Final Report of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Commission Part 46

In one corner of our exhibit was erected a triangle of grain pictures, three in number, each 8 by 10 feet, and made entirely of seeds. One picture was that of Abraham Lincoln, another Governor Richard Yates, and a third represented the State seal.

Upon seven large tables were displayed more than 500 gla.s.s bottles of seeds, ranging from 8 ounces to 1 gallon each.

But the feature of the agricultural display that attracted more attention than anything else was the immense display of corn grown by the farmer boys of Illinois. The commission from the very start determined to make this display by the farmer boys a strong feature of the exhibit, and how well their efforts were rewarded is now known by millions of people who visited the Agricultural Building. The superintendent solicited special premiums to the amount of $3,500.

Circulars describing the farmers boys' corn contest were placed in the hands of 120,000 farmer boys in Illinois. Eight thousand entered the contest.

Above the two vast pyramids of white and yellow corn, each 20 by 30 feet, was a handsome banner inscribed "Grown by the farmer boys of Illinois."

One of the most attractive and interesting sections of the dairy exhibit was that installed by the Illinois commission. The statuary in this exhibit consisted of a full-length ideal statue representing "Illinois,"

holding the shield of State with one hand, while the other grasps the shaft holding the streamer reading "Illinois" in large, clear, golden letters. On either side of this figure were large busts of Lincoln and Grant. These busts and the full-length figure were made of pure Illinois creamery b.u.t.ter.

The background for the statuary was arranged with the banner won by the Illinois creameries and two large United States flags, which were in keeping with the historical character of the two men represented.

At the sides and in front heavy draperies separated the statuary from the commercial exhibits, which consisted of print b.u.t.ter from the Elgin district and from the University of Illinois, arranged in various designs; also samples of condensed milk, malted milk, and evaporated cream.

There were also jars with samples showing the amounts of water, b.u.t.ter fat, casein, alb.u.men, and other ingredients entering into the composition of a 30-pound tub of b.u.t.ter.

Tables showing the value of the great dairy industry of Illinois, the production of b.u.t.ter and cheese in the Elgin district, the b.u.t.ter and cheese market of Chicago, and large photographs portraying typical Illinois dairy cows and Illinois creameries and the condensing plants occupied prominent positions among the exhibits. Several bulletins from the University of Illinois agricultural experiment station, showing the importance of clean milk and pure b.u.t.ter and other information of value to dairymen, were distributed from the superintendent's desk. The cheese exhibited consisted of samples made by students at the University of Illinois, and a large collection installed by M. Uhlmann & Co., of Chicago, occupied a s.p.a.ce in the cheese case directly opposite the b.u.t.ter exhibit.

The refrigerator which contained these exhibits had a gla.s.s front formed of three thicknesses of plate gla.s.s, with air s.p.a.ces between. The temperature inside the case was kept close to the freezing point by an ice-making machine in constant operation.

The Illinois commission set apart $15,000 to make a duplication as far as possible of premiums won by the breeders of live stock exhibited in the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, less than $1,000 of which was reserved to provide for the necessary expenses incident to printing, allotting, and distributing the said prize fund.

The live stock from the State of Illinois won one-twentieth of the entire premiums offered by the Louisiana Purchase Exposition.

Five thousand square feet of s.p.a.ce was secured in the Palace of Horticulture at the exposition for the exhibit and installation and fixtures placed thereon prior to the opening of the exposition, May 1, 1904, upon which date the exhibit was put in place and maintained with apples from storage of 1903 crop until the crop of 1904 began to mature about June 1. From this latter date fruits of all kinds were supplied as they matured during the period of the exposition. Among the most popular varieties of apples exhibited were: For early apples--Yellow Transparent, Red June, Benoni, Wealthy, d.u.c.h.ess, Maiden Blush. For fall or early winter--Grimes Golden and Jonathan. Winter varieties--Wine Sap, Willow Twig, Rome Beauty, Ben Davis. Peaches--Reeves, Elberta, Diamond.

Pears--Bartlett, Tyson, Sechel, d.u.c.h.ess.

_Mines and metallurgy exhibit._--The mines and metallurgy exhibit covered a s.p.a.ce 25 by 75 feet facing on two of the main aisles near the southeast entrance to the Mines and Metallurgy Building.

The installation was uniform with that of the other exhibits of the State. The object of the exhibit was to show particularly the mineral and to some extent the mineral industries.

The most important branch of production, according to its value, was that of coal. After this came the various materials used in the manufacture of brick and ceramics.

The building stone, although limited to a few varieties of limestone and sandstone, was of great importance, as was also some stone and gravel used for road material, railroad ballast, concrete, and flux for iron reduction.

The exhibit of coal consisted of a series of large blocks intended to show the character and thickness of the veins; the largest block, weighing 15 tons, is the largest single piece ever hoisted from a mine.

There are 11 of these blocks from different mines, ranging from the largest down to one block of 1 ton.

In clay products the importance of the industry could only be shown by statistics, as common brick, which is made all over the State in such a uniform character, are so well known that exhibits are not necessary.

Neither the geology nor topography offer many opportunities for the development of stone quarries, but such stone as is extensively used was displayed. The limestones of the Silurian series are the princ.i.p.al sources of supply, the quarries about Joliet being among the largest in the United States. The limestone is generally used in the form of rubble or rock-faced ashler.

The exhibit at the United States Fish Commission Building was in the large aquarium situated in the southeast corner of the building and the two smaller aquaria immediately adjoining on the right and left.

In the large aquarium the commissioners decided to show the commercial fishes of the State--that is, such fishes as were commonly used for shipping and found in greatest abundance, namely, the carp, buffalo, the coa.r.s.er catfishes, and dogfish. The dogfish in the last few years has become a very important factor in the food supply, having been previously thrown away as worthless, but is now extensively used by a cla.s.s of people in the larger cities and sold alive under the name of gra.s.s ba.s.s. In this aquarium has been carried, for a period of seven months, perhaps the largest amount in weight ever carried in an aquarium for that length of time with so small a percentage of loss.

In the smaller aquaria were shown the game fish of the State, a list of which comprises the black ba.s.s, c.r.a.ppie, sunfishes, yellow perch, white perch, warmouth ba.s.s, and the two varieties of striped ba.s.s.

These aquaria have attracted a great deal of attention, particularly among those who were interested in the subject of fish propagation and distribution, and gave people a better idea of what Illinois produced than could have been obtained by any other method.

The exhibits of the common schools and the five State normal schools were installed under the direction of the State superintendent of public instruction. The material of the exhibits was furnished, except that from the normal schools, by the school districts, without expense to the commission, and in substantial conformity to the following suggestions, sent to the schools about November 1, 1903:

_Cla.s.sification of schools._--Group 1. Elementary education.--Cla.s.s 1.

Country schools. Cla.s.s 2. Semigraded schools. Cla.s.s 3. Graded schools.

Group 2. Secondary education.--Cla.s.s 4. High schools. Cla.s.s 5. Normal schools.

Under this cla.s.sification it is desired to exhibit: (1) Legislation, organization, general statistics; (2) buildings, photographs, plans, models; (3) administrative methods; (4) results obtained by methods of instruction.

The educational exhibit of the university of Illinois occupied a s.p.a.ce 30 by 45 feet, or an area of 1,290 square feet, open upon an aisle on its long dimension. Against the back and the two side walls were gla.s.s-inclosed cases 7 feet high, and above these were many enlarged photographs in frames, showing the main buildings, views of the campus, etc., together with numerous pictures from the department of art and design, also a set of finely colored plates of the food and game fish of Illinois. Other cases occupied a part of the central area of the s.p.a.ce, with room for seats and a writing table.

The exhibits were cla.s.sified according to general subjects ill.u.s.trative of the equipment and work of the colleges of the university from which they came. An attendant was on hand to supply published doc.u.ments and information to visitors.

The exhibit of the college of science contained diagrams and photographs and a set of bound volumes of the contributions to science published by the members of the college faculty, but was otherwise almost wholly ill.u.s.trative of the work of only one of its eight departments, that of chemistry, and in this it was confined to the results of two line of investigation, which have for some years been closely a.s.sociated with the work of the department; first, a study of the chemical composition and heating value of the coals of the State, and, second, a sanitary survey of Illinois waters. The importance of the first is emphasized by the fact that Illinois ranks second among American States in tonnage output, with a valuation in the aggregate of $35,000,000 annually.

The agricultural portion of the university exhibit was designed to show the comparative produce of Illinois soils expressed in terms of both crops and animal products. The yields shown were of corn, wheat, oats, beans, potatoes, apples, tomatoes, milk, b.u.t.ter, cheese, port, mutton, and beef.

The actual amount of corn, wheat, apples, and other crops shown was the normal yield of one-hundredth of an acre of standard fertile soil of Illinois. The milk shown was the amount that should be produced from the same amount of land when growing crops suitable for milk production, and the b.u.t.ter and cheese shown were such as could be made from this milk.

A mounted steer, which when living weighed 750 pounds, represented the amount of beef that should be produced from an acre of soil in one year.

The same land would produce 10 such sheep as shown, weighing in all 1,100 pounds, or 100 pigs like the roaster shown, or their equivalent, with a total weight of 1,400 pounds.

Incidentally the work in soil improvement was shown by a number of yields from soils naturally deficient in fertility, taken both before and after treatment, and thus showing the benefit of intelligent methods of soil restoration.

The articles contributed by the College of Engineering were arranged in an alcove, partly inclosed by cases of books and for folding frames, on which were placed photographs and diagrams mounted on large cards. A larger case contained the more bulky specimens of the work of students in the engineering shops. Above these cases were placed on the walls enlarged views and some original designs by architectural students.

A large series of good photographs arranged for convenient examination presented views of all buildings occupied by the College of Engineering, especially of their interiors, showing cla.s.s and drawing-rooms, shops and laboratories, incidentally ill.u.s.trating much of the equipment of machines and apparatus. A series of large diagrams and tables afforded full information concerning the very remarkable increase in the number of students in attendance during recent years.

The exhibit of the College of Medicine consisted of a large series of normal and pathological specimens and dexterously executed dissections of various portions of the human body. These were mounted so as to show to best advantage the special peculiarities in each case and so as to secure permanent preservation.

_Closing up_.--The closing up of the business of the commission, the sale of the building, furniture, and exhibits involved considerable work. The commission on two separate occasions advertised the building and furniture for sale, advertis.e.m.e.nts to that effect appearing in the St. Louis, Chicago, and Springfield papers. Opportunity was given for the people to bid for the building and furnishings as a whole, for them separately, or for any part. About sixty separate bids were received, some for one article only, many for a few pieces of furniture, and a very few for the building or furniture as a whole. Four bids were received for the building, viz, $200, $500, $750, and $1,000, the bids on the building including a provision that all debris from the wrecking of same should be removed and the ground cleared and left as it was originally, all of which involved considerable expense. The bid of the Southern Illinois Construction Company, of East St. Louis, was the highest, including building, furniture, and furnishings, and amounted to $4,250. This bid was accepted. Articles in other exhibits not included were afterwards disposed of and are included in the financial statement, bringing the amount of salvage to over $5,000. This amount seemed small, but was in line with the results of all expositions. At Chicago, with a net appropriation of $662,000 and with a building and furnishings costing $277,000, the total amount realized from the sale of buildings and furnishings was $3,926.50. At Omaha and Buffalo the amounts realized were less than $1,000.

INDIANA.

On March 9, 1903, the legislature of the State of Indiana appropriated the sum of $150,000 for the necessary expenses of the partic.i.p.ation of Indiana at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. At the same time the governor of the State was authorized and directed to appoint a commission of fifteen persons, not more than nine of whom were to be of the same political party.

Newton W. Gilbert, president; Henry W. Marshall, vice-president; James W. c.o.c.krum, secretary; A.C. Alexander, a.s.sistant secretary; W.W.

Wicks, W.W. Stevens, W.H. O'Brien, Crawford Fairbanks, D.W. Kinsey, N.A. Gladding, Frank C. Ball, C.C. Shirley, Fremont Goodwine, Joseph B. Gra.s.s, Stephen B. Fleming, Melville W. Mix.

The State made altogether seventeen exhibits in the various exhibit palaces, the total value of which was approximately $60,000. The exhibits consisted of needlework and lace work in the Manufactures Building, decorated china in the Varied Industries Building, coal and stone exhibits in the Mines and Metallurgy Building, horticultural exhibit in the Horticultural Building, special corn and dairy exhibits in the Agriculture Building, and general educational, library, college, State board of health, juvenile courts, department of inspection, school for feeble-minded youths, and State board of charities exhibits in the Educational Palace.

The Indiana Building at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition was located in the center of the State group, on one of the most artistic spots within the exposition grounds. It was designed in the spirit of the French renaissance, and was intended to be a resting place for all visitors to meet friends and enjoy social and musical entertainments.

The building was surrounded by a broad terrace, with bal.u.s.trade embellished with flowers and pedestals supporting vases with flowers and vines. The approach was through a s.p.a.cious portico, on either side of which were candelabra of monumental character. A large lounging hall, 30 by 58, was furnished with heavy leather upholstered furniture. On either side were men's and women's resting rooms, 19 by 37, back of which were commodious toilet and retiring rooms. The toilet rooms had tile floors and walls and part.i.tions made of "novus" sanitary gla.s.s, manufactured at Alexandria, Ind. The resting rooms were wainscoted 7 feet high with paneled oak, and were luxuriously furnished with rugs, upholstered furniture, and each was furnished with an upright piano.

In connection with the lounging hall were a secretary's office, a post-office, check room, registry desk, and bureau of information. The broad, s.p.a.cious stairway in the center led to a landing with Corinthian columns supporting an art-gla.s.s dome.

Midway was a large landing and on either side were wide stairs leading to the floor above. This landing merged into a large music room, 25 by 50, superbly furnished with oriental rugs, Louis XIV furniture, and containing two grand pianos.