New York at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St. Louis 1904 Part 5

With the exception of closing up its affairs, this marked the end of the Commission's work and before adjournment the following resolutions commending the efficiency and faithfulness of its employees were spread upon the minutes, and a copy was sent to each attache:

"WHEREAS, this Commission is about to close its work, and for this reason must necessarily very soon dispense with the services of the appointees who have served under it since its organization and during the life of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, it is eminently fitting that we make record of the faithfulness and loyalty with which said appointees of every character whatsoever have discharged their respective duties; therefore, be it

"_Resolved_, that we take pleasure in certifying to the efficient manner in which our Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Charles A. Ball, has discharged the important duties attached to his position.

From the very inception of the work upon which this Commission entered, Mr. Ball has proven to be most loyal and faithful, and has ever been ready and willing to carry out the instructions of this Commission. His wide acquaintance with the people of New York State, and especially with her official representatives, has been of inestimable service to this Commission, not only while the various exhibits were being developed, but also during the Exposition period itself. That Mr. Ball has popularized the Commission's work at St. Louis is attested by the universal commendation which he has received from New York people who have come in contact with him during their visits to the Exposition and to the New York State building. Mr. Ball has shown himself to be most capable in directing the various appointees at the State building and in the several exhibit departments in the discharge of their various duties, and has not only carried an this work to the best interests of the State, but in such a manner as to greatly endear himself to this Commission and to all of its employees as well. His foresight in providing for the necessary vigilance during the hours of the night in the protection of the lives of those in the State building, once seriously jeopardized by fire, as well as the property of the State from loss by fire, is especially ent.i.tled to the sincere thanks and grat.i.tude of this Commission;

"_Resolved_, that in Chief Clerk Anthony Pfau, Stenographer Seward H. French, Clerks Herman W. Kandt and Harry A. Sylvester, the experience of this Commission has demonstrated that it made most worthy selections.

They have been faithful a.s.sistants to Mr. Ball in the discharge of his duties and this Commission gladly records its commendation of the ability with which they have discharged their duties;

"_Resolved_, that we extend to the Honorable Frank J. Le Fevre, the Superintendent, and Mr. George B. Cowper, the a.s.sistant Superintendent, our sincere appreciation for the most praiseworthy manner in which they have discharged the difficult duties falling to them, and our very pleasant relations with them shall be ever held in grateful remembrance;

"_Resolved_, that we have been especially gratified with the highly satisfactory manner in which Mrs. Dore Lyon, the hostess, Mrs. F. B.

Applebee, the a.s.sistant hostess, and Miss Laura C. MacMartin, the matron at the State building, have acquitted themselves of the duties a.s.signed to them. We especially accord them our highest appreciation;

"_Resolved_, that this Commission especially commends the faithful and efficient services rendered by Mr. DeLancey M. Ellis, Mr. J. H.

Durkee, Mr. Charles H. Vick, Mr. A. B. Strough, Mr. H. H. Hindshaw, Mr.

Harry Watrous and Mr. Charles M. Kurtz, and all their a.s.sistants in the various exhibit departments, in which our State has signalized her pre-eminence as shown by the large number of awards received. These gentlemen have always proven loyal to the interests of the State and to this Commission and they are ent.i.tled to the highest regard by this Commission;

"_Resolved_, that for all the subordinate employees of this Commission throughout the State building and all the departments working under this Commission, this Commission desires at this time to make complete record of their efficient loyalty and faithfulness in the discharge of the various duties a.s.signed to them, and we especially attest our full appreciation for their efforts at all times to make the work of this Commission in enhancing the interests of the State a complete success;

"_Resolved_, that we cannot forget the efficiency of Mr. Hugh J.

Baldwin, who, we believe, by his watchfulness at the time of the fire in the State building, saved the lives of many of the occupants of the building as well as the property of the State; for Mr. Hugh W. Bingham, also on duty during that night, who so efficiently aided Mr. Baldwin in protecting life and property, we here record our sincerest grat.i.tude; and be it further

"_Resolved_, that these resolutions be spread upon the minutes of the proceedings of this Commission and the Secretary is hereby authorized to transmit a copy of these resolutions to each of the employees of this Commission."

[Ill.u.s.tration: VARIED INDUSTRIES BUILDING]

CHAPTER III

New York State Building

The New York State building was admirably located upon one of the most attractive sites within the gift of the Exposition Company, to whom the Commission, in behalf of the State of New York, desire to make grateful acknowledgment.

THE SITE

The building stood on the brow of a hill, the land sloping off gently to the north, and faced upon a broad plaza, through which ran one of the most frequented highways within the grounds, known as Commonwealth avenue. For its neighbors were the buildings of Kansas, Iowa, Ma.s.sachusetts, Ohio, Wisconsin and Oklahoma, while westward, at the foot of the hill, was located the great cage erected by the United States government, which held the exhibit of live birds from the Smithsonian Inst.i.tute.

To no state, with the possible exception of Missouri, the home state, was so large a site a.s.signed as to New York. Its extent, the undulating character of the grounds, and the presence of many beautiful, stately trees, afforded countless opportunities for landscape effects. From the opening day the grounds presented a charming appearance, the well-kept lawns giving place here and there to large beds of nasturtiums, poppies, cannae, and rhododendrons, while at the lowest point on the grounds, near the northeast corner, was located a lily pond. It was filled with the choicest aquatic plants of every variety, which were furnished through the courtesy of Shaw's Gardens and the Missouri Botanical Society. During the season many beautiful bouquets of varicolored blossoms were gathered and its surface was almost entirely covered by odd shaped leaves from which peeped here and there the buds of pond lilies.

TRANSFER OF SITE TO THE STATE

The site was formally turned over to the Commission on October 1, 1902, and was received by a committee appointed by the president, consisting, of Commissioners John K. Stewart, John C. Woodbury and James H.

Callanan. The ceremony took place in the presence of Honorable David R.

Francis, president of the Exposition Company, the Director of Works, and other Exposition officials, the committee of the New York State Commission and invited guests.

The exercises were brief but impressive. President Francis spoke as follows:

REMARKS OF PRESIDENT FRANCIS

"A universal exposition, either in the United States or elsewhere, would be incomplete if the Empire State of the American Union were not represented. This site has been selected for the great State of New York, and upon this location we trust there will be erected a structure which will be in keeping with the glorious record New York and her sons have made from the beginning of this country. New York needs no encomium from me, none in fact from her sons. She speaks for herself. The Director of Works will present to the chairman of the New York Commission the site for the building of the State of New York."

Honorable Isaac S. Taylor, Director of Works, then formally presented the site to the Commission, handing to Commissioner John K. Stewart a handsome banner of purple silk, upon which was painted the coat of arms of the State of New York. Driving the staff in the ground, thus marking the site, Commissioner Stewart said:

REMARKS OF COMMISSIONER STEWART

"Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Commission: In behalf of New York State I receive this emblem. We shall erect here a building suitable for the great Empire State of New York. I wish to introduce to you Honorable James H. Callanan, of Schenectady, who will respond in behalf of the Commission."

Commissioner James H. Callanan then made the following address:

ADDRESS OF COMMISSIONER CALLANAN

"In behalf of the Commission representing the Commonwealth of New York, I take pleasure in accepting the site allotted for the Empire State's building at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition. With this acceptance I beg you to receive the a.s.surance from our Commission that New York will do her share to make the Exposition an unquestioned success. Upon this site we expect to erect a handsome and commodious structure where New Yorkers may meet one another during the Exposition, and where they may welcome their fellow citizens from every section of our common country.

New York is also desirous of having exhibited here upon these s.p.a.cious grounds the evidences of her prestige in the domain of manufacture, of commerce, of agriculture, of science and of art.

"The American people are progressive. The indomitable courage and ambition of the American knows no cessation of effort, no lagging behind. The expositions held in our country have celebrated great epochs of our advancement, and they will be pointed out to future generations as evidences of the onward march of a people unparalleled in the history of the human race.

"To these great achievements of a mighty people it is impossible to estimate the share contributed by the st.u.r.dy pioneers and their descendants of this vast tract of country, the cession of which more than doubled the area of our country a century ago. What great states have been carved out of this territory! What wonderful wealth of resources have been brought forth here! What a splendid citizenship has been established in this vast region! New York rejoices with you in the giant strides made by this newer section of our country.

"It certainly is most appropriate at this time when the republic is reaching out as a world power that we should celebrate the anniversary of the first great chapter in the history of our national expansion.

Time has proven that Jefferson and his compeers built greater than they knew, for by that acquisition of territory there was developed a spirit of national progress that did not cease even when we first learned to know no superior among the nations of the earth.

"Representatives of half a dozen different nations met in the smoking room of an ocean liner sometime ago. It was suggested that each nation be toasted. An Englishman paid a glowing tribute to his country. A Frenchman lauded his nation and a Russian eulogized the land of the Czar. Then an American arose and said: 'Here is to the United States, bounded on the north by the North Pole, on the east by the rising sun, on the south by the South Pole, and on the west by the setting sun.' As he finished another American present requested that he be permitted to attempt an improvement on the toast given by his countryman, which request was granted. He then toasted the United States in this fashion: 'Here's to the United States, bounded on the north by the Aurora Borealis, on the east by infinite chaos, on the south by the procession of the Equinoxes, and on the west by the day of judgment.' This indeed is extravagant language, but that fellow possessed the American spirit which recognizes no limit to the possibilities of our future.

"I recognize that this is no occasion for state boasting. Each state, territory and American possession is unselfishly interested in the success of this Exposition. However, in connection with what New York is expected to do for this grand enterprise, you will pardon, I know, this very brief reference I make to New York's supremacy in population, in wealth, in manufactures and in commerce. I think it less than twenty years ago that New York was ahead in agricultural productions, too.

Agricultural supremacy has been tending westward for nearly a half century, however, and we cheerfully surrender to your broad prairies.

Iowa, Ohio and Illinois now outrank us in farm industry, the first once a part of the Louisiana tract and the other two cut from the Northwest Territory.

"An Eastern farmer on his first visit to the west asked his Western brother how it was that 'he could plow such straight furrows over such enormous fields.' 'That's easy,' said the native, 'we follow the parallels of lat.i.tude and the meridians of longitude.' That reply was significant. It demonstrates quite fully where agriculture is king in the United States.

"The end of the great strides that you are making here in the west is not in sight. Some day your population will be as dense as ours. Slowly, but steadily, the center of population is creeping westward and by another decade or so it will most likely cross the great Father of Waters and move across the land which Jefferson's genius gave to the republic. New York will be more powerful by reason of your greatness.

Your increasing productions will contribute to our commercial prestige more and more as the years roll on to make our metropolis continue to be the greatest seaport on this continent for all time.

"We share your glory in more ways than this, too. Many of the st.u.r.dy men and women who have settled within the confines of this great region were native New Yorkers. Our blood has been mingled with yours and our children are first cousins of yours. New York gave to you because she could spare and you accepted of us because you wanted the best you could find.

"New York then bids the people of this section All Hail! We are with you heart and soul to make the Exposition a magnificent success. New York has never failed when a patriotic effort was demanded and as ever before she will now respond with enthusiasm and will do everything possible here to sustain her imperial position.

"Let us hope that the Exposition will accomplish all that is intended.

Let our prayer be that all Americans who pa.s.s within the gates when all shall be made ready for the opening of this Exposition in 1904, will cherish a higher ambition and a greater love of country and be impelled to declare with the poet, that

"'There is a land of every land the pride, Beloved of Heaven, o'er all the world beside, where brighter suns dispense serener light, And milder moons imparadise the night.

Oh, thou shalt find howe'er thy footsteps roam, That land thy country and that spot thy home.'"