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OMAHA'S GATES STOOD
AJAR TO VAST WORLD
, TWO DECADES PASSED
Great Exposition Brought City's Fame Into International Prominence
When American Notables and Foreigners of Caste Came Here
to View Beauties of Glorious West on Magnificent Display
By A. R. GROH
July 1, 1918 just twenty years ago yesterday was a great day for Omaha.
On that day the Transmississippi and International exposition opened its gates to
the world.
This undertaking, stupendous for those days and for the precarious financial
times, had been brought to a successful completion, and, true to the sterling qualities
of the executive committee, which carried the burdens of the enterprise, the gates of
the completed exposition were thrown open to the public on the day and hour set.
The expositon occupied all that space which lies between Twenty-fourth
street, Sherman avenue, Pinkn'ey and Pratt streets; all the high ground east of
Sherman avenue from Binney street to Sprague street; all the space between
Sprague street and the Missouri Pacific railroad tracks from Twenty-fourth street
to Sherman avenue, and the space between Sprague and Spaulding streets between
Twentieth street and Sherman avenue.
VACANT.SPACE 20 YEARS AGO '
Twenty years ago this was all vacant and it is an astonishing revelation of
Omaha's growth to realize that now it is all occupied by homes, and the residence
area, well built up, extends miles to the north.
Not only was Omaha comparatively small and the times financially "hard,"
but the United States was in the midst of war with Spain when the exposition was
opened. It was a war that was to be drawn to a victorious close before the expo
sition was over.
The weather had been stormy and wet for weeks before the opening day. But
opening day dawned bright and clear, and it proved to be ideal in every way for the
great ceremonies which marked it in Omana
The parade began to move at 10 o'clock in the morning, reaching the grounds
at 11 o'clock. There, at the east end of the main court, the opening ceremonies were
-held. These included addresses by President Gurdon W. Wattles, John L. Webster
of Omaha, John N. Baldwin of Council Bluffs and Silas A. Holcomb of Nebraska.
Edward Rosewater, who had put forth such prodigious efforts in promoting the ex
position, was ill as the result of. overwork and was unable to be present.
MARINE BAND WAS HERE
Music was furnished by the United States Marine band.
AU2:30 noon came the final act-which formally opened the Transmississippi
and International exposition. This was the pressing of a key by President McKin
ley in the White House at Washington. When the president pressed the key the
machinery of the exposition was get in motion.
At 4 o'clock an official public reception was held in the United States govern
ment building and at 8 o'clock a concert was given in the Auditorium by the Theo
dore Thomas orchestra, assisted by the exposition chorus. At 9 o'clock there was a
grand fireworks exhibition.
The total admissions for the opening day were 27,998
Executive Committee of the Exposition 1, A. L. Reed; 2, F. P.
Kirkendall; 3, Z. T. Llndsey; 4, W. N. Babcock; 5, Edward Roie
water; 6, Gurdon W. Wattlei; 7, John A. Wakefield; 8, E. E. Bruce
Closing of the
Exposition
October 31, 1898, was designated
"Omaha day" at the exposition. It
was also closing day. The great ex
position was about to go into history,
its many exhibits to be distributed
again to the four corners of the
earth, its beautiful and graceful build
ings to be torn down.
A crowd second only to that of
President's day visited the grounds
on the last day, running up a total
for the day of 61,236 admissions.
Mayor Moores issued a proclama
tion, making this a legal holiday in
Omaha and the public schools were
closed, as were also many of the
business houses.
The weather was beautiful, as it
had been on opening day, five months
previous. The formal closing exer
cises were held in the auditorium on
the exposition grounds at 3 o'clock
in tli sftcrnnnn. Inness band nlaved
and there were addresses by Manager
. .w i" T
toward Kosewater, Manager l. a.
Lindsey, President Gurdon W. Wat
tles and Mayor Frank E. Moores.
Mr. Rosewater Spoke
Mr. Rosewater dwelt upon the col
ossal labors and the astonishing re-
a . 1 1 J
suits secured by tnose wno nan
pushed the exposition to success.
"Three months after Omaha had
been selected as the exposition city,"
he said, "scarcely forty men met to
start the subscription list. The first
man wanted to head the list with
$100, but over $10,000 waa finally
subscribed. Even when we went be
fore congress for a $300,000 appro
priation we had only $1,250 paid in.
It was a great piece of gall, but we
m,imAA tint nnlv in Pfttinff the
original appropriation, but $40,000 ad-
cmionai lor tne inuian luukimj. h
was not luck but hard work that
brought this about. Hard, continuous
labor has brought about this success.
Chicago received enough money from
the federal government to build ten
expositions. Even then they had to
nnotnnn. tUr'm vfilkT We. Ill ftDlte
of war and financial conditions,
Opened our exposition on time ana
we close it todav with all the glory
anyone could wish."
Tribute from Mr. Wattlei
President Wattles paid a tribute to
the men who had assisted him in the
great undertaking.
"To this city the exposition has
been like a rain in a drouth," he said.
"It liaa nur lifo anil nrrBV in all
our business interests, in the clearings
ot our oanics, m tne Business oi our
mrrrtiiflli tn th valuta nf nnr rril
estate, to the fabrics of our factories.
uur people nave torgotten tne eviis
ment of the beauties so abundant on
tnese grounds.
"Ta tVi statu xnA tt tli ntirj u&t
it has given' a new standing among
the people of the east and far-away
rmtntrir which will atimnla ti immi.
gration and investment in alt future
yean."
Celebrities at
Exposition
The Trans-Mississippi exposition
drew to Omaha men of national and
international note. Ministers and
plenipotentiaries of foreign lands,
governors of many states, statesmen
of national fame, leaders in. all lines
of endeavor were the honored guests
of the exposition and scarcely a day
passed without some prominent per
son being here. Among men of in
ternational note from outside of Ne
braska who visited the exposition
wers:
William McKinley, president of
the United States.
Wu Ting Fang, Chinese minister to
the United States.
Brazilian Minister Brasil.
Gonzolo de Quesada, charge d'af
faires of the Cuban Junta.
Lyman J. Gage, secretary of the
treasury oi the United States.
Cornelius N. Bliss, secretary of the
interior of the United States.
Secretary of Agriculture Wilson.
Chin Pom Ye, Corean minister to
the United States.
Major General Milea.
Postmaster General Charles E.
Smith.
General A. W. Greely.
General William R. Shafter.
Theodore Roosevelt.
William Howard Taft.
Chauncey M, Depew.
The Midway
Plaisance
The playground of the exposition
was composed of all sorts of novel
attractions, and it proved to be a
great success. Total receipts of the
concessions were $276,112.
"Streets of All Nations" presented
types of many different nations. The
"Moorish Palace," "German Village,"
"Old Plantation," "Philippine Vil
lage," "Chinese Village," Hagenbeck's
Trained Animal show, miniature rail
way, "Havana and the Maine, "Merri
mac and Monitor," "Magic Maze,"
haunted swing, giant see-saw, scenic
railway, shooting-the-chutes, wild
west show and ostrich farm were
some of the principal attractions.
Architecture
The Transmississippi exposition,
from the purely artistic viewpoint,
was a veritable gem of beauty. No
finer sight can be imagined than the
grand court, with the lagoon in the
middle, the United States government
building at one end and the principal
exposition buildings on the sides.
The exposition was an artistic
whole without bewildering complex
ity of plan.
Space is lacking to give any details
of the buildings, but the harmony of
the whole was remarked upon by
many who had seen other expositions.
The United States government
building, Agricultural building, Ad-
OMAHA IN THOSE DAYS
The only automobile in Omaha was one that was on exhibition t
the exposition. It waa regarded aa tort of "freak."
Frank E. Moores was mayor of Omaha.
Silas A. Holcomb was governor of Nebraska.
William McKinley was president of the United States.
All the street cars were four-wheelers.
The old brick high school stood on the hilL v
The court house also stood on a high hill.
The tallest building in Omaha was 10 stories.
High clay banka stood, where now ere the City National bank'
building, Brandeis theater building and many other structures.
Moving pictures were unknown.
The United States was at war with Spain. 1 '
The Grain exchange was not created.
Charley Turner'a home stood on the high bank on the northeast
corner of Sixteenth and Howard streets, end George Hoagland's big
frame house on the high bank on the northwest corner.
Dundee had scarcely any houses and Benson was a country village.
Omaha was decidedly "wet."
ministration building, Manufacturers'
building, Machinery and Electricity
building, Mines and Mining building,
Auditorium, Liberal Arts building,
Fine Arts building, arch of the states,
Horticultural building, Transporta
tion building, state buildings and all
the lesser structures were an harmon
ions whole.
The electrical effects at night were
wonderful. ,
What Omaha Did
The big problem in getting the
Trans-Mississippi exposition under
way was that of finance.
Omaha wasn't half as big and as
rich then as it is today and the
raising of the first $500,000 was a
colossal task. The financial condi
tion of the country then wasn't what
it is today.
On January 18, 1896, a citizens'
meeting was called. Of the 50 who
attended the following gave $500 each;
Edward Rosewater, W. J. Connell, J.
H. Evans, Dan Farrell, jr.; Lee-Clark-Andreesen
company, W. R. Bennett
company, J. E. Market & Son;
Thompson, Belden & Co.; William
Krug, Oscar J. Pickering, Met?
Brothers, Frank B. Hibbard, Dudley
Smithy Kelly, Stiger & Co.
Others subscribed smaller amounts,
making a total of $10,650. The work
went on and by October 9 it was an
nounced that 6,124 persons had sub
scribed $343,080. Then the Burling
ton railroad gave $30,000, the Union
Pacific $25,000; the Missouri Pacific.
$15,000, the Rock Island, $20,000, the
Milwaukee, $10,000, the street railway
company and the gas company $10,000
each. So the work went on under
the tireless pushing of the Omaha
men until the $500,000 was safely in
the treasury.
But there were many discourage
ments still in the future. There came
times when the clouds hung so low
over the great project that some of
the directors actually advised aban
doning it entirely. Once when the
buildings were being erected a con
tractor of a certain building sent
word to-the executive committee that
unless his estimate of $12,000 was
paid within 30 minutes he would
abandon work and publish his rea
sons for doing so. Less than $1,000
was in the treasury. President Wat
tles and Chairman Lindsey saved the
day then by advancing their personal
checks,
Fifty Directors of
the Exposition
The 50 directors of the Trans-Mia-siasippi
and International Expositidn
company were the 50 leading business
and professional men of Omaha 20
years ago. More than half of them
are now dead.
. They were elected at t stockholders'
meeting held December 1, 1896, en
were as follows:
Chat. F. Mandtrfoa-Dadlay Srnlth,
Frank Murphy.
J. H. Millard.
Z. T. Llndiay
Thoraaa Kllpfctrlek,
E. E. Bruoa.
H. A. Thompaan.
0. M. Wllhalm.
LSclui Well.
U. W. Holdrace.
I. W, Carpenter.
J B. Mtrhai. .
T. I Kimball,
r. r. Klrkan44l
O. S. Yoak
O. M. Hltcbcoalc
Herman KauaU.
Q. H. Pern.
U H. Korty.
Edward Roaawater. John A. WaktfUlC
R. . Wllooa.
John A. Cralfbtea
W. A. Faiton.
W. H. Babeook.
J. H. Kvani.
A. U Read.
John H. Huolt,
B. C. Prlea.
Walter Jardlne,
a w, Lyman.
George F. Bldwell. C. 8. Montfomtrf.
Edward TMcklmon. Alvln Baundara.
A. H. Noyea.
Ttiomae Hoctor.
A. C. Smith.
Charlea Meti.
Q. W. Wattlei.
J. h. Branded.
C. F. Waller.
3. 3. Brown.
Jahn A. Johneon.
Jobn h. Webeter.
P. B. Hibbard.
Dr. a. W. Lee.
3. C. Wharton.
Fred M. louaie.
Financial Success
The financial success of the Trans
Mississippi exposition was the great
est ever achieved by any exposition.
The stockholders who subscribed to
$500,000 of the stock in the early pro
motion days "kissed their money
goodbys," not expecting any back.
But when the affairs were wound up
they were notified that they would
ceive dividends. And one day there
was a long line at the Merchants'"
National bank where the paymente
were made. No ordinary dividend
was this, but a payment of. 90 per -cent
of the amount originally sub
scribed. President Wattles said:
"This was the only exposition in
America promptly opening its gates
to the public on a completed show on
the day and hour originally appoint
ed; the first to open free from mort
gage or pledge of all or some of its
gate receipts; the first to make
money each and every month of the.
exposition season and the first to re
pay to its stockholders any consider .
able portion of the funds advajteedj
by them. In these respects the '
Trans-Mississippi and International -exposition
stands without a rival.
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