1903

1903

Previous Day	1902
Next Day	1904-01

Below is a list of events that happened during 1903.

January

January 1, 1903

• Louisiana Commission appointed.
• Association of Implement and Vehicle Men on the grounds.

January 6, 1903:

• George W. Ristine made Director of Transportation.

January 7, 1903:

• Last roof trusses placed for Varied Industries building.

January 13, 1903:

• Committee on International Congresses created.

January 16, 1903:

• Arrival of Japanese Commission.

January 17, 1903:

• Governor of Indiana and commissioners visit Fairgrounds.

January 22, 1903:

• Louisiana's Governor and commissioners visit grounds.

January 23, 1903:

• Governor and commissioners of Minnesota on the grounds.

January 24, 1903:

• Coining of souvenir dollars completed.

February

February 2, 1903:

• Meeting of Executive Committee of National Press Association.
• Contract for Exposition power house awarded.

February 22, 1903

• Geo. W. Fishback appointed commissioner to Windward Islands, Porto Rico and Trinidad.

February 10, 1903

• Refrigerating exhibit determined on; G. T. Voorhees made chief.
• Rolla Wells and H. I. Miller elected directors to fill vacancies.

February 11, 1903

• Arrival of Hon. W. H. Figg, special commissioner from Ceylon.

February 26, 1903

• Spanish minister, Don Emilio de Ojedo, visited the grounds.

February, 1903

• Palace of Transportation construction begins.

February 10, 1903

• President David R. Francis left St. Louis on a Tuesday [for European solicitation tour]. On the wing 41 days and traveled 12,920 total miles on trip. Got promises of other rulers to take active interest in Fair.

February 11, 1903

• President David R. Francis arrived at New York, a 1,200 mile trip from St. Louis, MO.

February 12, 1903

• President David R. Francis sailed for Havre, France, on La Bretagne.
• Olympic games for 1904 were transferred from Chicago to St. Louis. St. Louis wanted the Olympics, and threatened to hold a competing AAU championship and other sporting events.

February 20, 1903

• President David R. Francis arrived at Havre, France, 3,300 miles from New York.

February 21, 1903

• President David R. Francis arrived at London, England, 200 miles from Havre, France. Got King Edward's promise to send Queen's jubilee gifts.

February 22, 1903

• President David R. Francis delivered address at Washington's birthday dinner in London.

March

• A new memorial for William Clark was unveiled during the centennial of the expedition with funds donated by Clark s youngest son, Jefferson Clark.
• Dept of Works occupy offices in Washington University, Busch Hall.
• Palace of Transportation getting final statuary & plaster work.

March 3, 1903

• Annual meeting of stockholders; all directors reelected.

March 7, 1903

• Olympic games definitely secured.

March 8, 1903

• Contract for Agricultural building awarded.

March 16, 1903

• Work begun on Mexican pavilion.

March 17, 1903

• E. N. Armit appointed Superintendent of Construction under Director Isaac S. Taylor.

March 24, 1903

• Chinese imperial decree appropriating $400,000 for exhibit.

March 1, 1903

• President David R. Francis departed for France.

March 2, 1903

• President David R. Francis arrived at Paris, 300 miles from London, England. Interviewed President of France.

March 4, 1903

• President David R. Francis arrived at Madrid, 908 miles from Paris, France. He interviewed the Ministers of the King of Spain.

March 7, 1903

• President David R. Francis banqueted by Board of Trade in Paris.

March 8, 1903

• President David R. Francis arrived at Berlin, Germany, 1,582 miles from Paris, France.

March 9, 1903

• President David R. Francis private audience with German Emperor.

March 10, 1903

• President David R. Francis private audience with King of Belgium.

March 11, 1903

• President David R. Francis arrived at Cherbourg, France, en route to the United States, 400 miles from Belgium.

March 12, 1903

• President David R. Francis departed from Cherbourg, France, across Atlantic Ocean for New York.

March 17, 1903

• President David R. Francis arrived at New York at 6 pm, 3,450 miles.

March 19, 1903

• President David R. Francis banqueted in grand style at Waldorf-Astoria in New York.

March 20, 1903

• President David R. Francis at dinner with magazine publishers in New York.

March 21, 1903

• President David R. Francis lunched with President Roosevelt in Washington DC.

March 22, 1903

• President David R. Francis arrived in St. Louis at 7:45 pm [presumably by train].

March 23, 1903

• Reception on 'Change at noon.
• Evening dinner by Mayor Wells at St. Louis Club.

March 24, 1903

• Welcoming concert in evening by United Singing Societies.

March 28, 1903

• Smoker by Kentucky Society evening.

April

April 1 to 29, 1903

• All energies centered on preparations for dedication.

April 30, -2, 1903

• Three days' elaborate dedication ceremonies, participated in by President Roosevelt; ex-President Cleveland; officers of the nation and all the states; representatives of all foreign governments; military and civic dignitaries of the whole world.
• Allegedly, the Palace of Liberal Arts was the first palace "completed". Roosevelt said to have spoken there on Dedication Day, April 30, 1903.
• Palace of Transportation was last palace built.

April 16, 1903

• Major Andrew G. Hammond, 3rd Cavalry, United States Army, served as Jefferson Guard assistant commandant until the force was disbanded on February 1, 1905.

April 30, 1903

• Centennial Day.
• Dedication events:
• Large parade down Lindell Blvd.
• [Multiple] ceremonies.
• Dignitaries and significant attenders arrive through the Triumphal Entry amid the decorative pylons for speeches, parade, and a commemorative celebration.
• Roosevelt spoke in Palace of Liberal Arts to a large and, evidently, loud crowd. Insuring he'd be heard, Roosevelt stepped up onto tabletop to speak.
• A 100-gun salute was executed.

May

May 1, 1903

• Diplomatic Day (honoring nations at the Fair):
• Dedication Ceremonies:

PIC> Mounted members of Eighth Cavalry parade through Fairgrounds.

May 2, 1903

• State Day (honoring states and territories at the Fair).
• Civic Day.
• Dedication Ceremonies:
• Civic Parade.

August

August, 1903

• Catlin Tract leased, to be the new location of The Pike.

August 5, 1903

• Huge storm damages many buildings - Palace of Varied Industries loses 2 towers & a wall, estimated $35,000 in damages, & Mexico Pavilion on Skinker Road damaged slightly.

August 29, 1903

• David R. Francis laid cornerstone of Edward Gardner Lewis' Publishing Co. HQ, later known as Women's Magazine Building on Delmar Blvd.

October

October, 1903

• Hall of Congresses construction, roofing work.

October 22, 1903

• Alejandro Bermudez, Nicaragua's Commissioner-General to the LPE, and other members of the Nicaragua Commission to the exposition met with exposition officers.

November

November, 1903

• Snowed (Jefferson Guard at attention outside Cupples Hall No.2)

November 19, 1903

• Belgium Pavilion construction began before this date.

November 30, 1903:

• Women's Magazine Building construction appears complete.

December

December, 1903

• Snowed.

December 3, 1903

• (no snow) South Dakota State Building site dedicated.

December 4, 1903

• (no snow) The Pike lamppost row installation in process in front of Old St. Louis.

December 10, 1903

• Physical Culture Athletic Field construction begun this date.

December 16, 1903

• snow on ground.

December 15-18, 1903

• Board of Lady Managers met in STL. Posed with David R. Francis, LPEC Pres. on Admin Bldg front steps in Dec.

• The loan was paid back in 1904 from admission fees and concession royalties. Total capital funding now $19.6M.