Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-03-17
Maine May Participate
In 15Oth Anniversary
OF u. S. independence

Speaker Of the Maine House of Rep
resentatives. has received a commu-
nication from w. Freeland Kend-
rick, mayor of Philadelphia, and
president of the committee having in
charge the arrangements for the
celebration of the 1o0th anniver-
sary of American Independence.
which will begin at Philadelphia, on
Flag Day, June II, 1926. Mayor
Kendrick thanked Speaker Gardiner
for sending him a Copy of Senate
Paper No. 1O7, relating to the cele-
bration. which is now under consid-
Grafton by the joint legislature COM
mittee on appropriations and finan-
cial affairs.
II cannot emphasize too strongly
the Importance of the Exposition,
not only from its patriotic aspect,
but from its commercial, education
al. religious and scientific value"
says Mayor Kerfdrick in his letter.
Many Of the states have already
signified their intention to parti-
cipate, and in this connection would
advise that q duly authorized COM
mission from the State of New Jer-
sey recently announced that that
great commonwealth would spend
the sum of 100000 for the erection
of the Exposition site of a replica
of the British Barracks building cap
tured by General Washington during
the Battle of Trenton.
Il am attaching hereto a copy Of
the tentative ground plan for the
Exposition, the details of which are
now being worked out. The stad-
ium, as you see. occupying the south
~ hn 10
ing capacity of 100000 persons, and
will be the scene of many great his
torical pageants, religious festivals.
orchestral, band and singing con-
certs, international and national ath-
letics contests. North Of the Stad-
ium Is the proposed Industrial Arts
Pavilion, with an exhibit capacity Of
2,OOOOO0 square feet of space, in
which will be housed some of the
greatest commercial and scientific
exhibits of modern times.
The section to the west of the
buildings just described is devoted
to wholesome amusement devices de-
signed for the entertainment of WISH
tors, while the southern half has
been reserved for such great exhi-
bits as the development of radio.
wireless, telegraphy, electrical pro-
gress, the steel and other great in
dustries.
I'VE had proposed. and It has re-
ceived the approval of President
Coolidge, to invite units of the
navies of the world, to anchor in the
Delaware all during the life of the
Exposition and up to the present
writing we have secured more than
200 conventions of national organi-
cations to be held during the period
of the celebration in and about the
Exposition.
1T is intended to open the Ex-
position on Flag Day. June IA. 1925.
and to close on November first of the
same year. and we have taken UP
the matter of setting apart the most
appropriate day as Maine Day with
Governor Brewster, at which time
we hope to be honored with his pres
ence. as chief executive of the State,
to address the many hundreds of
Maine citizens visiting here at that
time.
1T IS certain now that June IA.
1926, will find a greater number of
foreign countries represented at the
Sesquicentennial of American Inde-
pendence than has ever before been
gathered at an Exposition, a fact
which the state governments cannot
afford to overlook.
THE State of Maine" II for no
other reason, than a purely CONNER
cial one, should erect a pavilion at
our Exposition to be used to house
the two members of your state the
advisory committee, and as a meet
ing place for Maine citizens.
This celebration OF the 10th. an
niversary Of our nation is a patriotic
duty as we'll as a commercial neces-
sity. and 1 am confident that Maine
will want to be fittingly represented"