At the base of Huntington Falls Golden Gate Park San Francisco Cal

An old man labeled “Sabbatarian Bigot,” dressed as a Puritan, holds a book labeled “Blue Laws” and stands in front of “Niagara Falls.” A man walking with his wife and child suggests that the old man will be no more successful at stopping Niagara Falls, than he will be at preventing the Pan-American Exposition from opening on Sunday. A nearby sign states “Pan-American open on Sunday by order of Supreme Court.” In the background, hordes of people stream through the open gates to the Exposition.

comments and context

Comments and Context

Church groups and denominational spokesmen lobbied the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo to “respect the Sabbath” and close the fair on Sundays. This had been a controversy during the Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893, but the Sabbatarians had more success with the Buffalo fair. Operating between April and October 1901, the fair opened on Sundays at half-price admission for barely a month, due to heavy complaints from concessionaires. The courts, when the controversy resulted in litigation, decided in favor of the fair’s owners, closing gates on Sundays. The “opening” on the sign in Puck‘s cartoon was a short-lived victory. Ultimately, and in spite of popular plaudits and 8-million visitors, the Exposition was a financial disaster. Even with the Sunday closures, its major income was derived from concession fees. John G. Milburn was President of the Pan-American Exposition, and hosted President William McKinley at his house, where, after McKinley’s death at an assassin’s hand, Theodore Roosevelt took the oath of office.

President Roosevelt informs his son Ted that he recently went on a ride with his mother, Edith Roosevelt, beyond Sligo Creek where they enjoyed the beautiful scenery. On Saturday, the Roosevelts attended the wedding of Theodore Douglas Robinson and Helen Rebecca Roosevelt. On the following day, they visited Attorney General Knox at Valley Forge where the President gave an impromptu speech in support of efforts to build a memorial to George Washington.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1904-06-21

Francis V. Greene of Niagara Lockport and Ontario Power Company lets President Roosevelt know that he approves the passing of a bill regulating power companies and power production. The bill that Greene refers to concerns the use of Niagara Falls for water power and also concerns the preservation and conservation of the waterfalls. Greene mentions that he met with Canadian officials to discuss this matter and found out that Niagara Falls was not the main focus of the Canadians. Instead, they were more concerned with other bodies of water.

Collection

Library of Congress Manuscript Division

Creation Date

1906-06-05