Omaha daily bee., 1917-06-10
Nebraska
STAGE ALL SET FOR
SEMI-CENTENNIAL
Elaborate Plans Made for Cele
bration of Festival at Lin
coin June Twelfth to
Fourteenth.

Lincoln, June o.-(Special. with
the celebration of the semi-centennial
of Nebraska only few days away,
the committees preparing the pro-
gram and the arrangements for the
observance of the three days which
will be given over to the event, have
about completed the work so far as it
can be and there is every indication
that with proper weather conditions
it will be an event long to be remem-
bered.
That all Nebraska is interested is
evidenced by the fact that in the re-
union of the old settlers who were in
the state when the state. was still a
territory, indications point to over
1000 Of the men and women who
helped to make early Nebraska his
tory. That day will be celebrated
with special ceremonies at st. Paul's
Methodist church, in which former
Lieutenant Governor Thomas Majors
will preside and General John Lee
Webster of Omaha will deliver the
address. t. .
SSNNhhoIc ~ ~OillNs
Governors will come and governors
will go. They will all be welcomed
with open arms and with loud acclaim
but the event of the whole occasion
will be when "Teddy Comes Marching
to Nebraska" Colonel Roosevelt will
arrive in Omaha over the Burlington
at 2 O'Clock Thursday morning. He
will be met by the special semi-cen-
tennial committee, which is made up
of prominent men of the state and
breakfast will be had on the special
diner prepared for Mr.. Roosevelt. In
a special parlor car the committee will
escort Colonel Roosevelt to Lincoln,
arriving at $40 and from there he will
go to the Lincoln hotel.
Roosevelt Program.
Visitors will be admitted to sec him
from that time on until lunch. At 81
O'Clock Colonel Roosevelt will be es-
corted to the state house, where at
$50 he will deliver an address on
platform erected on the north side of
the grounds. At O'Clock sharp
luncheon will be served at the Lin
coin to the ex-president, who will be
the guest of the semi-centennial COM
mittee. At 8 he will attend the pageant
at the state fair grounds, which will
be held in the coliseum, The build
ing, which seats over 1000 people, has
been decorated in fine shape, num-
Der of big pine trees have been
brought from the Platte river and
form the forest needed to make a
background for the pageant. Mr..
Roosevelt will leave at II 80 for the
east.
Governor Capper OF Kansas will
also be guest Of the committee and
will arrive during the early morning
hours and stay through the day.
Governor Harding of Iowa will
come to town over the Rock Island
Wednesday morning and will stay two
days, assisting in the welcome to Colo
mel Roosevelt on Thursday.
Governor Neville will give lunch
con to the visiting governors on
Wednesday. a E&
Decorations Profuse. @
Decorations for the event are very
profuse. Bright new flags are hung
along the principal streets and bright |
electric lights OF the national fcolors
are strung across the streets. Two
big marine searchlights with their
rays piercing the night for eighteen |
miles around will be used from the
tops of the highest buildings.
A yoke OF oxen shipped from Win
nipeg, Canada, arrived today and will |
form part of the exercises. They
will be driven by some old settler who
has not forgotten the haw. and gee
language expected to be recognized
by Buck and Bright.
The day is coming, the stage is set,
and all that will prevent the greatest
event that Nebraska has ever seen
will be old Jupiter Pluv, who, it is
hoped, will take cognizafice OF the
fact that Nebraska wants square
deal. and will take his storm and wind
clouds down in Missouri and Okla
homa at least until the celebration, is