Final Report of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Commission Part 45

The educational exhibit was collected by Miss May Scott, State superintendent of public instruction, installed at State expense, but maintained at the personal expense of Mrs. S.M. Harris, of Silver City, and Mrs. C.J. Johnson, of Pocatello. The Boise exhibit showed the work of all grades, elementary, secondary, and high school pupils doing themselves and the State credit in comparison with other States.

Lessons, drawings, photographs, and maps were displayed in 37 bound volumes, besides 5 volumes of district school work and 33 card mounts of lessons, embracing the 8 grades of the primary schools. Silver City exhibited graded work from the first to eighth grades, inclusive, very attractively mounted on cards. Credit is due the Weiser schools, also, for all-around good work. The schools contributed to the general display a fine collection of mounted cards in elementary work, and the Industrial School sent a good display of the work in manual training, including needlework and photographs of buildings. Moscow made a good general display of school work, and particularly in composition and writing. Every community was shown to be alive to the importance of having good schools. A part of the s.p.a.ce in the exhibit was devoted to photographs of the University of Idaho, about which a great many questions were asked. The work of the Mountainhouse School was handsomely bound in a burnt-leather cover.

The Pocatello public school work was delayed and reached the exhibit so late that it could not be judged. The display consisted of photographs of the children and schoolhouses and the work of the schools from the kindergarten to the high school. The Shoshone County exhibit was displayed in 79 volumes, embracing the work from the first grade to the high school work. A number of mounted cards of kindergarten work were also shown. The Wallace schools were commended for several excellent examples of map drawing contributed. Kendrick made a good display in 11 bound books. Coeur d'Alene sent a dozen volumes of bound work. Bonners Ferry and Sandpoint contributed good work in a number of bound books and photographs. Idaho County made a good display of raffia work and Indian pictures, besides the school-work exhibit. The Albion State Normal School made a large display of photographs showing the inst.i.tution and its equipment. Oro Fino sent a collection of drawings, and Council and Harrison both made good displays of what their schools are doing to keep up with the times. The work of the Lewiston schools, which would have formed a conspicuous and very creditable part of the Idaho educational display, was lost in transit.

The mineral exhibit of the State at the World's Fair at St. Louis embraced specimens from every county and mining district. Hundreds of mines contributed specimens of ore and they were all labeled and displayed to the best advantage possible in the Idaho booth. The largest specimens were huge nuggets of lead ore weighing several tons each, almost pure lead, which occupied a central place in the exhibit and served to draw attention to the vast collection of other mineral specimens. Boise, the seat of government, was represented by specimens of gold-bearing rhyolite from the granite slopes north of the city, as well as by samples of fire clay of high quality; found partly within the city limits. From the Black Hornet and Curlew Creek districts came quartz specimens containing gold and silver. From Bear Creek were cuttings from the dike formation of low-grade ores that may mean much to Boise if they be profitably handled.

There were specimens of lead ores from Halley and Wood Rivet district, where lead to the value of $20,000,000 has been taken out. These ores run high in silver, and the revival of interest in the workings there is a matter of comment. These specimens included some of the Minnie Moore deposits, the most famous mine in Idaho's history, whose best ores show 70 per cent lead and 110 ounces of silver to the ton. A few specimens of gold-bearing quartz from the Boise basin were shown, although these deposits are but partly developed, more interest attaching to the placer mining, which has produced a hundred million dollars' worth of gold in the history of this region. The Pearl district contributed good specimens of oxidized quartz and granite gangue, iron and a.r.s.enical pyrites with zinc blend, and a showing of galena and copper sulphides.

Monaxite, a heavy yellow sand, the ore of thorium, is found here, and is in considerable demand on account of the new discoveries in the radio activity of certain minerals.

From the vicinity of Pocatello were fine specimens of copper and lead ores having gold and silver veins, iron, and manganese oxide ores. These came princ.i.p.ally from the workings on Rabbit Creek, Pocatello Creek, and the Hovey group. Coal specimens were shown from the vicinity of Blackfoot and Idaho Falls. From Bear Lake County were ores carrying copper, gold, and silver. Coal specimens were shown from the Goose Creek Mountains and the ranges in the southern part of Ca.s.sia County. The mines all about Silver City, the county seat and mining center, were well represented. The South Mountain district, south of Silver City, was represented by ores from some of the reopened mines which had been idle for many years.

Ores from the Rocky Bar, Atlanta, Pine Grove, Black Warrior, Neal, Lime Creek, and Dixie districts made a good representation for Elmore County, which, on account of its nearness to Boise and railroad facilities, has been better developed than many other parts of the State. The Yankee Fork, Loon Creek, and Stanley basin districts of Custer County were all contributors to the State exhibit of gold and silver ores. The lead-silver ores of Custer County came from the Bayhorse, Squaw Creek, Clayton, Poverty Flat, and Slate Creek districts. Copper ores from the Big Lost River Valley were convincing proof of the richness of mines in that newly developed part of the State. Fremont County sent specimens of coal from the rich mines opened a year ago in the eastern part of the county.

Shoshone County was represented by huge nuggets of lead-silver ore. Gold ores from Shoshone County showed the wide distribution of the yellow metal, which appears in every county in the State. Copper ores from Shoshone County were an indication of future possibilities in copper production in the State.

It was the earnest endeavor of the Commission to make the most of the opportunities and the means at their disposal to give Idaho and her resources a thorough advertis.e.m.e.nt. The press of the country was interested in Idaho's development, with the result that hundreds of articles have been printed about the State's large showing at the exposition in the newspapers of all States. The large number of gold, silver, and bronze medals awarded to the exhibitors bore evidence of the success of the work.

ILLINOIS.

To Illinois belongs the distinction of having held the first and, until the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, the greatest World's Fair. Naturally the State of Illinois at that time had a more immediate pride in its showing and spent a vastly greater sum to gather and shelter its exhibits than it could afford for an exposition outside of its own borders; but it is not the opinion of any that Illinois has been outcla.s.sed in any respect at the World's Fair of 1904. With comparatively a small appropriation, when the $800,000 appropriated by Illinois in Chicago in 1893, or the $1,000,000 spent by Missouri, in St.

Louis is considered, Illinois has taken a leading part in the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. It has not only furnished its large share of the attractions, but it no doubt sent to the exposition the largest number of visitors from any one State outside of Missouri.

Only exhibits of a public character were installed at the expense or through the efforts of the commission. Private enterprises, many of which took exhibits from this State, were not a.s.sisted at the expense of the commission; but the State exhibits were gathered, prepared, installed, and cared for wholly or in part at the expense of the State, authorized by an act of the Forty-second general a.s.sembly in 1901, which appropriated the sum of $250,000 for the purpose.

The law provided for the appointment of a commission of 15 members. The members of this commission as originally appointed were:

Samuel Alschuler, C.F. Coleman, F.M. Blount, I.L. Ellwood, D.M. Funk, Jos. P. Mahoney, J.N.C. Shumway, H.C. Beitler, C.C. Craig, H.M. Dunlap, J.H. Farrell, J.H. Miller, P.T. Chapman, C.N. Travous, C.N. Rannals.

The commission organized by the election of officers, as follows: President, H.M. Dunlap; vice-president, C.N. Travous; second vice-president, J.P. Mahoney; treasurer, P.T. Chapman; secretary, John J. Brown.

Of the members originally appointed the following afterwards resigned, viz, I.L. Ellwood, P.T. Chapman, H.C. Beitler, C.N. Rannals, Samuel Alschuler, F.M. Blount, and were succeeded by John H. Pierce, Albert Campbell, Walter Warder, W.L. Mounts, T.K. Condit, William J. Moxley.

The advantage of nearness to the seat of the World's Fair which made possible the great displays of Missouri was enjoyed and made use of almost as fully by the sister State of Illinois. In every department of the exposition the great resources of Illinois were shown.

The State House was, with possibly two exceptions, the most pretentious of all the State buildings, and certainly its location was the most commanding. From the intramural cars this great white structure, with its generous verandas and its wealth of ornament, could be seen at several points. It was not on the Plateau of States, but was the important member of another State group on The Trail, directly west of the Cascade Gardens. Across the way were the beautiful gardens of j.a.pan, and the Lincoln Museum was directly north.

The building was designed along the lines of the French renaissance, but it was entirely modern in treatment. For instance, in the relief ornament of frieze and cornice the fleur-de-lis was replaced by the ear of corn motif. This was Illinois renaissance and was something more than cut and dried ornament. It was symbolic of the State.

The two great statues that greeted the visitor were those of Lincoln and Douglas. The grand central reception hall was done in tones of ivory, green, and gold, with floor of tile. The medallion center of the tile was the great seal of the State. At one side of the broad staircase was a raised platform, on which stood a grand piano. The elevated apartment served as a reception and music room.

Opening from the great hall were reading rooms, rest rooms, and the office of the commission. On the floor above were the suites of apartments for the governor, the commissioners, and the officers of the building. The wives of the commissioners served as hostesses, each doing the honors for a period of ten days at a time.

One of the most noteworthy features of the Illinois State Home was its verandas. From these every part of the exposition grounds could be seen, and the night view was especially glorious. The building was designed by Illinois architects, erected by Illinois labor, and furnished, for the most part, by Illinois firms. Hence it was really an expression of the State it represented. Its cost was $90,000.

Aside from the State House, the most remarkable exhibits of the State were those in the Palace of Mines and Metallurgy and the Palace of Agriculture. In the former there was abundant evidence that Illinois is primarily a mining State, while the latter wholly contradicted this notion. As a matter of fact, Illinois ranks second to Pennsylvania in the production of coal, and its quarries yield a fine quality of both sand and lime stone. The booth in the Palace of Mines contained the largest block of soft coal ever removed from a mine. It was 6 by 7 by 8 feet in size and was hoisted 335 feet from the shaft. In the coal exhibit there were specimens of the product of over 50 mines, with chemical a.n.a.lyses showing their respective heating elements.

There was a large display of the clay industry of the State, including bricks, tile, and pottery. In addition there were shown splendid specimens of fluorspar, lead, and zinc.

In the Palace of Horticulture there was an extensive table exhibit of fresh fruit, especially of apples and the more ephemeral fruits, such as berries and plums. However, the best display of all was in the Palace of Agriculture. In the cold-storage case in the dairy section were two exceptionally good pieces of b.u.t.ter sculpture. They were the busts of those two great Illinoisans--Lincoln and Grant.

The most striking feature of the great corn pavilion was an enormous broom, that was typical both of the production of broom corn and of the State's broom industry. In the corners were small ornamental booths made entirely of the native woods of the State. One of these was used as an office by the secretary. There were several excellent pictures made of various grains. Among the grain pictures were three that were worthy to stand together. They were President Lincoln, Governor Yates, and the great seal of the State.

By far the largest and most significant part of the exhibit was the collection of samples of corn planted, cultivated, and harvested by boys. The League of Corn Growers numbered 8,000 members, and there were 1,100 prizes each year, the first being $500. Each boy submitted 10 ears of corn from his own patch, together with an account of his experiences and method. The prize winners attached their photographs to the little pyramids of 10 ears of fine corn. For the farming industry of the State it was felt that nothing could possibly be better than this annual contest. The boy is taught to look upon the scientific cultivation of the soil as something worthy his best effort. That in which he takes a personal pride ceases to be drudgery. As a result of this corn contest much of the danger that all the farmer boys will seek the great cities may be averted, and it was felt that the great exposition should encourage the boys in their worthy enterprise.

There were installed by the Illinois commission 14 separate and distinct exhibits, including that of live stock. Each exhibit was in charge of a superintendent and a committee of the commission.

As soon as the Illinois commission had been appointed the members of the Illinois State Historical Society felt that the society should make an exhibit. As the appropriation of $2,000 was small and the time brief for the preparation of the exhibit, the trustee decided that no better and more appropriate exhibit could be made than a ma.n.u.script and pictorial life of Abraham Lincoln, these ma.n.u.scripts and pictures to be arranged so plainly that they could be understood and appreciated by all.

The plan of the exhibit was to utilize all the s.p.a.ce possible, and as this was the only exhibit in the Illinois Building it was made as handsome in appearance as possible. Accordingly 16 large wall frames handsomely labeled in gold letters were prepared. The labels read as follows:

(1) Ancestry of Lincoln.

(2) Youth of Lincoln.

(3) Lincoln at New Salem.

(4) Lincoln as a Surveyor.

(5) Lincoln in the Black Hawk War.

(6) Lincoln as a Lawyer (two cases).

(7) Lincoln in Congress.

(8) Domestic Life of Lincoln.

(9) Lincoln and Douglas.

(10) Lincoln and Douglas Debates.

(11) Lincoln and the Foundation of the Republican Party.

(12) The Campaign of 1860.

(13) Lincoln in Washington, The Cabinet.

(14) The War of Rebellion.

(15) a.s.sa.s.sination and Death.

The t.i.tles indicate the character of the contents.

The agricultural committee was organized, and the scope and character of the exhibit to be made by Illinois was carefully considered.

It was determined to devote entire attention to the exploitation of those products which can be grown most successfully and profitably within the limits of this State. While the interests of Illinois were, of course, always given the first consideration, such an exhibit was of just as much interest and value to adjoining States, or, in fact, to any countries of the Temperate Zone where similar conditions of climate and soil exist as in the State of Illinois.

Accordingly it was determined to exploit the princ.i.p.al crop of the State, which surpa.s.ses all other in value--that of corn.

It was also planned to exhibit choice specimens of wheat, oats, rye, millet, sorghum, Kaffir corn, clover, broom corn, and other grains and gra.s.ses, and did exhibit those varieties that can best be raised in the different sections of the State. The grains were shown both in the sheaf and thrashed. There were collected over one hundred varieties of native woods from different sections of the State.

The installation and exhibit was completed early in May, soon after the fair opened, except the soil exhibit, which was not finished in all its details until about a month later. A company of Chicago donated to the committee an a.s.sortment of some thirty new by-products of corn, which have been manufactured by them in the last few years, including different varieties of glucose, starch, proteins, and different varieties of sugar, rubber, dextrine, corn oils, sirups, etc., which were exhibited in large jars arranged in the form of a pyramid. The entire agricultural exhibit covered 10,000 square feet of s.p.a.ce.

During the fair additions were made from time to time as the season progressed, and specimens of grains and corn from the crop of 1904 were added.

The exhibit as completed showed the variety and character of Illinois soil and also showed the elements which they contain and which they lack in various portions of the State. The proper treatment, cultivation, and fertilization necessary to bring each kind of soil to the standard and keep it there; the products that could be raised to best advantage on these soils; the method of raising them, and the appearance and characteristics of these crops at various stages of their growth; the best seed to plant, and, finally, the grown and ripened products and the various articles manufactured therefrom, and the uses to which they could most successfully and profitably be put. Attendants were engaged who were able to fully explain the various features of the exhibit, and as there were so many things that had never been exhibited or shown anywhere before the exhibit appealed strongly to those interested in farming.

And in this connection it might be stated that thousands of schoolteachers from every State came to the Illinois section to study corn in a more scientific manner than they had ever studied it before.

This was especially true of the teachers of the East and South.

There was no effort made to collect every known grain or gra.s.s or seed that grows upon the farm, but to display such products as were considered most valuable to the different sections of the State. Only the leading standard varieties were installed and such valuable varieties were exhibited in such proportion and in such profusion as to demonstrate their value in different sections of the State. Large displays of wheat, oats, gra.s.ses, and grains of all kinds, in sheaf and thrashed, were exhibited, and it was intended to show both the growth of the root and the stalk, as well as the grain. As an example, more than thirty varieties of oats were exhibited, showing root growth, stalk growth, size and length of head, and beside each variety was 1 peck of the oats thrashed.