Final Report of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Commission

Excerpt

LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.

To the Senate and House of Representatives:

I transmit herewith a communication from the Secretary of State submitting the final report of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Commission, furnished in pursuance of section 11 of the "Act to provide for celebrating the one hundredth anniversary of the purchase of the Louisiana Territory," etc., approved March 3, 1901.

THEODORE ROOSEVELT. THE WHITE HOUSE, February 8, 1906.

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The PRESIDENT:

The undersigned, Secretary of State, has the honor to lay before the President the final report of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Commission, presented, as required by section 11 of the act of Congress approved March 3, 1901, entitled "An act to provide for celebrating the one hundredth anniversary of the Louisiana Territory by the United States by holding an international exhibition of arts, industries, manufactures, and the products of the soil, mine, forest, and sea in the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri."

Respectfully submitted.

ELIHU ROOT. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, February 5, 1906.

FINAL REPORT OF THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE EXPOSITION COMMISSION.

As required by section 11 of an act of Congress entitled "An act to provide for the celebrating of the one hundredth anniversary of the purchase of the Louisiana Territory by the United States by holding an international exhibition of arts, industries, manufacturers, and the products of the soil, mine, forest, and the sea in the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri," approved March 3, 1901, this final report is here presented:

In the early part of the year 1900 the citizens of St. Louis inaugurated a movement looking to the celebration of the one hundredth anniversary of the acquisition of the Louisiana Territory by an international exposition. A temporary organization having been effected, the subject was presented to Congress through a committee of citizens appointed for that purpose. Congress conditionally approved the enterprise by enacting a law which in substance provided that the Government would extend the required aid to the proposed exposition, providing the petitioners would furnish assurance that the sum of $10,000,000 had been raised for and on account of inaugurating and carrying forward an exposition at the city of St. Louis, Mo., in the year 1903, to celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of the purchase of the Louisiana Territory.

Prior to March 3, 1901, the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Company, then consisting of an association of persons, furnished the Secretary of the Treasury proof to his satisfaction that said sum of $10,000,000 had been raised for the purpose indicated. Thereupon the act hereinbefore cited was passed and duly approved by the President.

Including the appropriation made by the act of Congress, the sum of $15,000,000 was provided for the exposition, as follows:

Donated by the city of St. Louis …………………. $5,000,000
Subscription to the capital stock of the Louisiana
  Purchase Exposition Company ……………………....