The history of the Exposition period will be found in other chapters of this report. A description of the State building, detailed accounts of the dedicatory exercises and the exercises upon State Day, as well as other important functions, are given. The exhibits in the various departments are fully described, and the results of the inspection by the juries are given.
Throughout the entire life of the Commission death did not enter its ranks, nor the ranks of its attaches, nor did any untoward incident arise, although early in the morning of November twenty-first a catastrophe was narrowly averted. In the middle of the night a fire was found smouldering in the basement of the building, which, through the prompt action of the watchman on duty, was extinguished without doing extensive damage. Many were asleep in the building at the time, and but for the presence of mind and courage of those on duty the consequences might have been too fearful to contemplate.
DISPOSITION OF EXHIBITS
At a meeting of the Commission, held just before the close of the
Exposition, the following resolution was passed:
"Resolved, that the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Commission of the State of New York hereby authorizes the Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, Charles A. Ball, to turn over to the Lewis and Clark Exposition Commission of the State of New York any of the exhibits, or such part thereof as the latter may desire in the various exhibit departments working under the auspices of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Commission of the State of New York for the use of said Lewis and Clark Exposition Commission, State of New York, with the proviso that in the case of individual exhibits forming a part of said exhibits the Lewis and Clark Exposition Commission, State of New York, must get the consent of the owners of said exhibits and relieve the Commission of all responsibility relating thereto and return said individual exhibits to their owners at the close of the Lewis and Clark Exposition, it being understood, however, that said Lewis and Clark Exposition Commission must take possession of these exhibits not later than December 15, 1904."
Upon requisition from the latter Commission the Secretary and Chief Executive Officer turned over to the Lewis and Clark Exposition Commission the following material: The complete exhibit of the State in the departments of Education and Social Economy; the complete exhibit in the Department of Forestry, Fish and Game, with the exception of the Log-cabin and the Forest Nursery and a portion of the State exhibits in the departments of Mines and Metallurgy and Agriculture.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO PRESIDENT FRANCIS AND OTHERS
President Francis and the Exposition officials generally throughout the entire Exposition period extended to the Commission every courtesy and evinced a hearty interest in the work of New York, endeavoring to further the interests of the Commission in every possible direction. Desiring to express in suitable terms its appreciation of these courtesies the Commission also passed the following resolutions at its meeting held at the close of the Exposition:
"WHEREAS, the Empire State is about to close its official connection with this, the greatest of World's Fairs; and,
"WHEREAS, the members of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Commission of the State of New York, appointed by the Governor, desire to express to the officials of the Fair their sincere appreciation of the hearty co-operation which they have rendered the members of this Commission, in every way facilitating the work of New York in each department of State representation; and,