Final Report of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Commission Part 60

Horticulture: One thousand boxes of the best apples grown in the State in 1903 were carried over in St. Louis in cold storage. On May 1 the exhibit was opened with the 500 jars of miscellaneous fruits preserved for this exhibit; on May 15 we began the showing of fresh fruits, which showing was continued with all varieties and ample quant.i.ties (both in Horticultural Hall and in our State building) throughout the season, consuming four carloads of this material received by freight, and 150 boxes miscellaneous fruits in season expressed. Awards--Grand prize, for "collective exhibit of fruits." Gold medals, Yakima County, Chelan County, W.L. Wright, Geo. H. Farwell; silver medals, Chelan County Horticulture a.s.sociation, Chelan County Fair a.s.sociation, Clarkston Fruit Growers' a.s.sociation, Orondo Fruit Farm, Yakima Horticulture a.s.sociation, Washington Irrigation Company (Sunnyside), Wrightville Farm, to 38 individual exhibitors; bronze medals, to 27 individual exhibitors.

Forestry: A comprehensive collection of commercial woods, large dimensions, rough, and a good variety of finish shown in our various booths, counters, tables, etc.; also, a sample collection of all our native woods, rough and finished, exceeding in quant.i.ty (exclusive of the exhibit features of our State building) the exhibit shown by any State.

This exhibit was entered as "collection of commercial woods of best quality and largest dimensions; and the greatest educational exhibit of forestry shown at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, in that it teaches the youth and uninformed adult more of the characteristics and extent of the wonderful forests of the Northwest, and conveys to the residents of the treeless areas of the North-Central States a better knowledge of the quality and duration of their future lumber supply than does any other forestry exhibit shown on the occasion."

Awarded grand prize on "commercial woods." Collaborators--H.

McCormick Lumber Company, the Larson Lumber Company, Grays Harbor Commercial Company, Pat McCoy Logging Company, St. Paul and Tacoma Lumber Company, Clarke-Nickerson Lumber Company, the Northwestern Lumber Company, the Northwestern Woodenware Company, Panel and Folding Box Company (Hoquiam), E.K. Lambert (Elma), and the American Portable House Company.

Agriculture: In this department our s.p.a.ce in Agriculture Hall and the lower floor of our State building was crowded with an exhibit of all cereals in straw and seed, forage gra.s.ses, vegetables, hops, wool, dairy products, etc.

Awarded grand prize on "collection of cereals, forage gra.s.ses, and miscellaneous vegetables;" grand prize on "best one-farm exhibit;" gold medals on various county exhibits, seven in number; gold medals on various mill products, five in number; gold medal on dairy exhibit, by Hazelwood Company; gold medal on hops, wool, and flax; gold medal on beet sugar.

Fisheries: Washington's exhibit in this department included every native leading variety of food fish and game fish, exceeding in numbers and quant.i.ty the showing of any other State. The installation was also the most practical undertaken here, considering the water and temperature, as all live exhibits were failures, and the collective exhibit was awarded first prize.

Game: In this department was shown a comprehensive specimen collection, in whole mounts, of the fur-bearing animals, animals of prey, game animals, and game birds indigenous to the section; one carload. Awarded silver medal.

Mines: In this department was shown the most complete collection of the State's minerals that has ever been made. Entered as "a collection of ores, gold, silver, copper; minerals, fossil collection, coal and c.o.ke; building materials, iron, lead, antimony a.r.s.enic; roadmaking and cement materials, clay and clay products, limestone and lime, soils, mineral waters, ill.u.s.trations." Awarded gold medal on "collective exhibit of ores and minerals;" silver medals to various counties and individual exhibits.

Climate and scenery: Over 400 paintings and photographs were shown in the State building. Not in compet.i.tive exhibit.

Education: Photographic enlargements of all the State's normal schools colleges, and city school buildings; also shown in the State building.

Literature: The "State Book" issued by the commission has been distributed at the rate of 500 per day throughout the period; in addition to which individual literature has been furnished by Seattle, Spokane, Yakima, Everett, Walla Walla, Oregon Railway and Navigation Company, Clarkston, Waitsburg, Tacoma, Bellingham, Wenatchee, Olympia, Great Northern Railway, Northern Pacific Railway Company, Chelan, Pullman, to the total number of 800,000 pieces.

The total expenses on account of partic.i.p.ation in the Exposition were $69,135.47, leaving a balance unexpended of $8,245.

WISCONSIN.

The board of managers for the State of Wisconsin was appointed under an act of the State legislature, and an appropriation of $104,000 was also made for exploiting the State's resources, its educational advantages, and for providing a State building. Of this amount $100,000 was for general exploitation and the State building, and the $4,000 was for use exclusively in showing the work of the State University, which ranks among the leading educational inst.i.tutions of the United States.

The appropriation was apportioned by the board of managers as follows:

Agriculture ............................ $5,000 Dairying ............................... 6,000 Horticulture ........................... 5,000 Agricultural College ................... 1,500 Mines .................................. 5,000 Education .............................. 6,000 State building ......................... 15,000 Furnishings and maintaining ............ 10,000 Forestry ............................... 5,000 Live stock ............................. 10,000 Special university appropriation ....... 4,000

The results obtained from the exploitation are shown in the large number of grand prizes, gold, silver, and bronze medals awarded to the State.

The State building received a gold medal. The Wisconsin building was erected at a cost of only $14,750.

The Wisconsin State Building was located on Commonwealth avenue on the brow of the hill above the United States bird exhibit. The building was original in conception. The design of the building was what is known as the "English cottage." It was a departure from the ordinary semicla.s.sic style of architecture prevalent in the exposition buildings. It gave the impression that it was designed for the spot on which it was located, and it fitted in the slope of the hillside and between the giant forest trees as if it were a part of nature's plan. The structure with its plastered walls and red gable roofs, amid the green foliage, was a welcome relief from the general ma.s.sive architecture of the surrounding buildings.

The building proper was 30 feet from the street. The semicourt was flanked on the north and south by long and wide verandas and a veranda extended across the front of the cottage. The semicourt was a profusion of flowers and shrubbery. The keynote of the building was rest and comfort. The decorative and color schemes were restful and quiet and harmonious. The wainscoting and the grand staircase were finished in Flemish oak, and the furniture was the "mission style," which harmonized with the woodwork. Indian blankets in rich dull reds and blues hung from the railing of the wall, which emphasized the "mission" effect.

The second floor was devoted to the sleeping apartments of the hostess and the board of managers and the governor's suite. The furnishings were of mahogany. In the bas.e.m.e.nt were the dining room, kitchen, and storerooms.

The personnel of the board of managers of the State of Wisconsin was as follows:

W.D. h.o.a.rd, president; A.J. Lindemann, vice-president; Grant Thomas, secretary; S.A. Cook, treasurer; W.H. Flett, William A. Scott, Mrs.

Lucy E. Morris, Mrs. Theodora Youmans; Mrs. Emma I. Walsh, hostess.

In the Palace of Education and Social Economy a comprehensive display of the highly organized school system of the State of Wisconsin was arranged; in the Palace of Agriculture a fine collection of the agricultural and dairy products of the State, also the exhibit of the Agricultural College; in the Palace of Horticulture a superb display of the fruit; in the Palace of Mines and Metallurgy an interesting exhibit of the mineral wealth; in the Palace of Forestry, Fish, and Game a display of the commercial woods, and throughout the fall prize-winning herds of cattle, sheep, horses, and other live stock were on show at the live stock display grounds. The educational exhibit in the Palace of Education was ill.u.s.trative of the progress of Wisconsin's schools. The exhibit embraced the kindergarten, graded schools, high schools, manual training schools, optional study of the German language, public library, the public museum in its connection with the schools, school for the deaf, agricultural school, and barracks or portable schoolhouses for use in the crowded districts of the city. The three free schools of agriculture and domestic economy, located at Madison in connection with the State University, and at Menominee, and Wa.s.sau were especially noteworthy. The two latter are distinctly training schools in agriculture and domestic economy, and are the only schools of their kind in the United States.

The public schools of Milwaukee made a separate display. The furnishings of the entire exhibit, except the cabinets, were made by the pupils of the high school manual training department.

A unique feature of modern school work was ill.u.s.trated by the application of the graphophone in the instruction of the children, and ill.u.s.trations of the results obtained. Unique among the records were those on which had been impressed the voices and declamations of children who have been taught to speak at the public school for the deaf.

The Milwaukee public school exhibit embraced the entire school system, from the enrollment of the student in the kindergarten to the graduation by the high school, the salaries of the teachers, and the financial statement of the school board.

One booth was devoted to the work of the benevolent inst.i.tutions and the United States School for Indians.

The exhibit of the State University was in the Palace of Social Economy.

It was mainly composed of photographs of the university buildings, grounds, equipment, and of cla.s.ses at work.

Wisconsin made its best record in the display in the Agricultural Palace, which was made up of agricultural products of the State and of b.u.t.ter and cheese exhibits. The s.p.a.ce that was allotted to Wisconsin was utilized to the best possible advantage. Every grain grown in the Badger State was exhibited in the stalk or sheaf and in the threshed state.

There were also, from time to time, fresh exhibits of seasonable vegetables.

The display in the Horticultural Palace was comprehensive enough to include about all of the fruits produced in the State. Eighty-nine varieties of Wisconsin apples were shown. There were shown 18 kinds of Wisconsin grown strawberries; 5 varieties of crab apples; 47 kinds of plums; 4 kinds of pears; 5 kinds of gooseberries, and 4 kinds of cranberries.

Wisconsin's fame as a cranberry-producing State was brought to the attention of the visitors by a miniature representation of a Wisconsin cranberry bog.

Under the head of "mining interest," there were included all of the various distinctive mining industries and the granite and other stone productions of the State, and its clay development. All of this was included in the State's display in the Mines and Metallurgy Building. A clever representation of a cross section of a lead and zinc mine was interesting.

In the center of this exhibit was a pyramid of red hemat.i.te iron ore from the famous Menominee, Baraboo, and Gogebic districts.

In the display of metals, Wisconsin showed zinc, lead, iron, copper, and graphite. The last was new in the State, and promised great results.

The display of granite and building stones was of interest, and a polished shaft of Montello granite was greatly admired.

The display included samples of various clays for which the State is famous, together with examples of the wares made from them.

In the Forestry, Fish, and Game Building, Wisconsin made a comprehensive display of its commercially important woods. There were 14 kinds of timber suitable for commercial purposes, together with the furnishings of the display, which were also of Wisconsin wood. Of the woods the more important were white and red and curly birch.

There were, in 4 large cases, lifelike specimens of the taxidermist's art. Prominently displayed was the Wisconsin badger, and other cases contained bear, deer, and porcupines in characteristic att.i.tudes.

The live stock exhibits of the State were very successful, although handicapped by a small appropriation.

The entries consisted of horses--Percherons, Clydesdales, hackneys, and English coach animals. In cattle there were Guernseys, Shorthorns, and Jerseys. In sheep, Shropshires, Bembouillets, and Cotswolds. In swine, Tamworths, Berkshires, and Poland Chinas. Poultry, of all breeds, and pigeons were also displayed.

WYOMING.

By act of the seventh legislature of the State of Wyoming in 1903, provision was made for the appointment by the governor of a commission of seven members to secure a collection of the resources and products of this State and to properly display and care for the same at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, at St. Louis in 1904, celebrating the one hundredth anniversary of the acquisition of the Louisiana Territory from the Government of France.

The same act appropriated $25,000 from the general revenues of the said State of Wyoming, to be used in the purpose aforesaid.

In pursuance of such act of the Wyoming legislature, Governor DeForest Richards appointed the following commission:

Clarence B. Richardson, commissioner in chief; Robert H. Homer, Bryant B. Brooks, Willis George Emerson, George E. Pexton, Charles A. Badgette, William C. Deming.

Whereas the law provided that the said commission should meet at the State capital and organize within fifteen days of the date of appointment, a meeting was held upon the 20th day of March, 1903. The following were elected: