New York at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, St. Louis 1904 Part 2

The Art Department was presided over by Professor Halsey C. Ives, now of St. Louis, but formerly of New York State. The old school house in which he received the ground work of his education still stands at Montour Falls, Schuyler county. Professor Ives was also Chief of Arts at the Columbian Exposition in 1893. The Chief of the Department of Machinery, Thomas M. Moore, is a native, and has always been a resident, of New York city. He was in charge of the Departments of Machinery, Transportation, Agricultural Implements, Graphic Arts and Ordnance at the Pan American Exposition in Buffalo.

Of late years Dr. Tarleton H. Bean, Chief of the Forest, Fish and Game Department, has been a resident of New York State. In 1895 he became the director of the Aquarium in New York city and rebuilt that establishment. He was Chief of the Department of Forestry and Fisheries for the United States at the Paris Exposition in 1900.

The Chief of the Department of Physical Culture, James E. Sullivan, has always been a New Yorker. He is an acknowledged athletic record authority and editor of the official athletic almanac. He was in charge of the American contingent that competed in the Olympic games at the Paris Exposition, and was also director of athletics at the Pan American Exposition.

SCULPTORS

The heroic equestrian statue "The Apotheosis of St. Louis," generally considered one of the finest works of its kind, which stood at the very gateway to the Fair grounds, symbolizing the cordial welcome extended by the city to her guests from every part of the world, was the work of Charles H. Niehaus, of New York city. The sculpture of the Louisiana Purchase monument, the surmounting figure typifying "Peace" and the base decoration of groups representing scenes connected with the purchase, was by Karl Bitter, chief of sculpture of the Exposition, another New Yorker. Just in front of the monument and looking upon the grand basin were four groups portraying frontier life, ent.i.tled "The Buffalo Dance", "A Step to Civilization", "Peril of the Plains", and "A Cowboy at Rest", all being the work of Solon Borglum, another New Yorker. The crowning artistic and architectural effects of the whole Fair were embraced in Festival Hall and the Cascades. These were the work of two New York men, Ca.s.s Gilbert and Emanuel S. Masqueray. Mr. Gilbert was the architect of Festival Hall and Mr. Masqueray designed the Cascades and the Colonnade of States. Mr. Masqueray had other notable pieces of work in evidence about the grounds.

The Palace of Manufactures, standing just to the east of the Plaza St.

Louis, was the work of Messrs. Carrere and Hastings, also New Yorkers.

It was regarded as one of the most successful structures upon the grounds from an architect's point of view and it was appropriate that to New York men should have been intrusted the construction of the building in which exhibits of manufactures were displayed, in view of the pre-eminence of our State from a manufacturing and commercial standpoint.

And so throughout all the departments of the great Fair and throughout the season, one constantly encountered those who by some tie were bound to New York. Many of her sons who had gone forth in their youth came back and called at the New York State building and recalled some pleasant incident of the old days or made grateful acknowledgment of some benefit which had come to them from their native state. One of the most delightful features of all the experiences of those who had the honor officially to represent the Empire State at St. Louis was the meeting of the sons and daughters who had long since left home.

CONCLUSION

The gates had scarcely closed for the last time when the work of destruction and demolition began. All of the beauties of the dream city which for seven months had been the admiration of thousands and an inspiration to all to do higher and better things, were swept away almost in a night and soon the whole scene will be restored to a park.

To those who had come to love its majestic structures, its placid waterways, its attractive vistas and its fairy like illumination, comes a pang of regret tempered with the feeling of gratefulness that it ever existed and that it was their privilege to witness it secure in the knowledge that it shall always be theirs to remember and to dream of.

Most effectually was the whole story told in an address on Chicago Day, by Ernest McGaphey, a poet from that city.

"In its truest sense this Exposition is epic and dramatic. The mere prose of it will come to lie neglected on the dusty shelves of statisticians, but its poetry will be a priceless legacy to generations that will follow. And thus there is one light only which may not fade from the windows of Time--one glint to illuminate the flight of the dying years--that gleam which lives in fancy and in memory.

"And when this vision of magic departs; when the ivory towers have vanished, and the sound of flowing waters has been stilled, there will exist with us yet the recollection of it all. And so at the end the most enduring fabric known to man is woven of the warp and woof of dreams.

The canvas of the great painters will crumble, the curves of n.o.ble statuary be ground into dust by Time, and all this pageantry of art and commerce disappear. But memory will keep a record of these days as a woman will treasure old love letters, and in the last a.n.a.lysis the height and breadth, the depth and scope of this splendid achievement shall be measured by a dream."

CHAPTER II

The Louisiana Purchase Exposition Commission, State of New York

[ILl.u.s.tRATION]

The first steps looking toward the official partic.i.p.ation of the State of New York in the Louisiana Purchase Exposition were taken by the Legislature of 1902, which pa.s.sed the following act, receiving executive approval on April 7, 1902:

CHAPTER 421, LAWS OF 1902

An Act to provide for the representation of the state of New York at the Louisiana purchase exposition at Saint Louis, Missouri, and making an appropriation therefor.

Became a law, April 7, 1902, with the approval of the Governor. Pa.s.sed, three-fifths being present.

_The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and a.s.sembly, do enact as follows:_

SECTION 1. The governor is hereby authorized to appoint twelve commissioners to represent the state of New York at the Louisiana purchase exposition to be held at Saint Louis, Missouri, beginning on the first day of May, nineteen hundred and three, and ending on the thirtieth day of November, nineteen hundred and three, and for the purposes of this act such commissioners shall be known as the "Louisiana purchase exposition commission." Such commission shall encourage and promote a full and complete exhibit of the commercial, educational, industrial, artistic and other interests of the state and its citizens at such exposition, and shall provide, furnish and maintain, during the exposition, a building or room for a state exhibit and for the official headquarters of the state, and for the comfort and convenience of its citizens and its exhibitors.

2. The members of the commission shall receive no compensation for their services, but shall be ent.i.tled to the actual necessary expenses incurred while in discharge of duties imposed upon them by the commission. Such commission may provide a secretary whose compensation, to be fixed by it, shall be at the rate of not to exceed twenty-five hundred dollars a year for all services to be performed in carrying out the provisions of this act, and may also provide such other clerical a.s.sistance and office facilities as it deems necessary, but no salaries or expenses shall be incurred for a longer period than ninety days after the close of the exposition.

3. The sum of one hundred thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated out of any moneys in the treasury not otherwise appropriated for the purposes of this act. Such money shall be paid by the treasurer on the warrant of the comptroller issued upon a requisition signed by the president and secretary of the commission, accompanied by an estimate of the expenses for the payment of which the money so drawn is to be applied. Within ninety days after the close of the exposition, such commission shall make a verified report to the comptroller of the disburs.e.m.e.nts made by it, and shall return to the state treasury the unexpended balance of money drawn in pursuance of this act. No indebtedness nor obligation shall be incurred under this act in excess of the appropriation herein made.

4. The commission shall, as requested by the governor, from time to time, render to him reports of its proceedings.

5. This act shall take effect immediately.

THE COMMISSION

Pursuant to the provisions of this act, Governor Odell named as the twelve members of the Commission: Edward H. Harriman, of New York city; Louis Stern, of New York city; Edward Lyman Bill, of New York city; William Berri, of Brooklyn; Cyrus E. Jones, of Jamestown; Lewis Nixon, of New York city; John C. Woodbury, of Rochester; Frank S. McGraw, of Buffalo; John K. Stewart, of Amsterdam; James H. Callanan, of Schenectady; John Young, of Geneseo; and Mrs. Norman E Mack, of Buffalo.

A few months after the appointment of the Commission, Cyrus E. Jones, of Jamestown, resigned, and the Governor named Frederick R. Green, of Fredonia, in his place.

The results accomplished by the Commission as attested by the number of awards received in all of the exhibit departments; in the beauty and utility of the State building; in the careful procedure as to the expenditure of State funds, all bear testimony to the wisdom of the Chief Executive in the appointment of a Commission, all of the members of which were of acknowledged prominence either in professional, business or social life.

Throughout its entire existence the Commission worked with a singular unanimity and with a hearty interest but seldom found in commissions of this character. It held twenty-five regular meetings and two special meetings, the aggregate of attendance at all meetings being two hundred thirty-one, making an average attendance of eight and fifty-nine hundredths at each meeting. When it is considered that each member had large personal interests, and that he served the State absolutely without compensation, only necessary expenses being allowed by statute, and that a majority of the members of the Commission were obliged to travel from 160 to 450 miles to attend the meetings, its record for faithfulness to duty as shown by the above figures is one in which it may take a pardonable pride.

THE ORGANIZATION OF THE COMMISSION

By virtue of being first named by the Governor, Edward H. Harriman, of New York city, became President of the Commission, which completed its organization as follows: Vice-President, William Berri; Treasurer, Edward Lyman Bill. Executive Committee: Louis Stern, Chairman; William Berri, Lewis Nixon, John K. Stewart and James H. Callanan. Auditing Committee: James H. Callanan and John K. Stewart.

There was but one name presented for Secretary of the Commission, that of Mr. Charles A. Ball, of Wellsville. He was unanimously elected, with compensation of $2,500 per annum, the appointment taking effect December 8, 1902. In its choice of this officer the Commission was most fortunate. Efficient, faithful and courteous and with a wide circle of acquaintances, particularly among the prominent men of the Empire State, Mr. Ball was peculiarly qualified for the duties of the position. He was popular with his superiors and his subordinates, and so directed the work of the several departments within the Commission's jurisdiction as to procure the very best results.

Anthony Pfau was later appointed bookkeeper and a.s.sistant to the Secretary, and in the handling of a vast amount of detail work displayed commendable skill and patience. Seward H. French, stenographer to the Secretary, was always at his post of duty and cheerfully and faithfully served the Commission at all times. Herman Kandt, a.s.sistant bookkeeper, completed the office force.

An informal meeting was held in September, 1902, shortly after the names of the Commission were announced by the Governor. At this meeting an invitation was extended on behalf of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Company to attend the ceremonies in connection with the allotment of sites for the various State buildings. The President appointed Commissioners Stewart, Woodbury and Callanan a committee to represent the Commission on that occasion, and on behalf of the State of New York, to accept the site for its building. The ceremonies in connection with this occasion are described elsewhere. The first formal meeting of the Commission was called on December 3, 1902, at 120 Broadway, New York city.

At this meeting the Commission determined to maintain offices at 120 Broadway, New York city, until such time as the New York State building was opened at St. Louis, and for the expedition of business the following by-laws were provided:

BY-LAWS

_First_. The officers of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Commission of the State of New York shall consist of a President, Vice-President, Treasurer and Secretary.

_Second_. Regular meetings of the Commission shall be held in the rooms of the Commission in New York city on the second Wednesday of every month, at two o'clock P. M., and all members shall be notified by the Secretary one week in advance of such meeting.

_Third_. Three members of the Commission shall const.i.tute a quorum at all regular meetings.

_Fourth_. An Executive Committee of five members, appointed by the Commission, shall choose one of their number for Chairman, who shall act also as Chairman at the meetings of the Commission in the absence of the President or Vice-President. The Executive Committee shall meet at least once a month, and shall report at the regular meetings of the Commission. Three members of the Executive Committee shall form a quorum for the transaction of business.

_Fifth_. Any three members of the Commission may call for a special meeting, through the Secretary, of the entire Commission, at any time, by giving one week's notice.

_Sixth_. There shall be an Auditing Committee of two, whose duty it shall be to examine and audit all bills and accounts when properly verified. Such Committee shall report to the Commission at each meeting the amounts of bills and accounts so audited, together with the total thereof.

_Seventh_. A Treasurer shall be appointed by the Commission, who shall pay all bills when they have been properly verified and audited by the Auditing Committee.

_Eighth_. The Secretary shall prepare and forward to each member of the Commission a copy of the proceedings of the previous meeting in his regular monthly calls for meetings.