KANSAS CITY MAN THE
BUILDER OF BIG FAIR.
CHAS. J. SMITH, ITS ENGINEER,
FORMERLY LIVED HERE.
Alaska-Yukon Pacific Exposition
His Work -- Started on the Kan-
sas City, Fort Scott &
Gulf Railroad.
Charles J. Smith, formerly of Kansas City, built the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific exposition. The fair closed several weeks ago. The builder got little credit. It was his own fault. He stopped the publicity department of the fair from using his name in connection with the work.
It was many years ago that "Charlie" Smith ran about the hillsides of Kansas City, up and down the ravine that was converted into Delaware street, and raced his brothers to their home on what is now Wyandotte street. The family came from Kentucky to Kansas City just before the close of the Civil war. Being strangers and moreover Smiths -- both not uncommon in the growing town -- they passed unnoticed.
WENT TO SCHOOL HERE.
"Charley" Smith went to the schools of Kansas City. After he got older and became ambitious, a friend got him a place in the offices of the Kansas City, Fort Scott & Gulf railroad, now a part of the Frisco system. Smith became a civil engineer. When the Kansas Pacific railroad was being built, the road needed Smith. Smith needed the job and took it. He remained several years. Then he was placed in charge of a large and difficult but of engineering on the Oregon Short Line.
The Smiths left Kansas City. Smith's father also entered the employ of the Oregon Short Line and removed nearer the work. Smith gathered fame as an engineer by doing many difficult jobs. He also became wealthy.
FAIR NEEDED HIM.
When Seattle needed an engineer with big ideas and experience, it asked Smith to undertake the work. But he got little personal advertising out of it. He chose the plans, erected the buildings, beautified the grounds and had the work done on schedule time, the first time a big exposition was ever completed by its opening day.
The reason why Smith got no advertising was that he went to the publicity committee after he was appointed to build the fair and said:
"I am Charles J. Smith. I have been put in charge of building the fair. You can write about it and puff it any way you see fit, but if any of you connect me with the work by using my name, you will be fired in a way that you won't forget."
That's why it was necessary now to give out, at this distance from Seattle, that Charles J. Smith built the fair. All Seattle and the Northwest, or course, could not help but know who built the fair.
Young Smith attended the Humbolt school when the institution was on Eighth and May streets.
"He is the son of a man the old-timers will remember as "Deacon Smith," a pillar of the Second Presbyterian church in the early days," said Colonel E. S. Jewett yesterday afternoon. "He came here when he was about 5 years of age, and went to school with my sons and Jim McGowan and that crowd. The old Humboldt school boys will recollect little Charlie Smith well. When he got out of school, young Smith started railroading. The Memphis ran all the way to Paola in those days, and Smith got a job in the general offices. T. F. Oakes and C. H. Prescott, both with the Fort Scott road, left it to go to Portland, and they induced Smith to go with them. They also took the roadmaster and one or two others. I had lost sight and memory of the boy till now. I see he has a page in the Evening Post. As he has made his million, built the Alaska-Yukon fair and established a national reputation we might as well recollect him.
