As part of the strategy to
boost attendance at the 1901 Pan American Games, the organizers targeted
individual states by establishing a day named after particular states, while
also working with the railways, main newspapers in those states. Special ceremonies
and speeches by representatives the state honored that day would take place.
In August, 1901, the
officials of the Pan Am Exposition received a request for a particular day to
be set aside not for a state but for a city. The request came from Hamilton,
Ontario, Canada.
The request was granted. As
there were few open days left, it was decided that August 20, 1901 would be a
day at the Pan Am which would be both Louisiana Day and Hamilton Day.
After permission was
received for Hamilton to be the first city to be granted a day at the
Pan-American Games, efforts were undertaken to make sure than a goodly number
of Hamilton residents would attend on that particular day. Both the Toronto,
Hamilton and Buffalo Railway and the Grand Trunk Railway put special trains on
to only carry the Pan American Exposition and return them all.
So on August 20, visitors to
the exposition in Buffalo would see celebrations for Louisiana in the morning,
and for Hamilton in the afternoon.
The Times account of
Hamilton Day at the Pan Am Exposition began by noting the intermingling of
Hamilton and Louisiana and how that worked out : “
Yesterday was a big day at
the Pan-American Exposition at Buffalo. It was both Louisiana Day and Hamilton
Day. The French state of the South had the forenoon and this city had the
afternoon. Hamilton was represented by over 3,000 persons, and these were by no
means lost in the 71,000 odd sightseers from other parts of Americas. As a
matter of fact the manufacturing city of Canada cut as great a dash, of not
greater, than all the rest of America. The members of the Hamilton delegation
made themselves known by various means.”1
1 “They
Got Off at Buffalo : Over 3,000 Hamiltonians at the Big Fair : Ceremony in the
Temple : Excellent Railway Service”
Hamilton Times. August 22, 1901.
The official delegation from
Hamilton was greeted by senior Pan Am Exposition officials on arrival :
“When the T.H. & B.
special bearing the civic party arrived at the exposition grounds station, it
was met by Mr. Grant Henderson, special commissioner to Canada. He welcomed the
party and led the way to the Canadian building.
“A procession was formed,
headed by the 13th Regiment Band, which played Hughes’ new march,
‘King Edward VII,’ and walked to the Canadian building. The civic deputation \,
which composed of Mayor Hendrie, Ald. Walker, Birrell, Kerr, Fraser, Thompson,
Waddell, Dunlop and Wallace, was welcomed by Mr. William Hutchison, Canadian commissioner, and Mr.
W.A. Burns, Secretary of the commission.
The crowd which followed the band looked through the building and admired the
exhibits. The band played two stirring selections for the large gathering. The
aldermen then took the band to the press building where two pieces were played
for the edification of the staff. Mr. S.W. Bolles, that good fellow, ordered
out the Union Jack, and it hung in front of the building for the rest of the
day”1
At the 2 p.m. time scheduled
for Hamiltonians to attend a special celebration of the city at the huge Temple
of Music building, there was a minor delay:
“The ceremony in connection with Louisiana
State was not over at that hour, but the Hamiltonians flocked in – and heard a
Canadian speaking. He was Mr. H. Saint-Pierre, a Montreal lawyer, who had been
asked to take the place of Hon. J. Tarte, who couldn’t be present. At the close
of his speech, Governor Heard declared the meeting adjourned, and the Hamilton
party were in charge. Hundreds of Southerners remained for the ceremony.”1
When it was time for the
Hamilton Ceremony to begin, almost every Hamiltonian who took one of the trains
to Buffalo was present in the Temple of Music :
“Ald. Frank E. Walker,
Honorary Commissioner to the Exposition, presided, and with him on the platform
were Hamilton aldermen; Mr. J.G. Melbourne, President, and Mr. Geo. Urban,
Director, of the Pan-American; Mr. John A. Kennedy, representing the Canadian
Club of Buffalo; Mr. Newman L. Steiner, Honorary Commisioner for Ontario.
“Ald. Walker introduced Mr.
W.I. Buchanan, Director- General of the Exposition, and he gave the visitors a
hearty welcome. He said Hamilton, Ont. was the first city on the continent to
have a day set apart for it. The directors appreciated the support given by the
people of the Ambitious City.
“Mr. Grant Henderson, an old
Hamilton boy, was then called upon. He spoke briefly, expressing pride in the
turnout of his old home.
“Mr. Henry Carscallen,
M.P.P., orator of the day, was then called upon. In opening he said:
‘As Hamilton has from the
first given cordial support to this exposition, we join today in tendering to
you, our cousins and our neighbors of Buffalo, our hearty congratulations upon
the success of this great and grand exposition. I esteem it a great privilege
and an honor on such an occasion as this to address a vast audience, the
majority of whom I know are Americans. The conception of the Pan-American was a
grand conception.
‘We have our little feeling,
and countries, like men, have their differences, and sometimes I notice that a
British flag is torn down and trampled upon by one of your excited countrymen.
Let me tell you, that Canada or the great British Empire takes no notice of
anybody who does not like the British flag. I say it with a pride and pleasure,
and speak it as a tribute to my countrymen when I say that not one of you
present of this vast audience ever heard of a Canadian tearing down the Stars
and Stripes’ (Cheers)
“ Continuing, he said he
hoped the people of Canada and the people of the United States would continue
to live in peace and respect each other. ‘I congratulate Buffalo,’ he said, ‘on
this exposition which is a credit to yourselves and the people of this
continent, and rejoice at your success. These fraternal and neighborly visits
and expositions such as this are just what ought to be, and they are leading us to that unity
which shall be the friendly, brotherly banding together of our people and your
people in one great broad, liberal and grand brotherhood of humanity.’
(Cheers).
“The band played several
patriotic selections, much to the pleasure of the U.S. auditors, as well as the
Canadians present. The ceremony was brought to a close by an organ recital by
Mr. G.B. Turner, organist of St. Thomas’ Church, city. This was appreciated by
a large audience. The ceremony was over by3:30 o’clock, and then the visitors
went sightseeing again.”1
The Times account of Hamilton
Day at the Pan American Exposition concluded with the following short notes:
“The XIII Band never played
better, or made a bigger hit, than it did yesterday.
“There was a great demand
for ‘Hamilton’ badges on the grounds. It was a pity that all the visitors from
this city were not supplied with them.
“There was no rain in
Buffalo. The sun was very hot. Yesterday was one of the hottest days of the
season in the Bison City.
“Admiral Walker made a good
‘chaperon’ for the aldermen. He wouldn’t let any of them go alone on the Midway
after dark.
“Many Hamilton men had the
pleasure of seeing Gus Rhoeder, who used to be a wine clerk in the Brunswick.
He is now a Ballyhoo on the Midway, being connected with the ‘South Before the
War.’ show.
“Mr. W.F. Robinson, of the
XIII Band, was injured in a bicycle accident on Tuesday evening, took sick
shortly after arriving on the grounds. He was game, however, and took a plush
chair to the Temple, where he played in the afternoon.
“An International Council of
Women was held in the Women’s Building in the afternoon, too. Mrs. John
Hoodless, city, spoke on ‘The Educative Value of Councils.’
“A neat button was given
away by the Louisiana delegation. It bore a star, in which was a map of North
America. The button was small and about the only country that could be clearly
observed was Canada. The button was in demand – by Hamiltonians.
“Bostock’s wild animal show,
which is the best on the Midway, got more Hamilton money and any other feature
on the highway of hilarity. The show’s press agent said, in confidence, that a
fine electric military organ, which put in use yesterday for the first time,
was presented to Mr. Bostock by King Edward VII.
“The service given by the
T.H. & B. and G.T.R. was excellent. Mr. F.F. Backus, General Manager of the
T.H. & B., and Mr. Arthur Davis, excursion agent, were in the aldermanic
special and looked the comfort of the excursionists. Mr. Chas Proctor,
travelling passenger agent and Mr. Jos. Wallace, city agent , personally
attended to handling the crowds on the G.T.R. To these railway officials the
travelers from Hamilton yesterday should be grateful for the attention given.”1
