Exposition

Official guide of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition -- 1915 San Francisco California U.S.A. Opening Day February 20 1915; Closing Day December 4 1915 Extra-illustrated with clipped-linen-backed mounted Wahlgreen map and laid-in linen-backed Southern Pacific RR Map linen-backed with manuscript annotations; together with 2nd copy Official guide of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition -- 1915 San Francisco California U.S.A. Opening Day February 20 1915; Closing Day December 4 1915. . . .

1915 · 60910 — San Francisco CA & Oakland CA: Panama-Pacific International Exposition The Wahlgreen Co. Official Publishers 1915. Three pieces. 1st two - 8vo. 11-132 pp. w/ clipped Exposition map backed in linen mounted onto title page photo & text illustrations throughout. Colour-illustrated softcovers covered in white linen manuscript annotation of J.F. Rodgers 853-36th St. Oakland CA on front cover minor edgewear creasing; with large 28 x 8 in. Map of the Exhibition grounds issued by the Southern Pacific backed in linen on verso w/ extensive ink manuscript notes of itinerary and visits on verso list of 17 dates neatly written in upper fore-edge of recto some dustsoiling at fold creases edgewear still G set; 2nd - 8vo. 160 pp. With 1 large folding 4-panel frontisp. map of Exposition on recto birds-eye of San Francisco Bay on verso w/ photo ads at margin illustrated ads at front & rear. Colour-illustrated softcovers cover art of the City of Domes colour ad for Southern Pacific on back minor chipping head & foot of spine some creasing edgewear still VG- copy all from the library of John Francis Rodgers 1863-1932 and Prof. Marvin Nathan. First editions stated of these uncommon guidebooks to the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition together with the well-used map and manuscript notes of the Southern Pacific Railroad’s “Lost Properties†department head who attended the Fair 17 times through the year. These offer an intimate historical portrait of the frequency and popularity of visits by many fairgoer’s during the run of the PPIE. The neat manuscript notes list all the band performances he managed to catch through the year of festivities including John Philip Sousa conducting his popular marching band; the Philippine Constabulary Band which had originally played in 1904 at the St. Louis World’s Fair and whose performances at the PPIE proved very popular including 1 conducted by Sousa; and the Marimba Band “of Honduras†which was actually the Hurtado Brothers Royal Marimba Band the official Guatemalan Representatives at the PPIE who performed standing room only and wildly popular packed concerts; as well as the U.S. Marine Corps Band Arizona 1st Infantry Band St. Vincent’s Orphan Asylum Band Oakland School Band and more. He was also actively interested in the aerial shows performed at the PPIE featuring flights by pioneering aviators four of whom would not see 1917 as Silas Christofferson 1890-1916 perhaps best remembered for his dramatic leap off of the roof of the Multnomah Hotel in downtown Portland; Lincoln Beachey 1887-1915 who drowned while performing loop aerial maneuvers in a test Beachey-Eaton Monoplane crashing into San Francisco Bay in front of the PPIE crowd; Art Smith 1890-1926 who replaced Beachey and pioneered sensational aerial displays with fireworks and magnesium flares over the night skies; Charles Niles 1868-1916 who performed with Petrossi only to die a year later in OshKosh WI; and finally the Paraguayan daredevil Silvio Petrossi 1887-1916 noted for his illuminated night flights as well and even survived a crash in San Francisco Bay only to die in 1916. Rodgers also attended the PPIE during Contra Costa Day March 3 Tuolumne Day April 14 an Oakland School concert in Festival Hall April 16 Japan Day August 31 Liberty Bell Day July 7 and even Illinois Day - held July 24 1915 in honor of the Chicago Limited SS Eastland disaster after the ship rolled over at the pier killing 844 passengers & crew. Panama-Pacific International Exposition, The Wahlgreen Co., Official Publishers, paperback