Navarro, McLennan, Grayson, Travis, Harrison, Collin, Palo Pinto, Fannin, Lamar, and Bexar counties endeavored to raise the assessments set against them, but did not succeed in doing so, although their subscriptions in the aggregate were generous. The subscriptions from the counties mentioned amounted to $49,096.34.
The railroads of Texas subscribed approximately $25,000. Early in the organization of the commission the Texas Bankers' Association passed a resolution calling on its members to assess themselves for the Texas World's Fair Commission fund at the rate of one-tenth of 1 per cent on their capital stock. About one-half of the banks of the State subscribed and paid on that basis an amount in the aggregate of $11,672.65. The State Lumbermen's Association gave $3,133. The Texas Cattle Raisers' Association subscribed $2,150.
The above sums, augmented by scattering amounts from different sources, constituted a total fund to the commission of $126,780.14.
The Texas commission was composed of the following-named persons:
John H. Kirby, president; L.J. Polk, W.W. Seley, and Walter Tips, vice-presidents; Royal A. Ferris, treasurer; Louis J. Wortham, secretary and general manager; Paul Waples, chairman executive committee; A.W. Houston, Barnett Gibbs, B.F. Hammett, Jesse Shain, E.P. Perkins, L.L. Jester, Monta J. Moore; P.P. Paddock, executive commissioner; R.H. Sexton, resident commissioner.
The members of the board of lady commissioners were: Mrs. L.S. Thorne;
Miss Kate Daffan, Ennis; Mrs. B.F. Hammett, El Paso; Mrs. O.T. Holt,
Houston; Mrs. W.R. Roberts, Brownwood; Mrs. Fannie Foote Emerson,
McKinney; Mrs. J.B. Wells, Brownsville; Mrs. W.F. Beers, Galveston; Mrs.
C.L. Potters, Gainesville; Mrs. E.P. Turner, Dallas; Mrs. William
Cameron, Waco; Mrs. William Christian, Houston; Mrs. W.F. Gill, Paris;
Mrs. W.E. Green, Tyler; Mrs. J.F. Wolters, Lagrange; Mrs. F. Hufsmith,
Palestine; Mrs. I.H. Evans, Austin; Mrs. J.C. Lea, Dallas; Mrs. W.F.
Robertson, Austin; Mrs. Bacon Saunders, Fort Worth; Mrs. T.V. Sessions,
Nacogdoches.
The Texas commission installed and successfully maintained exhibits in the palaces of Fine Arts, Education, Transportation, Mines and Metallurgy, Forestry, Agriculture, and Horticulture. The cost of the installation was as follows:
Fine Arts …………….. $1,225.50
Education …………….. 948.00
Transportation ………… 459.30
Mines and Metallurgy …… 10,577.85
Forestry ……………… 4,477.05
Agriculture …………… 6,899.87
Horticulture ………….. 6,099.14
The contract price for the Texas Building, which occupied one of the most admirable sites on the exposition grounds, was $45,562. Expenditures in furnishings and in ornamenting the grounds were $12,000.
The Texas Building contained exhibits of a character intended to demonstrate the kinds of homes in which Texas people live, the kinds of schools in which their children are educated, and the churches in which they conduct their worship. These demonstrations were the conception and work of the Texas Federation of Women Clubs.