Evening star., 1915-02-19


At the same time President Charles
G. Moore of the exposition will inform
President Wilson by word of mouth
over telephone line already set up
and waiting that the wireless flash
has been received and the exposition
is open. In return, President Wilson
will send his greetings and good
wishes. Thus the two latest modes of
long-distance communication will be
employed to vivify the fair. Cere-
monies of dedication and acceptance
as brief as it is possible to make them
will follow.
Forty-one Nations Participating.
After the outbreak of the European
war there sprang up a rumor that the
exposition would not open. AS mat
ter of fact, the exposition stands to-
day 100 per cent complete, free of debt
and with forty-one foreign nations
participating, of which twenty have
built pavilions of their own. England,
Germany, Austria and Russia, among
the belligerents. are not officially rep
resented. although various of their
commercial organizations have seen to
it that they should not be wholly left
out of mind. France. Italy and Japan
are officially represented. as are forty
flag of the United States. Canada and
Australasia. under the British flag. both
have buildings.
Structurally speaking, that part of
the exposition built of it's own funds
and wholly under the control of its own
direction was finished six months ago.
The grounds lie on the water front ad-
joining the United States military reser-
walton known as the Preside. facing San
Francisco bay, with the Golden Gate
visible to the west. The broad stretch
es of mural expanse are grained and
stained to the texture and color Of Ital-
ian travertine. Where the statuary
has not been wrought from the same
material it has been finished soft
buff or burnt orange.
Thus the exposition as a whole has
the soft tone of a pastel done in the
impressionistic manner. Other worlds
fairs have been uniformly white, which
in the strong light of the California
climate would have been painfully
dazzling.
Colossal Tower of Jewels.
Dominating the whole scheme is the
colossal Tower of Jewels. 435 feet high.
set in the central Court of the Universe,
whose Corinthian columns are taller
than those of st. Peters at Rome. Each
column is surmounted by the figure of
star whose headdress Is covered
with Jewels" and from the tower it
self depend $4,000 sparklets in all col
ors, which flash in the sun and scin-
tillate at night when the searchlights
illuminate the court.
The site and plan of the exposition
have made it the most compact ever
built. 1t occupies 635 acres. of which
fifty have been devoted to horticultural
display Liberal use of palms, shrub
berry, vines and trees has been made to
relieve and diversity the long facades
of the exhibit palaces. At the far ends
of the grounds are the athletic field
and race track, and at the near end
lies the zone in which are grouped the
amusement concessions.
Conceived to celebrate the opening of
the Panama canal, the idea of the ex-
position had it's inception in 1904. The
great fire OF iSO6' IN winch san Fran
cisco practically was destroyed, only
DELAYED plans for it's embodiment The
authorization of the state legislature,
together with an appropriation of $5,-
e00, 900, was obtained. and In April,
1910. s4,089.000 was raised by private
subscription in two hours. President
Taft signed tho. exposition act Octo-
Der 4, 1911.
In work done by the exposition com
pany. the nations states and territories
admitted an investment of $S0,OOO,OO0
is represented. Exhibits display
proba bly, will bring the total of capita
temporarily tied up within the grounds
TO Svuu,VV",u"V VI iioiV
Only One Building Permanent.
Only one exhibition building is per
n,anent. The city and the exposition
built Jointly as a part of the city's new
civic center. still in progress of con
struction. a two-million dollar auditc-
rum. in which are to be held the 400
congresses 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 Hes55:.:s of sports the nation will be
represented as widely as in sry other
of its interests
Yachting cups have been given by Pres
ident Wilson, King George of England
Emperor William of Germany and Sir
Thomas Upton
There are to be important golf and polo
ma tches-
There is to be a motor boat race from
New York to San Francisco through the
Pana ma canal.
cross continent aeroplarie race is un-
der consideration.
The Vanderbilt cup and Grand Prix
automobile races are to be run on the
exposition track February 22 and Febru-