Buttons from The Pan American Exposition, 1901

The event was organized by the Pan-American Exposition Company, formed in 1897.  Buffalo, New York, was chosen as the place to hold the Exposition.   The city was within a day's journey by rail for over 40 million people.  The "Pan American" theme was carried throughout the event with the slogan "commercial well being and good understanding among the American Republics."

The advent of the alternating current power transmission system in the US allowed designers to light the exposition in Buffalo using power generated 25 miles away at Niagara Falls.  The newly-developed X-ray machine was displayed at the fair.  Lina Beecher, creator of the Flip Flap Railway, attempted to demonstrate one of his looping roller coasters at the fair, but the organizers of the event considered the ride to be too dangerous and refused to allow it on the grounds.

The exposition is most remembered because President William McKinley was shot by an anarchist, Leon Czolgosz, at the Temple of Music on September 6, 1901.  The President died 8 days later.  President McKinley's speech at the exposition on the previous day included the following words:

"Expositions are the timekeepers of progress. They record the world's advancements. They stimulate the energy, enterprise, and intellect of the people, and quicken human genius. They go into the home. They broaden and brighten the daily life of the people. They open mighty storehouses of information to the student...."

These three souvenir buttons from the exposition are displayed side-by-side, possibly for the first time in over 100 years.  The first one has the words, “Official Button,” printed along the upper edge.

The picture of the bison obviously represents the city of buffalo. The symbolism of the dust pan and brooms is a little more obscure.  The middle badge alludes to “IN-DUST-RY,” while the button on the right proclaims, “NO DUST FOR US,” and “CLEAN SWEEP.”  Other souvenirs of the exposition were made in the shape of frying pans. One theory is that the pans somehow relate to the “pan” in “Pan American.”



Double Entendre

I just could not resist this pin:

Another Musical Treat

I just acquired another cd in my exploration of the works of little known composers--String Quartets Nos. 1-3 by Anton Zimmerman on Naxos 8.553952. It is indeed thoroughly enjoyable listening.

 

From the notes on the CD, Wikipedia, and other on-line sources, I learned a little about Anton Zimmerman:

Silesian-born Anton Zimmermann was born in 1741 in Široká Niva (Breitenau); he died 1781, Bratislava.  He was a composer and contemporary of Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Zimmermann spent most of his career in Bratislava, then capital of Hungary, where he worked as a composer, violinist, conductor, and artist manager.

The most important and influential post that this Austrian composer held was as the composer to Count Joseph Batthyany, the Archbishop of Hungary. He held this position  from 1776 until his death. As the first violinist he conducted from his chair performing instrumental secular works. Zimmermann composed approximately twenty five symphonies as well as numerous works in a variety of genres, including works for the stage, masses, offertories, concertos, nocturnes, and sonatas. He is considered to be one of the first composers to actually capture theatrical qualities in his melodramatic compositions. The sacred music which Zimmermann composed demonstrated his capacity for fugal developmental with full harmonic sonorities.

Modeled on those of Joseph Haydn, Zimmermann’s quartets and other chamber works for strings are noteworthy for their ‘symphonic” writing and expressive melodies, which set them apart from the decorative chamber music of many of his contemporaries.

His music has been recorded by, among others, the Musica Aeterna Soloists for the Naxos record label.

I continue to be impressed by the amount, variety, and quality of music that exists outside the realm of the musical giants.

Theodore Roosevelt Visits Chehalis

While exploring a box of political odds and ends yesterday, I came upon what at first appeared to be a common 1-1/4” Theodore Roosevelt pin.  It’s in really poor condition. The shell of the pin is bent.  The paper is discolored.  The celluloid has several long cracks in it.  There is a hole punched right through the knot in Theodore’s tie.  At the top, is written “Our President.”  At the bottom is printed “Chehalis, May 22, 1903,” which, I think, makes this pin not so common after all.

When I researched the date and location, I learned that on May 22, 1903, during his campaign for the presidency, President Theodore Roosevelt visited Chehalis, Washington, and gave a 15-minute speech about hard work from atop the “McKinley Stump” at the intersection of West Street and Market Boulevard. 

Nearly 10,000 people attended, which must have made this a big event for a fairly small town:

In May 1901, The McKinley stump was cut from a 360-year-old Douglas Fir tree near Pe Ell in May, 1901 It was transported to Chehalis to serve as a speaking platform for President William McKinley. The trip was cancelled when McKinley’s wife took ill. A few months later, McKinley was assassinated, and Vice-President Roosevelt assumed the presidency. 

In 2007, the stump had to be removed because it was riddled with carpenter ants and internal rotting.  A replacement stump was put in place in 2008. 

An article describing the Roosevelt campaign event appears at the Washington State history site, http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=8373.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Hungarian Dances Revisited

I have always enjoyed an occasional listen to the Hungarian Dances by Johannes Brahms.

I own a budget cd on the ONYX label, an orchestral version by the London Festival Orchestra conducted by Alfred Scholz.  It's nothing special; it was the only one I could find at the time that had all 21 dances.  So, it has been just a "pretty listen."

Yesterday on internet radio, I heard a recording of the original version for piano, 4 hands.  It virtually knocked my socks off!  There were harmonies, dissonances, and rhythmic structures that seem to get lost in the orchestral versions.

It was such a wonderful experience I thought I should mention it.  Here is the summary information:

Performers:             Stign Kolacny and Steven Kolacny
Label:                      EtCetra Records
Catalog Number:     ETC 5250

 

Yet another "hold-to-Light" Card

My collection of hold-to-light post cards continues to grow.  There are probably hundreds of cards in the "hold-to-light" category.  Most of them are scenic views; many are cartoons.  Except for the one card I have that depicts the town of Heidelberg, Germany, my collection is limited to those cards that depict ships.  In that restricted category, I have obtained 16 so far. This is the most recent acquisition:

Today I added a twelfth ship to my hold-to-light card collection.