Final Report of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Commission Part 52

Another very instructive and important feature was the mosquito exhibit, which was intended to ill.u.s.trate the work which has been done by authority of the State of New Jersey in studying the life, history, and methods of dealing with the mosquito pest. The work was in charge of Prof. John B. Smith, the State entomologist, and the exhibit was prepared under his direction. It consisted of a series of table cases in which were shown the common species of mosquitoes, with their larvae as well as their natural enemies. Enlarged drawings gave the character of each species so far as they were not obvious on ordinary examination.

At one end of the square was represented a marsh area divided into two parts. One of these showed breeding pools, where the immense sh.o.r.e crop develops. The other showed fiddler crabs and other creatures that provide a natural drainage for the meadows inhabited by them. Areas where fiddler crabs live are never mosquito breeders, and as a matter of fact only a small percentage of the entire salt, marsh country is dangerous. Ill.u.s.trations showed drainage ditches, the methods of making them, and also typical areas where the insects breed.

New Jersey had an exhibit also of road building in the Model City, showing the manner of constructing and maintaining the excellent highways of that State.

In the Palace of Liberal Arts interesting exhibits were displayed by various business enterprises of the State. This included a variety of printing presses, books, binding, and publications of different series, musical instruments, philosophical and scientific apparatus, coins and medals, as well as an exhibit of chemical and pharmaceutical arts, and model plans and designs for public work.

In the Palace of Manufactures and Varied Industries New Jersey exhibits attracted considerable attention. The display included hardware, carpets, tapestries, fabrics for upholstery, wearing apparel, silks, and clothing.

In the Palace of Electricity New Jersey displays ranked among the best, as was also the case in the Palace of Machinery.

In the Transportation Building and the Palace of Agriculture the displays, while not large, were very commendable.

NEW MEXICO.

The legislature of the Territory of New Mexico in March ,1903, appropriated the sum of $30,000 for the purpose of adequately representing the resources and products of the Territory at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. Shortly after the pa.s.sage of the act the governor of New Mexico appointed the following commission, which subsequently met and elected its officers:

Charles A. Spiess, president; Carl A. Dalies, vice-president; Arthur Seligman, treasurer; W.B. Walton, secretary; Herbert J. Hagerman, Eusebio Chacon, Fayette A. Jones, and H.W. Porterfield, managers; W.C.

Porterfield, a.s.sistant manager.

The ten or eleven years that have elapsed since the Columbian Exposition at Chicago have brought great changes to New Mexico, and the marked advancement and progress made along all lines were emphasized in a comparison of her exhibits at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition with those at Chicago. The Territory had large and excellent exhibits, displayed in a most attractive and interesting manner and showing many of the splendid products of that country, as well as the educational facilities and other interesting features, and it was felt that the chance for statehood had much advanced by the excellent impression made at the fair.

Great irrigation enterprises within the last decade have reclaimed large areas of fine agricultural land, providing happy homes for people in that beautiful and delightful climate.

The superior products shown in New Mexico's agricultural and horticultural exhibits were a revelation to visitors, and demonstrated that the very best results and most perfect development in fruits and farm products are obtained by irrigation and sunny skies. The fruits, grains, vegetables, and other products of the soil shown had few equals.

The exhibits were larger and better than have ever been made by the Territory at previous expositions.

New Mexico's exhibit in the Palace of Mines and Metallurgy ably presented the status of one of her most important industries, showing the production of a vastly greater number of producing mines than it was possible to show ten years ago, or when the Territory made an exhibit at Chicago, and it also included a far greater range of minerals, anthracite and bituminous coal, iron, zinc, lead, mineralogical forms, besides mica, gypsum, salt, sulphur, asbestos, marble, onyx, and building stone. A unique and most important product of the mines of New Mexico was the beautiful blue gem stone, the finest and most valuable turquoise found in any part of the world. The Territory had the only turquoise exhibits at the exhibition. One was in the mineral exhibit in the Palace of Mines and Metallurgy, and a larger and perhaps the most extensive exhibit of this stone ever shown was in the Varied Industries Building. An exhibit of a turquoise mine and its products was shown in the gulch, or outside mining exhibit, where a reproduction of the famous turquoise mines of Porterfield, near Silver City, N. Mex., showed the actual geological occurrence of the gem. This was accomplished by bringing to the fair several tons of the rock from the mine with turquoise embedded in it, just as it was when the chemical processes of nature were preparing the beautiful jewels to delight the eye of man.

New Mexico's greatest pride was her educational exhibit, which showed results of splendid schoolroom work and by photographs recorded the grand and stately school buildings, demonstrating that New Mexico was, in proportion to her population, in no way behind the older States in her public school system. At Chicago the school exhibit represented only a few inst.i.tutions, and these in a limited way; while at St. Louis a very large number of splendid graded schools and country schools were represented by fine exhibits. Besides the work of the colleges of agriculture and mechanical arts, the Military Inst.i.tute, a university, a school of mines, two normal schools, and a number of denominational schools of higher order were displayed.

The beautifully arranged ethnological exhibit in the Department of Anthropology consisted of a valuable collection, chief among which was the wonderful Harvey collection, brought from Albuquerque.

Among the numerous beautiful buildings which adorned the Plateau of States, many of which were reproductions of historic structures or homes of some of the nation's famous citizens, stood the pretty structure erected by New Mexico, a gem in point of architecture and interior decoration, and one of the ornamental features of the exposition.

NEW YORK.

_New York commission_.--Edward H. Harriman, president; William Berri, vice-president; Louis Stern, chairman of executive committee; Edward Lyman Bill, treasurer; Lewis Nixon, Frank S. McGraw, Mrs. Norman E.

Mack, Frederick R. Green, John C. Woodbury, John K. Stewart, James H.

Callahan, John Young; Charles A. Ball, secretary and chief executive officer; Mrs. Dore Lyon, a.s.sistant secretary.

New York State's partic.i.p.ation in the Louisiana Purchase Exposition was calculated to exploit fully the wonderful resources of the State, as well as to set forth what the Empire State is accomplishing in the various lines of humanitarian work. The New York State commission started out with the idea of making exhibits only in lines where New York was preeminently the leader. On this account and for the reason that the appropriation was relatively limited, exhibits were planned to cover seven distinct departments. It was intended at the outset to make these exhibits strong in every detail, and the commission believes that the close of the exposition has demonstrated the excellent judgment exercised.

The most conspicuous feature of New York's partic.i.p.ation in the exposition was her State Building. An excellent site was chosen for this structure, and a handsome building was erected in a conspicuous place on the plateau of the States on the exposition grounds. The building occupied the most commanding site on the State plateau of any of the State buildings. It also enjoyed the benefits of Forest Park, both in front and rear, which made it one of the coolest buildings on the grounds.

The building was simple, but dignified, in design; of Italian architecture in the colonial treatment. Martini's Quadriga flanked the dome, representing the progress or art and commerce, and Lenz's dancing group was placed around the columns at the entrances. A very large hall ran through to the dome, the lower part of which was treated in the Doric order, and the whole was scholarly, dignified, and beautiful in design. Another interesting feature in the hall was the organ case, which was designed particularly for this place. This hall was flanked on the northern side by a large a.s.sembly hall with a barrel ceiling running up to the second story, and the treatment of this room in old gold, Antwerp blues, and siennas was beautiful. The draperies were in green velvet, and the chairs were of leather, treated to represent the old Spanish illuminated leather. The floors were carefully made. There were rooms for banquets or functions of any kind. On the westerly side were the waiting rooms for men and women, writing rooms, and also retiring rooms and toilets.

The mural decorations of the large hall were done by Florian Peixotto, and represented De Soto discovering the Mississippi, one showing the French and Indian occupation of the land, and others showing New York in 1803 and New York in 1903. The pendentives, which supported the dome, had four emblematic pictures representing the four States most benefited by the purchase, the blue Mississippi in the background of each.

The second story was divided into apartments for the commissioners and the offices of the secretary, which were perfect in appointments. The suites were composed of parlor, bedroom, and baths.

A piano of great beauty, with inlays and paintings, was contributed by a leading New York manufacturer, a picture of Niagara Falls being particularly fine. A company of New York contributed the organ as an exhibit, and concerts were given each afternoon of the fair.

The grounds received careful consideration, and there were many beds of flowers and shrubbery, such as lily ponds, poppy beds, hydrangeas, and cannae.

The amount of money appropriated by the State of New York for partic.i.p.ation at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition was $390,000. There were no private subscriptions of any sort, but many exhibits were loaned to the commission from the various departments of the State to be displayed. The cost of installing the various exhibits was $10,755. This did not include the cost of labor in placing the exhibit, as the work was done by men who were employed by the State in the various departments. The cost of transportation of exhibits was $12,342. The State building cost $88,275.23 to erect.

Upon the landscape gardening, which was one of the most admired features of the exposition, was expended the sum of $4,465.75. The organ case alone cost $3,500. Including that, the total amount expended for furnishing the State building was $23,423.96.

New York displayed her products in six of the exhibit palaces, namely: Agriculture, Horticulture, Education, Forest, Fish and Game, Fine Arts, and Mines and Metallurgy. In addition to this there was a very fine exhibit of live stock. New York State was the only successful exhibitor of a forest nursery.

It is impossible to give an approximate value of the exhibits. In the Fine Arts Department, New York had 1,112 out of a total of 3,524 exhibits. They were selected after very careful scrutiny by a jury appointed by the National Academy of Design, and consisted of oil paintings, mural paintings, water colors, miniatures, ill.u.s.trations, etchings, engravings, lithographs, wood engravings, sculpture, architecture, and applied arts.

The commission made appropriations for the various exhibits as follows:

Agriculture and live stock .................... $25,000 Horticulture and floriculture ................. 20,000 Forestry, fish, and game ...................... 18,000 Fine arts ..................................... 10,000 Scientific exhibit ............................ 7,500 Education and social economy .................. 27,500

The education exhibit was composite in nature and was subdivided as follows: Administration, kindergarten, elementary grades, high schools, normal schools, training schools and cla.s.ses, higher education, industrial and trade schools, special schools, business colleges, Indian schools, schools for defectives, summer schools, and extension schools.

There were exhibits from both the State department of public instruction and the University of the State of New York. In the public schools exhibit contributions were received from 24 cities and various villages.

There was also a comprehensive exhibit from the rural schools of the State. In the normal school exhibit contributions were received from every normal school. The training schools and cla.s.ses of the State were very generally represented. Exhibits were in place from Hobart College, Geneva; Manhattan College, New York City; Colgate University, Hamilton, and Syracuse University. In the schools for defectives there were exhibits from the New York State School for the Blind, Batavia; New York Inst.i.tution for the Blind, New York City; Western New York Inst.i.tution for Deaf Mutes, Rochester; New York Inst.i.tution for the Improved Instruction of Deaf Mutes, New York City, and the New York Inst.i.tution for the Deaf and Dumb, New York City. The exhibit from the Indian schools contained work from all of the seven reservations in the State, and was arranged by the State inspector of Indian schools.

Owing to the plan of installation adopted by the exposition authorities, the State exhibit in the Department of Social Economy was found in several different places. The State commission in lunacy made an interesting exhibit of the ancient and modern methods of caring for insane patients. There was also a model showing the tent system for treatment of tuberculosis. The State board of charities made a very complete exhibit of the several State inst.i.tutions under its jurisdiction, first, by means of photography of exteriors and interiors, and, second, by specimens of work carried on in the industrial departments of the various inst.i.tutions. They also made an elaborate photographic exhibit of the almshouses in the State and of the penitentiaries. The State labor bureau sent a series of 28 graphic charts bearing on labor conditions in the State and comparisons between New York and other States and countries. This was supplemented by a series of the reports of the bureau. The State department of health furnished an exhibit of the blanks generally used in the administration of the department of health and graphically showed the work under its jurisdiction. The State excise department furnished a series of graphic charts upon the receipt and disburs.e.m.e.nt of the excise moneys of the State.

The New York agricultural exhibit differed from the other exhibits in the Agricultural Building in that the object sought was educational rather than spectacular. In wheat there were over 500 varieties and about 1,000 samples; in corn, about 100 varieties and 300 samples; beans, 75 varieties; peas, 50 varieties; oats, 20 varieties; barley, 8 varieties; buckwheat, 50 samples, and other grains in proportion. There were also exhibits of tobacco, salt, canned fruits of every variety, canned meats and fish, hops, flour, maple sirup and sugar, including varieties of potatoes.

In the Cheese Department New York had over half of the exhibit. In the b.u.t.ter Department a facsimile of the Liberty Bell in b.u.t.ter, exact size, with all the inscriptions.

New York had the largest exhibit in the Horticultural Palace and also had more than twice the number of varieties of any other State. New York was the only State showing pears and grapes.

In exhibiting the timber indigenous to the State in the Forestry, Fish, and Game Building, two specimens of each species were shown in paneled framework, showing both sides of the specimen.

In connection with the specimens of timber were exhibited a series of photographs of trees of New York, eight in number. Each tree was shown in leaf and also as it appears in winter. A life-size photograph of the bark of each tree was shown, and in most instances specimens of the leaves, flowers, and fruit. In this connection there were in small gla.s.s jars seeds of all the important forest trees of New York, also by-products of the forest, such as nuts, sugar, pulp, wood alcohol, and many other commodities.

A collection of all the insects injurious to the trees of New York was shown in an attractive manner in cases.

The outside exhibit of New York consisted of a nursery and plantation of forest trees. As a part of the inside exhibit were shown specimens of substantially all the food and game fishes of New York. No attempt was made to show abnormally large specimens; the purpose was to show the average fish, true to color and size. The collection included both fresh and salt water specimens of the fishes of New York. Some interesting specimens of oyster growth and of the enemies of the oyster were also shown.

A part of the inside exhibit was a typical hunter camp. It was constructed of spruce logs and roofed with spruce bark from the Adirondack forest by Adirondack guides.

An outside exhibit of forestry consisted of a nursery and plantation of forest trees, showing the method by which the forest, fish, and game commission of New York is foresting the denuded, nonagricultural lands of the State. The plot was 120 feet by 60 feet and contained 80,000 trees.

In the Mines Building were displayed ten geological maps of the State of New York, besides a relief map of the State, a hypsometric map, a road map, and publications on mineralogical works besides photographs. In metallic products there were iron ores, lead and zinc, and pyrites. In nonmetallic products there were displayed garnet, emery, millstones, infusorial earth, mineral paints, graphite, talc, mica, salt, gypsum, land plaster, and plaster of Paris. In building stones there were shown granite, diabase, morite, sandstone, bluestone, limestone, marble, slate, and marl.

A pavilion was erected in order to display the clay products of the State. The collection was of type products rather than a great ma.s.s of similar clays. New York State produces roofing tile, and several styles were wrought into the roof of the pavilion. The brick were of several styles and colors, from the cla.s.sic roman dry-press brick to the rough rock-face clinker which forms the base course of the structure.