New York at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St. Louis 1904 Part 1

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

by DeLancey M. Ellis.

CHAPTER I

Introduction and Historical Sketch

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE

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The Louisiana Purchase Exposition was held in the city of St. Louis in 1904, in commemoration of the acquisition in 1803 of the vast territory west of the Mississippi, then called Louisiana. The transfer is generally regarded as one of the most important events in our national history and stands on record as the greatest acquisition of territory ever made by peaceful methods. An American historian of great prominence says: "The annexation of Louisiana was an event so portentous as to defy measurement; it gave a new face to politics and ranked in historical importance next to the Declaration of Independence and the adoption of the Const.i.tution."

The territory was ceded to France by Spain by the secret treaty of San Ildefonso in 1800. This aroused to intense excitement the people of the West, who were inclined to give credit to the rumor that the army of forty thousand men sent by Napoleon (who was responsible for the negotiation of that treaty) were in reality to take military possession of Louisiana and the Floridas instead of to suppress the insurrection in San Domingo, the ostensible object. France and England had been struggling for many years for supremacy in the Western Continent, and in the possession of this vast territory Napoleon foresaw a prosperous New France. But there were many complications arising at home. Important political questions demanded attention, and the great Napoleon soon realized that he could not hope to cope successfully with the two great problems lying at such a great distance apart.

NEGOTIATIONS FOR TRANSFER OF TERRITORY

At that time our country was interested in procuring possession of the site of New Orleans and the free pa.s.sage of the Mississippi river forever for all American citizens, and negotiations were opened for their purchase by Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence, and at that time third President of the United States.

During the negotiations Napoleon suggested the transfer of the whole Louisiana territory and the transaction was brought to a most successful conclusion, the signers of the treaty being James Monroe, Robert R.

Livingston, and F.B. Marbois, the representative of Napoleon. It was a significant bargain. By it Napoleon formed closer bonds of friends.h.i.+p between France and the United States, and prevented any possibility of the territory falling into the hands of Great Britain. He prophesied that this Republic would eventually become a world power and a commercial rival to England. How completely his prophecy was fulfilled.

Our country attained possession of a vast territory embracing more than a million square miles, an area greater than the combined areas of the British Isles, France, Germany, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands and Italy, the consideration being a figure less than that representing the value of a single square block in any one of our great cities, or an amount much smaller than has been yielded by any one of many mines within the boundaries of the territory. Twelve flouris.h.i.+ng states and two territories have since been carved out of Louisiana, and the center of our population is rapidly moving towards that region which was once known as the wilderness of the West.

ROBERT R. LIVINGSTON

It is a matter of the utmost gratification that the State of New York played so important a part in this great event in the person of Robert R. Livingston, who was then United States Minister to France. Dr.

Livingston, the t.i.tle of LL.D. having been conferred upon him by the University of the State of New York, was one of the leading statesmen of his day. A graduate of Kings (now Columbia) College, he began his career in the practice of law in New York city, and was made Recorder of the city in 1773. Elected to the Continental Congress in 1775, he was appointed one of a committee of five to draft the Declaration of Independence, but enforced absence from Philadelphia made it impossible for him to sign the doc.u.ment. He was soon after elected Chancellor of the State of New York, and as such administered the oath of office to George Was.h.i.+ngton as first President of the United States. His previous training in public affairs admirably fitted him for a.s.suming the important duties leading to the transfer of the Louisiana territory, and to him as much as to any individual belongs the credit for the successful consummation of the transaction.

At the Exposition a handsome statue of Livingston, by Lukemann, was erected in the Cascade Gardens, on the approach to the West Pavilion.

Upon the front of the New York State Building appeared this legend: "Robert R. Livingston of New York, Minister to France 1801-1805, inaugurated the negotiations for the Louisiana Purchase and was the first to sign the treaty."

ORIGIN OF THE EXPOSITION

The first action looking towards the commemoration of the Louisiana Purchase was taken at a meeting of the Missouri Historical Society in September, 1898, when a committee of fifty citizens was appointed to take the preliminary steps looking to the observance of the occasion.

This committee recommended the submission of the question to a convention of delegates, representing all the Louisiana Purchase states, and at this convention, which was held at the Southern Hotel, St. Louis, January 10, 1899, it was decided to hold a World's Fair as the most fitting commemoration of the one hundredth anniversary of the acquisition of the Louisiana territory. An executive committee, with the Hon. David R. Francis as chairman, was appointed to carry out the undertaking, and this committee determined that at least $15,000,000, the amount paid to France for the territory, would be needed.

ACTION BY CONGRESS

Congress pa.s.sed a bill in June, 1900, carrying a provisional appropriation of $5,000,000, and pledging governmental support if the city of St. Louis raised $10,000,000. The people went to work with a will and had raised $5,000,000 by popular subscription early in January, 1901, and the following January thirtieth an ordinance was pa.s.sed by the St. Louis Munic.i.p.al a.s.sembly authorizing the issuance of $5,000,000 in city bonds. On March twelfth President McKinley appointed a National Commission of nine members, and in August issued a proclamation inviting all the nations of the world to partic.i.p.ate in the Exposition. Owing to labor difficulties and delay in securing construction material it soon became evident that it would be impossible to hold the fair during the year 1903, as originally planned. Legislation being necessary in order to provide for the necessary postponement, a bill was pa.s.sed by Congress and approved by President Roosevelt June 25, 1902, authorizing the holding of the fair in 1904 instead of 1903, as originally determined.

Beginning with the basic appropriation of $15,000,000, [Footnote: In the winter of 1904 a bill was pa.s.sed by Congress authorizing a Government loan of $4,600,000 to the Exposition Company, to be repaid in instalments from the gate receipts. The loan was entirely canceled early in November, 1904.] as described above, to which had been added $1,000,000 appropriated by the State of Missouri, the great enterprise was projected on a $50,000,000 basis. It was planned to make the universal Exposition at St. Louis the most comprehensive and wonderful that the world had ever seen. How well its projectors succeeded is a matter of recent history. How completely all previous expositions were eclipsed has been told many times in picture and in print.

THE SITE

The site chosen for the Exposition included the western portion of Forest Park, one of the finest parks in the United States. Its naturally rolling ground afforded many opportunities for effective vistas, which were quickly embraced by the Exposition Company's landscape artists.

Containing 1,240 acres, it was a tract approximately two miles long and one mile wide.

The grounds might be said to have been divided into two general sections, the dividing line being Skinker road. To the east was the main picture, so called, which was formed by the grouping of eight magnificent exhibit palaces around Festival Hall, the Colonnade of States and Cascade Gardens.

THE MAIN PICTURE

Festival Hall stood upon a rise of ground well above the princ.i.p.al exhibit palaces, and its majestic dome surmounted by a gilded figure of "Victory," the first "Victory" to take the form of a man, was visible from most any part of the grounds. The grouping of the exhibit palaces was geometric in arrangement, in shape like an open fan, the ribs of the fan being the waterways and plazas between which the exhibit palaces were located.

THE ARCHITECTURE

The architecture, while varied and in some instances striking, was still so modified as to make a most harmonious whole. For purity in architecture the best example was the Palace of Education, which was built on the lines of the Italian Renaissance. For most striking architectural effects the Mines and Metallurgy building was invariably pointed out. It was of composite architecture, comprising features of the Egyptian, Byzantine and Greek. The stately obelisks which guarded its entrance ways and the bas-relief panels which formed its outer facade, were objects of universal interest.

To the southeast of the main group of buildings, and gracefully cl.u.s.tered among the trees, were the state pavilions. Along the extreme northern portion of the grounds for a mile stretched the amus.e.m.e.nt highway, known as the Pike.

OTHER FEATURES

To the west of Skinker road were located the Administration buildings, and, with one or two exceptions, the pavilions of foreign governments, the Agriculture and Horticulture buildings, the Philippine Reservation and the Department of Anthropology. The Intramural railroad, seven miles in length, pa.s.sed the princ.i.p.al points of interest and enabled visitors to get about the grounds with speed and comfort.

To convert this great tract of land into a beautiful park with well-kept roadways embellished with velvety lawns and magnificent flower beds, would seem to be a task greater than man could perform within the short s.p.a.ce of time available for the completion of the Exposition. That it was done, and well done, is a matter of history.

PROCESSES AS WELL AS PRODUCTS

It was early determined that the great Fair should be one of processes, as well as of products; wherever possible there should be life and motion; that the exhibits should answer the question, "How is it done?"

as well as "What is it?" The result was that the Exposition became a constantly changing scene of moving objects and an educational force many times greater than any of its predecessors. The student of Mechanics, Electricity, Pedagogy, the Applied Arts, and other kindred subjects could obtain here within a limited area valuable data, which otherwise could only be collected at the expense of much time and considerable money.

DEDICATION CEREMONIES

The formal dedication ceremonies covered three days, beginning April 30, 1903, the actual date of the Centennial Anniversary of the signing of the treaty, and one year previous to the opening of the Exposition. Our commonwealth was fittingly represented at that time, a special appropriation of $50,000 for the same having been made by the Legislature. Governor Odell and staff, State officers, a joint committee from the Legislature and the members of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Commission attended. There were also present a provisional regiment of infantry of the National Guard, under command of Colonel S.

M. Welch, N.G., N.Y.; a provisional division of the Naval Militia under command of Lieutenant E.M. Harman, Second Battalion; and Squadron "A" of New York, under command of Major Oliver H. Bridgman.

THE FIRST DAY'S PROGRAM

The program for the first day consisted of a grand military parade in the morning and exercises in the Liberal Arts building at two o'clock in the afternoon, followed by fireworks in the evening. The day was cold and unpleasant, and a chill wind blowing from the north caused visitors to seek comfort in heavy wraps.

The Governor of the State of New York and her troops met with a continuous ovation along the line of march of the great military parade, and from every side compliments and felicitations were bestowed upon the State's representatives for so hearty and imposing a partic.i.p.ation in an event a thousand miles from home.

The occasion was graced by the presence of the President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, and by ex-President Grover Cleveland, both of whom made extended remarks at the afternoon exercises.

ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT.