresstonistic manner Other worlds
fairs have been uniformly white.
which IN the strong light OF the Cali.
fornta climate would have been pain.
fully dazzling. = { .
Conceived to celebrate the opening
OF the Panama Canal, the idea OF the
exposition had its inception In 1904
The great fire of 1906, in which San
Francisco practically was DESTROYED.
only delayed plans for, It's embodiment.
The authorization Of the state iIegisla.
fure. together with AN appropriation
OF S6.00o.Q00, was obtained, and. In
April, 1910. $4.0s9.oo0 was raised by
private subscription in two hours.
President Taft signed the exposition
act October q, s11.
In work done by the exposition com.
pauy. the natons, stations and terrific.
ries participating and the concession.
aires admitted, an investment of $50.
0.0oo Is represented. Exhibits on
display probably will bring the total
OF capital temporarily tied up within
the grounds 10 s3oo, 900. 900 or more. 4
Only one exposition building Is per.
mnnent. The city and the. exposition
Jointly built as part OF the city's new
civic center. still in process OF con.
struction, s2,ooo,00o auditorium, in
which are TO be held the 400 con.
crosses and conventions which will
give the exposition such an important
educational aspect: After the; exposi.
tion closes the auditorium will pass
into the keeping of the city.
In the field OF sports. the nation win
be represented as widely as in any
other of its interests. Z
Yachting cups have been given by
President Wilson; King George gof
England. Emperor William OF Germa.
ny and Sir Thomas Upton.
There IS to be important golf and
noIf, N, n fcftee aj,tl 10 y