126 ISTew Yoek at the World's Colitmbian Exposition. 



After the reading of the poem the meeting was turned into a recep- 

 tion, at which several thousand visiting New Yorkers and others were 

 introduced to Governor Flower and the State officers who accompanied 

 him. 



In the evening a joint reception was given Governor Altgeld of 

 Illinois, and Governor Flower of JSTew York, in the State building. 

 Governor Altgeld extended, on behalf of the State of Illinois, a cordial 

 greeting to New York's executive and other State officers, and spoke 

 in a highly complimentary way of the place New York had taken in 

 the exposition, and which her sons held throughout the "West. 

 Governor Flower responded in a happy vein, and the evening was a 

 delightful reunion of the citizens and friends of .both States. 



The festal nature of New York's celebration was not confined to a 

 single day, but ran through the greater part of the week. The chief 

 event subsequent to the anniversary day, however, was the reception 

 and ball given by the " Sons of New York " to Governor Flower and 

 staff. State officials, and other executive officers. The " Sons of New 

 York " is a society of Chicago, founded in 1890. The object and the 

 full significance of the gathering is well set forth in a souvenir prepared 

 for the occasion by Mr. J. Ensign Fuller, a member of the society : 



History does not record the commemoration of an occasion in any 

 manner similar to this commingling of residents of two great States, but 

 natives of only the one; under the roof and in the magnificent apart- 

 ments of a building erected by the generous munificence of our mother 

 State; upon spacious grounds furnished by their adopted city, largely 

 through the Influence of the members of the society to which has come the 

 honor of tendering this reception, and to crown all, within the inclosure 

 of an exposition solemnizing the discovery of the great continent which 

 has nurtured us, and participated in by every civilized nation upon the 

 face of the earth. 



Upon these grounds, within these parental walls, in the beneficent 

 shadow of the escutcheon of our great Empire State, and surrounded by 

 its archives and memories, the Sons of New York bid you all a hearty 

 welcome to the great city of their adoption and to their hearts and homes. 



Less than four years ago this society was formed by a few energetic 

 sons of New York, partly to assist in accomplishing the grand result of a 

 world's fair, and to show to the world the peculiar advantages of their 

 wonderful city for its location, but principally, as shown by its charter, 

 "To keep fresh in the memory of every son and daughter of New York, 

 resident in Illinois, the glory and honor of the Empire State, and by 



