Monday, 13 July 2020

1901 - Hamilton Day at the Pan American Exposition


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



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