Final Report of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Commission

by Louisiana Purchase Exposition Commission

The mining exhibit occupied a space of 10,000 square feet, and comprised large quantities of coal and all the coarser metal ores, together with an extensive collection of all the finer metals minerals, building stones, and every product of the mines known to science and commerce.

The agricultural exhibit occupied a space of 12,000 square feet, and consisted of a large central figure in the form of an octagonal trophy rising to a height of 60 feet, in which were artistically worked over three hundred grasses, grains, and plants, all grown in Canada, and decorated with landscape views of the various breeds of cattle raised in the Dominion. On either side of this central figure was a pedestal of maple sugar and honey, respectively, and in the rear other products of tobacco, grain, flour, breadstuffs, etc.

The horticultural display consisted of a varied collection of all the fruits grown in Canada, comprising ninety-four varieties of apples in their natural state, taken from cold storage, and a large collection of pears, peaches, plums, grapes, currants, gooseberries, strawberries, cranberries, raspberries, and everything included in horticulture, presented in glass jars as well as in their natural state throughout their respective seasons.

The special exhibit of forest products consisted of sections of the great fir trees, pines, cedars, oaks, hemlocks, birch, ash, walnut, cherry, etc., and specimens of rough and polished lumber from every variety of wood grown in the Dominion, together with a large pyramid of pulp wood, of which Canada possesses millions of acres, railway ties, tan bark, etc.

In the Forestry, Fish, and Game Building the exhibit consisted of an unique arch or bridge structure with a double span covering 80 feet, and on this structure and under it were numerous specimens of moose, deer, elk, buffalo, mountain goat, polar, grizzly, and brown bears, and every fur-bearing animal to be found in America. There was also a fine collection of game birds and water fowls, fish, etc. In this bridge structure was worked over three thousand varieties of wood, all grown in Canada. In another section of the building was shown a pool containing a family of live beaver, an interesting animal common to the streams and lakes of Canada.

Besides those already enumerated, Canada made a very creditable display of figure and landscape paintings in the Palace of Fine Arts, as well as a collection of various subjects in water colors.

Later in the season Canada made a very successful exhibit in the live-stock department. Her display was especially large in sheep and swine classes and almost equally good in poultry and pet stock.

In addition to those enumerated in the foregoing list, Canada is entitled to credit for a number of individual exhibits of various kinds scattered over the exposition grounds; for example, in the Building of Mines and Metallurgy there was an exhibit of natural and wrought nickel, every pound of the raw material coming from the Sudbury mines, in the Province of Ontario. The exhibit occupied a large space in the Mining Building and consisted of a varied and comprehensive display of nickel and nickel goods, from the natural ore to the finest and most polished culinary and domestic utensils. Every pound of raw material used in this display was from the mines situated in Denison Township, Sudbury District, Ontario, Canada.

In Machinery Hall there was an exhibit comprising a great variety of corundum products, every pound of whose raw material came from Canada. The exhibit showed corundum in bulk, in large wheels, small wheels, hones, and every variety of grinding and sharpening specialties. The amount of raw corundum used annually by the company reaches nearly 1,000 tons. In the Machinery Building, also, was an exhibit of asbestos and its products, the raw material of which came from Canada. The display consisted of steam-pipe coverings, mattings, packings, and everything of that nature required in heating and steam machinery; also asbestos mattings and fire screens, heavy papering and cardboards, and other things that asbestos can be worked into. All the asbestos came from the Shedford and Black Lake mines, in the Province of Quebec.

In the Manufactures Building was a very fine assortment of stones, etc., from different parts of Canada. Among the assortment were garnets from the Stikine River and also from the Province of Quebec; amethysts from Thunder Bay; labradorite, finest in the world, from the Isle of St. Paul; spinel from Ottawa County, Quebec; sodalite from British Columbia; pitanite, Litchfield, Quebec; lercon and perthite from Quebec; sunstone and lebra stone from Perth, Ontario, and crown sunstone from Renfrew County, Ontario.