It having been decided that the gates of the exposition would close on October 31st, this day was designated as Omaha Day, and every effort was used to make it one of the banner days of the exposition. Mayor Moores issued a proclamation reciting the many benefits that Omaha has received from the exposition praising its management, and declaring Omaha day an official holiday. He urged all places of business to close and every citizen of the city to attend the exposition on that day. The Board of Education ordered the schools close. The Commercial Club and Labor Organizations urged the universal celebration of this holiday and every citizen of Omaha seemed to take on himself the responsibility of working for the success of this day. Proprietors of many of the large stores distributed tickets of admission among their employees. Charitable citizens distributed hundreds of tickets to the poor of the city through the assistance of the Associated Charities.
The last day of the Exposition, like the first, was one of bright sunshine. The exercises of the day were planned to take place in the Auditorium at 3 o'clock P.M. and immediately after the band concert. The program was as follows:
Music . . Innes Band
Innovation . . Rev. T.J. Mackay
Address . . Mayor Moores
Address . . Manager Z.T. Lindsey
Music . . Innes Band
Address . . Manager Rosewater
Address . . President Wattles
Music . . Innes Band
Special trains bring thousands... every train was loaded... special trains came from McCook, Hastings, Sioux City, Kansas City and Eastern Iowa.[SWH]
A carload of horses, for exhibit at the livestock show which closed several days ago, has just arrived from South Dakota.[WH]
All want souvenirs... many have impression that anything that can be carried away constitutes a free souvenir, if the owner isn't looking. One pavilion lost 6000 beer steins... salt and pepper shakers are carried off as fast as they are put on tables.. . an alarming scarcity of spoons.[WH]
New York City is home for 90 percent of the Midway people.[EB]
Two Plattsmouth boys, who ran away from home to see the Expo before it closed, were picked up by the police . Eddie Wallman and Robert Vance stole a ride on a train to get here, but lacked the means to return.[EB] The fair has helped the west according to RR men... it has been a greater success than any anticipated... business prospects throughout the west excellent... a general period of prosperity.[EB]
SPEECHES
Mayor Moores spoke as follows:
It is fitting that the closing day of the Transmississippi Exposition should be set aside as Omaha Day, for from its inception this great enterprise has been dependent upon the energy, sagacity and benevolence of the citizens of Omaha.
Omaha farsightedness planned this exposition when the leaden skies of adversity hung heavy over the land; Omaha courage inspired the Transmississippi region with faith in the future and secured promises of co-operation and assistance from the western cities and states, when financial panic and business depression were trying the stoutest hearts; Omaha liberality and generosity furnished the vast amount of money required to secure the successful completion of the exposition plans; Omaha intelligence and energy have directed and managed the enterprise; and now most properly to Omaha has been accorded the honor of closing the exposition. I trust that when the turnstiles cease clicking tonight they will have registered the largest daily attendance ever seen upon these grounds.
This exposition has been a benefit to Omaha in many ways. It has inspired Omaha people with faith in themselves and in their city. It has shown our citizens that no enterprise is too large for them to undertake and carry to successful completion if they work together and give it their united loyal support. It has made Omaha people proud of their city and they have formed the habit of doing their part to make the city neat, clean and attractive and of saying the best things about Omaha instead of talking to friends and visitors about the failings of the city. In fact many of our most hopeless old fogies have become so accustomed to hearing other people say good things about Omaha that they sometimes find themselves praising the city. Then again the hundreds of persons who have visited our city have gone to their homes in various parts of the country singing the praises of Omaha hospitality, liberality, pluck, push, energy and thrift, and hundreds of business men and manufacturers are now looking toward Omaha for the purpose of locating new establishments here. My prediction is that during the next ten years Omaha will experience a larger proportion of growth than any other city in the country and that the close of the decade will see here a population of 250,000 to 3000,000 with a commensurate increase in business in all lines.
The country at large believe in Omaha and visitors have not been slow to voice their approval. That distinguished statesman and diplomat, ex-Governor Crittendon of Missouri, in an address here on Kansas City day said: "The record Omaha has made in erecting this exposition is marvelous. Kansas City could not have done it; St. Louis could not have done it; in fact no other western city could have accomplished the task. Such an enterprise required a complete unity and splendid liberality and public spirit which no other city I believe possesses."
Such words from such a source should fill our citizens with greater pride in their city.
I feel that at this time I should poorly represent the people of Omaha if I should close these remarks without expressing to the directors and especially to the officers and board of managers of the exposition the gratitude of their fellow citizens for their devoted unselfish labors which have brought the exposition to this splendid culmination. They have succeeded far beyond our fondest dreams. I wish to thank them in behalf of the citizens of Omaha for what they have accomplished here and for the good they have done the city.
And now fellow citizens as the exposition closes let us look forward to the future with faith and courage and let us one and all put our shoulders to the wheel of Omaha prosperity and progress. The future of Greater Omaha is in your hands.
Manager Lindsey spoke as follows:
Away back in the good old times which we have all heard about and some of us have seen, there used to be an occasion at the close of the district school called the "last day." It was a gala day, as it meant freedom from lessons and restraint and because it ushered in a long looked for holiday. Management has come to the "last day" of the Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition, our tasks are almost ended, and our holiday near at hand. We have all seen the Midway some wonderful and beautiful illusions, and have been mystified by many marvelous feats of magic, but the greatest marvel of all have been the exposition itself. To transfer an irregular cornfield into a fairy land, with magnificent buildings, stately domes, graceful colonnades, beautiful flower gardens, tracery of brilliant light-- to do all this in less than two years does indeed seem a feat worthy of Aladdin and his lamp.
Unlike our friends on the Midway, I am going to tell you how this marvel was done. First of all it did not come by chance or by inheritance. Some would have you believe it was a streak of luck, that good fortune like a pillar of cloud preceded us by day and hovered like a Providence aided us with clear skies, pleasant weather and bountiful harvests, still I must repudiate the good luck theory, and attribute the stupendous success of the exposition to the common sense, every day business ideas, to the sleepless nights, and the persistent hard work of the members of the executive committee.
Social pleasures, personal comfort and individual business requirements have all been brushed aside, and no obstacle has been allowed to interfere with the successful outcome of our aim- an exposition worthy of its name and the great territory it represents.
Continuing, Mr. Lindsey briefly reviewed the work of securing the funds with which to promote such a colossal enterprise and expressed his grateful acknowledgment of the confidence that the people had reposed in the management of the exposition. He also paid a tribute to the men on whom they had called for advice and encouragement in times of discouragement, and trial and expressed the thanks of the management to every one who had contributed to make the exposition what it is. In conclusion, he said that while there had been much hard work in the building of the exposition, there was also much that was pleasant, and if, in the stress and worry consequent upon so vast an undertaking there had arisen any unpleasant memories he asked that they be consigned to rest and that the people should remember that what had been done had been done for the glory of Omaha, of Nebraska, and of the transmississippi region.