The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-05-26
Dinner MARKS
LAUNCHING OF
ExP()-PACEANT
Speakers Voice Confidence I'm Direc-
tor Arthur Davis Who
Stages Enterprise.

Praise for the many advantages
of Rock Island and its location,
s.in the heart of everything,
blended with the sentiment, ex-
pressed by speakers, may the
Trans Mississippi Exposition and
Pageant of Progress be in the
hearts of everybody" at the din
ner given in the Masonic temple in
celebration of the launching of the
big enterprise which is expected to
attract $50 1000 between June "a and
July 4.
The gathering resolved itself in
to a demonstration of confidence
in Arthur Davis, head of the Davis
Amusement company, Chicago, the
host of the evening, who is staging
the mammoth exhibition to be held
at Douglas park.
Walter Rosenfield's statement,
''if there were six men in Rock Is
land like Arthur Davis, this town
would have a population of $780,
900 people right. now" and A. F.
SaIa's remark, II have met some
big men during my business life in
Rock Island, but Mr.. Davis is the
biggest herman of them all" fair
~ reflected the opinions of all the
speakers.
Mr.. Davis said that ever since
he had been personal scout for
James A. Bailey, of Barnum and
Bailey he had had Rock Island in
mind as the site for an exposition
feature lE
He said that when the exposition
and pageant opGoed on June "a it
would represent an expenditure of
$4,000. He expected to receive a
profit of at least $4,000, he assert
ed, the other $4,000 to go to the
Chamber of Commerce.
Mr.. Davis told how extensively
the exposition was being advertised
within a radius of 100 miles from
Rock Island, and he predicted that
through the exposition the city
would receive more publicity than
1t had for many years.
Explaining that he was financing
the enterprise at his own expense,
he said that not a nickel was ow-
ing to anyone in the tri-cities as
the exposition paid its bills on the
dot.
Rev. C. P. O'Neill, pastor of Sac
red Heart church, asked the bless
ing at the dinner, and W. b. Nc
Intyre was introduced as the toast
master by ] j. Burgess, president
of the Rock Island Chamber of
Commerce. who spoke briefly advo-
eating the cooperation of the citi-
zens of Rock Island in promoting
the exposition project. 1t would
be more than SO percent education
al, he said, and stated further that
in his opinion, the city would Sc
cure more publicity in so days
through the exposition than it or
dinarily would in six years.
Praise for Davis.
In a characteristic speech, Nc
Intyre asked all to be boosters for
the exposition, and introduced City
Attorney John K Scott, who on be-
half of the municipality welcomed
the exposition, saying its advent is
reviving the faith of the commun-
ity in itself. and will place Rock
Island more than ever upon the
map.
K. c. Fisher, saying that he was
for the exposition because it was
for Rock Island, remarked that if
man of MIR. Davis vision had
been here so years ago, Rock Island
would be as big as st. Paul and
Minneapolis, in fact those cities
would by now be suburbs of Rock
: Island.
He reminded his hearers that
there was only one Rock Island in
the entire United States.
J. F. Witter affirmed that some
times it is necessary for a stranger
to come to Rock Island and tell its
residents the city's good points in
order to have them appreciate them
at their true worth.
Walter Rosenfield's election as
chairman of the Republican state
central committee made him high
er than Harding" the POSTMASTER
said as he introduced him as the
next speaker. Mr.. Rosenfield said
that at first he was inclined to re-
gard the exposition enterprise as
only some more bunk" but he had
changed his opinion entirely since
meeting Mr.. Davis and becoming &C
quainted with his methods and
character
A. F. Sala spoke of the value of
the exposition to business men and
said that to rent space and equip a
booth would be a paying invest
ment.
GilmOr Explains Plans
/. F. Gilmor, Aledo, who is 10
be in charge of the agricultural ex-
hibit said that as the result of
trips he had made through the
country he was assured that the
farmers were coming in large num-
bers Sixteen thousand circulars
We're being delivered to rural resi-
dents this week. he affirmed, and
stated that in his department, the
progress made by agriculture dur
ing the past century would be
shown.
Miss Lucille Allen. home advisor,
who is to be. in charge of the do
nestle science department explain