Seattle and Tacoma Call a Truce for the Interstate Fair

Henry Bucey, manager of the Interstate Fair, accompanied by a delegation of fair officials and prominent men and city officials of Tacoma, arrived in the city last evening and succeeded in making arrangements for a Seattle exhibit and in having September 12 set apart as Seattle-Tacoma day, when both cities will stand shoulder to shoulder and work for the benefit of the whole state without reference to locality.

When the Flyer arrived at 6 o'clock the Tacoma visitors were met by Alderman Leander Miller, acting mayor; Dr. Crichton, president of the house of delegates; Corporation Counsel Scott; Aldermen Jordan and Sweeney, and Delegates Voigt, Herd, Chapman, Little, James and Lovejoy. Besides Manager Bucey, there were among the visitors Franklin K. Lane, the well-known newspaper man; John W. McAuley, city treasurer of Tacoma; W. H. Harris, president of the city council; James Wickersham, the city attorney; L. Smith, chief of police, and the following professional and business men: E. O. Huston, C. A. Murray, G. L. McKay, J. C. Dillow, Charles Gorman, L. L. Shaffner, J. Pratt, Abe Gross, A. L. Hayward, K. K. Osgood, H. Hollair, H. R. Hudson, H. Hume, and others.

The visitors were conducted to the city hall and ushered into the house of delegates' chamber. Dr. Crichton, on behalf of the mayor, extended the right hand of fellowship to the visitors and announced that Seattle would do her full share towards making the fair a success. He said it was no longer a Tacoma affair, but that it had passed further and was now a state, a national concern, and something every city in the Northwest would in duty bound be compelled to aid and support. Dr. Crichton then explained that the meeting was for the purpose of devising ways and means to hold a Tacoma-Seattle day and he expressed the conviction that Seattle would do her share towards making the day the most glorious of the season.

Manager Bucey followed Dr. Crichton in a short speech, in which he thanked the reception committee for the welcome given the visitors and said he was gratified to learn that Seattle would unite in making the fair a success. He explained that it was not the object of the fair managers to give any one locality in the Northwest preference over another; that Portland would be well represented, and thus Oregon would have to be treated with equal consideration. Mr. Bucey said: 'There are seventeen different nationalities now represented at the fair and many of the exhibits at the World's fair will be placed at our doors. We expect to be continually adding attractions and with each day the fair will improve, so that the last day will be the grandest of all. Seattle should, and I have no doubt will, have a splendid exhibit. You have coal resources, minerals, fisheries, foundries, mills, florists, shingle industries, etc., and a splendid exhibit could easily be arranged for. You will find ample space on the grounds and the railroads will charge nothing for hauling the exhibits. We want to set apart one day as Tacoma and Seattle day and we will have a great time. We will have a parade, bands of music, floats, and instead of a Tacoma or Seattle man it will be a Tacoma man. Our interests will be one for the day, and, I hope, for the future.'

Franklin K. Lane made an enthusiastic speech, expressing the desire that the Seattle-Tacoma day would be a grand success. Said he: 'We Tacoma people may be a little stubborn sometimes; we may be unwilling to call Mount Rainier by its proper name, but you will never find a Tacoma man who will not admit that Seattle is one of the most patriotic cities on the globe; that her people stand together and get what they want. You have pride, enterprise and patriotism. Now that's what we want. We want to inject some Seattle spirit into the fair project and the best way to accomplish this purpose is to have the Seattle people on the ground and be one with us. We want you to start it together with us and pull the same as you do in politics, the same as you do in Republican campaigns. It's the only sure way to win.'

W. H. Harris, president of the city council, spoke in the same spirit, James Wickersham, the Tacoma city attorney, made a short address, and then Dr. Crichton followed, again pledging the city's support of the fair. Manager Bucey called attention to the fact that a committee should be appointed to look after the Seattle exhibit and secure space at the fair grounds. Acting Mayor Miller said that he would confer with the members of the Chamber of Commerce and the city council, and within two days appoint a committee of six representative business men to look after the matter.

At 8 o'clock the visitors dined, and most of them took the late train home.