Tennessee is the first State thus to celebrate its centennial.

The ceremonies at the opening of the Exposition were very simple; they
had, however, one interesting feature.

After the Governor of the State and other important persons had spoken,
Mr. Thomas, the President of the Exposition company, came forward and
dictated the following telegram:

"To the President of the United States of America, Washington, D.C.

"The people of the State of Tennessee send greetings, and request that you
now put in motion the machinery of the Tennessee Centennial Exposition."

There was a pause after the message was flashed over the wire. The people
waited breathlessly, and then, amidst tremendous applause, the machinery
began to move. President McKinley had received the message and answered
it.

To make this great feat possible, wires had been laid, connecting the
Exposition with Washington; and they had been so arranged that the
pressure of the President's finger on an electric button would start the
current and put the machinery in motion.

Like the World's Fair, the Tennessee Exposition was not quite completed
when opened; but it appears to be a great success from an artistic
standpoint.

The various buildings are modelled after the most celebrated specimens of
Greek and Roman architecture. The grounds are beautifully laid out, and