Final Report of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Commission. Louisiana Purchase Exposition Commission
SCOTT Arkansas.
The name of the Commission being somewhat lengthy it became known and was referred to in the law and proceedings throughout as "The National Commission."
Pursuant to a call by the Secretary of State, the members of the Commission met at the Southern Hotel, in the city of St. Louis, on April 23, 1901, and adjourned until the following day, when organization was perfected.
Thomas H. Carter, of Montana, was elected president; Martin H. Glynn, of New York, vice-president, and Mr. Joseph Flory, of St. Louis, Mo., secretary.
The following committees were appointed:
Executive. THOMAS H. CARTER. JOHN F. MILLER. PHILIP D. SCOTT. JOHN M. ALLEN. FREDERICK A. BETTS.
Judiciary. WILLIAM LINDSAY. JOHN M. THURSTON. GEORGE W. MCBRIDE.
Plan and Scope. GEORGE W. MCBRIDE. FREDERICK A. BETTS. WILLIAM LINDSAY. MARTIN H. GLYNN. JOHN F. MILLER.
Members of Board of Arbitration. JOHN M. THURSTON. JOHN M. ALLEN.
Auditing. JOHN F. MILLER. PHILIP D. SCOTT. JOHN M. THURSTON.
Insurance. THOMAS H. CARTER. MARTIN H. GLYNN. FREDERICK A. BETTS.
Ceremonies. THOMAS H. CARTER. JOHN M. ALLEN. JOHN M. THURSTON. WILLIAM LINDSAY.
Mr. Claude Hough, of Sedalia, Mo., was appointed official stenographer of the Commission on May 6, 1901, and has capably and efficiently served in that capacity throughout.
The organization of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Company was not formally perfected until about a month after the first meeting of the National Commission, when the association which had theretofore existed under that name was duly organized and became an incorporated company under and in conformity with the laws of the State of Missouri. In the meantime informal conferences were held between the Commission and the prospective officers of the company in reference to a site for the exposition.
The municipal assembly of the city of St. Louis enacted an ordinance authorizing the use of a portion of Forest Park as a site for the exposition, as follows:
An ordinance authorizing the use of either O'Fallon Park or
Carondelet Park or a portion of Forest Park as a site for the
world's fair, to be held in commemoration of the Louisiana
Purchase.
Be it ordained by the municipal assembly of the city of St. Louis as follows:
SECTION 1. The corporation or association formed to manage and conduct the world's fair or exposition in commemoration of the purchase of the Louisiana Territory, when organized or incorporated in accordance with the law, is hereby granted the privilege of using either O'Fallon Park or Carondelet Park or that portion of Forest Park lying west of the line described as follows, to wit: Beginning at the intersection of the south line of Forest Park with the north line of Clayton road, and running thence in a northerly direction along the west line of the Concourse drive two thousand five hundred fifty feet; thence in a northerly direction to the east end of the large lake, a distance of twelve hundred feet; thence northwesterly direction about two thousand feet to the intersection of the south line of Lindell avenue, with the west line of De Baliviere avenue produced southwardly, for and as a site for said world's fair or exposition, reserving, however, unto the city of St. Louis all regulation and control of any of the sites above described, together with all right to excises and licenses.
SEC. 2. The board of public improvements shall at all times, beginning with the selection of the site out of the three sites above referred to, until the close of said world's fair or exposition, and until the complete restoration of said site as hereinafter provided, have the power to provide such regulations, conditions, and requirements as it may deem necessary to protect the interests of the city with respect to the construction of all sewers, drains, and conduits of any kind, and the laying of water pipes or fixtures; and the plans and specifications for the construction of the foregoing work shall be subject to the approval of the board of public improvements, and no such work of any kind shall be done without such approval by the board. All such sewers, drains, conduits, pipes, and fixtures shall become and be the property of the city.
SEC. 3. Within six months after the close of said fair or exposition, the corporation or association aforesaid shall clear the park, or in the event of the selection of Forest Park, the part thereof above described, of all tramways and railway tracks, rubbish and debris, and of all buildings, sheds, pavilions, towers, and other structures of every kind, and shall within twelve months after the close of such fair or exposition, fully restore the park selected as a site, or in the case of Forest Park, that portion thereof above-described, by doing all necessary grading, the restoration and repair, or the formation of all walks and roads, the planting of trees, the placing of sod and the planting of shrubs and plants, all in accordance with plans to be approved by the board of public improvements, and all to be done subject to the inspection of the park commissioner, and to his entire satisfaction and approval.
SEC. 4. The corporation or association aforesaid shall, within six months after the approval of this ordinance by the mayor, file its written acceptance thereof with the city register, and make its selection of the park to be used as aforesaid; and said corporation or association shall also, within the same time, file its bond in the sum of one hundred thousand dollars, with good and sufficient sureties, to be approved by the mayor and council, conditioned for a full compliance with and performance of all the terms, requirements, and conditions of this ordinance. Said board of public improvements shall have the right, however, at any time before the opening of said fair or exposition, if it deems it necessary in the interest of the city, to require an additional bond in such amount as it may believe to be proper, whereupon said corporation or company shall give such bond with sureties to be approved in like manner, and said corporation or association shall have no authority to open or hold any fair or exposition upon the site so selected, and no machinery or improvements of any kind shall be removed from the premises of said world's fair site until said bond in the sum so demanded shall have been so filed and approved.
Approved May 16, 1901.
Considerable correspondence ensued between the Commission and the Exposition Company in reference to the proposed site, the Commission particularly insisting upon an adequate water supply and proper drainage and grading of the property. On June 28, 1901, the site was formally approved by the Commission and, according to section 9 of the act authorizing the exposition, the President of the United States was duly notified.
Prior to August 15, 1901, the National Commission having ascertained that due provision had been made for grounds and buildings for the uses contemplated by the act of Congress, so certified to the President of the United States, who did thereafter, to wit, on the 20th day of August, 1901, in behalf of the Government and the people, invite foreign nations to take part in said exposition, and to appoint representatives thereto, the President's proclamation reading as follows:
Whereas notice has been given me by the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Commission, in accordance with the provisions of section 9 of the act of Congress, approved March 3, 1901, entitled "An act to provide for celebrating the one hundredth anniversary of the purchase of the Louisiana Territory by the United States by holding an international exhibition of arts, industries, manufactures, and the products of the soil, mine, forest, and sea in the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri," that provision has been made for grounds and buildings for the uses provided for in the said act of Congress:
Now, therefore, I, William McKinley, President of the United States, by virtue of the authority vested in me by said act, do hereby declare and proclaim that such international exhibition will be opened in the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, not later than the first day of May, nineteen hundred and three, and will be closed not later than the first day of December thereafter. And in the name of the Government and of the people of the United States, I do hereby invite all the nations of the earth to take part in the commemoration of the purchase of the Louisiana Territory, an event of great