Bits of Tid
Taken from the 1904 Worlds Fair Society Newsletters
The fair featured, in the New York agricultural exhibit, an 18-foot
lighthouse built of pure salt.
The Fair refused to refer visitors to hotels and private homes that increased
their rates during the Fair.
The fair had no signs admonishing Fair goers to "Keep off the grass."
The fair prohibited the use of tripod cameras and any camera larger than
4 by 5 inches.
There were 142 miles of exhibits in the eight main palaces for visitors
to explore.
In the Palace of Liberal Arts, there was a low-temperature
exhibit, which obtained a temperature of minus 259 degrees Fahrenheit.
Charged a 25-cent admission fee to watch the demolition of the Fair.
90,000,000 feet of pine was used in constructing the framework for buildings.
$500,000 of duty was generated on foreign goods sold ath the Fair.
The state of Missouri featured a corn temple exhibit.
The fair engaged many musical organizations, the first being Sousa's Band,
which stayed throughout May.
On the fairgrounds was seven churches, all of which were replicas of famous
places of worship.
In the Palace of Mines and Metallurgy, a topographical
map of Niagra Falls was on display.
David R. Francis, President of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition served
as Mayor of St. Louis, Governor of Missouri, Secretary of the Interior and
Ambassador to Russia. He also referred to his six tall voting-age sones
as "Thirty-six feet of Democrats." He also reportedly spend $5,000
for a full-page ad in the Globe-Democrat, a Republican newspaper, detailing
"Why you should bote for Francis."
The Brazilian display featured artificial flowers made primarly of bird
feathers and beetle wings.
The fair got rid of nuisance sparrows by having Negritos shoot them with
bows and arrows.
Bits of Tid by month
Taken from the 1904 Worlds Fair Society Newsletters
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
The Fair was officially opened at 1:06 p.m., April 30, St. Louis time
by President Teddy Roosevelt, using the same telegraph key with which President
Cleveland had opened the Columbian World's Fair in 1893.
The first car over the inteamural Railway started at 1:40 p.m. on April
30.
MAY
On May 11, Sousa's band first played the official World's Fair march
"Louisiana."
The first of the Olympic Games were held at
the Stadium on May 14.
Celebrated Worlds'Press Week May 16-21, hosting 75 foreign journalists representing
every language and country
JUNE
The Liberty Bell arrived on June 8, it had been
rquested by 75,000 St. Louis Schoolchildren.
JULY
The fair celebrated Independence day, July 4, with the most elaborate military
parade since Opening Day. The Fair also torpedoed an oil well in the Mining
Gulch with nitroglycerin. And William Jennins Bryan was the featured speaker
in Festival Hall. The first baloon race was
also held on this day.
A performace of Handel's "Messiah" was held on July 9.
The Mexican Pavilion was struck by Lightning on July 19.
AUGUST
Newsboys' day was celebrated on August 16.
Missouri Week began on August 22.
The opening of the Third Modern Olympiad was
on August 29.
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
The fair threatened with arrest anyone who was smoking on Anticigarette
Day, October 7.
Celebrated Alaska Day and the diamond jubilee of St. Louis University on
October 18.
Opened the Poultry Show on October 22 with 10,000 entries.
NOVEMBER
The Liberty Bell left on November 16 after
its visit of more than five months
The Fair hosted a feast for 326 children of all nations at the Model Playground
on Thanksgiving Day, November 24.
President Theodore Roosevelt visited on November 26.
DECEMBER
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