Wilmington journal., 1875-12-31
Endu.srias Fair Association.
FIRST DAY.

Tor some time past been making every
effort in their power to prepare for
ehe first Industrial Fair ever held by
them in the State. and on yesterday
the exhibition was opened.
Awaiting ourself of an invitation po-
htely extended, We spent short
while on yesterday in looking through
the articles on exhibition. These we
found to be much beyond our expec-
tation both as to numbers and quality.
Floral Hall presented a very credita-
BILE appearance. but was not equal to
the Mechanical Department. This,
we must say, reflects great credit on
the management and the exhibitors.
The articles from the field and farm
yard were not SO numerous nor so at
tractlva, but taking the exhibit ton as
a whole, it was very crc<Iitable.
W shall take occasion to make fur
ther mention of this EXHIBITION and
will wv only say that it was claimed
by the Superintendent, JOS q. Hill,
aud we thOught with cOmm.ndable
pride, that fffere was not an article on
exhibition that was the product of the
caltlc race, bnt evei iything that WIS to
be seen, was from the hands of the
negro
SEC ND DAY.
The colored people continue, unre-
mittingly, TO exert themselves to make
this, the first exhibition of their IN
dustriai Fair AS ociatiop, q complete
success. So far as the atten 1ance is
concerned, they have every reason to
congratulate themselves. The crowd
embled in their exhibition halls and
on their grounds, must be certainly
equal TO tEeir most sangulne expecta-
tions, while the rabble that crowd
around the entrsuce gate, and around
the booths which have been greeted
near Glblem Lodge Building, filling
up all the approaches to the halls of
the Association, makes ones egress
and regress very difficult, and at times
nigh to impossible.
As rule, however, it seems to be
the better class of negroes who are on
the grounds and In the building-com-
posed, We are told, in d measure, of
visitors aud exhibitors from other SEQ
considerable extent flom South Caro-
lima.
The Industrial Exhibition, as we
stated in yesterdays JOURNAL, reflects
great credit upon the negroes who
have been instrumental in getting it
up, and many Of the articles which
have been entered for premiums, ex-
nibit degree of sklilful workmanship
which We unbesitatingly declare to be
worthy of the highest commendation.
This is more noticeable in the articles
which come from the hands of the va
riOns kinds of artisans and mechanics
the shoemaker, carpenter, black
smith, builder, plasterer, &c. We
were told on yesterday that the entry
of articles continued to be pressed
upon the officers of the Association to
such an extent, that the necessity arose
to stop admitting any more articles
from the colored people of the city,
in order to give room for articles which
come from distance. Before the ex-
hibition comes to a close we propose
to notice i'll detail some Of those We
think the most deserving.
While the Fair Association is the
IL
has drawn together this large concourse
of negroes from this State and from
South Carolina, the Fair Exhibition Is
not t,y any means the only point of at
provided to interest and amuse the
many visitors thereto.
The streets are resonant with music
from several bands, not forgetting to
mention Guys band-the inevitable
Guy, with his fiageolet and his never
ending tlne. And then, too, Geo. L.
Mabson, Lieutenant Colonel, with his
s'Firss North Carolina Volunteer Mi
litia Regiment" (coIored,) and the
colored Fire Companies from Will
mington and Charlotte. march and
counter-march up and down the prin-
clpal streets, and to, and from, and
about the Industrial Building, draw
ing after them, and abreast of them,
multitude of motley men, women
mad urchins, which Can only be equaled
in size aud appearance ny those which
Robinsn's circus brings out.
On yesterday there was an address
delivered by the
EON o. H. DOCKERY.
who rode through the streets in pre-
cession, seated in a carriage with
Symthe and two other negroes, to the
Fair Grounds. When we saw this
Joining the white rose to the black.
we recollected the proud declaration
of the Superintendent, Jos. @. Hill,
made to us the day previous, and pub
lished in yesterdays JOURNAL "that
there was not an article on exhibition
Cat the Fair) that was the product OF
the Celtic race, but everything that
WIS to be seen was from the hands OF
the negro" We thought then, and
still think, that this expression enema
ted from a commenduble pride that
the authors race had SO far progressed
in the arts, in industry and education,
| as to be able to present so cfedltable
an exhibition as was then before us.
And when we saw this junction of the
two roses, we regretted that the Su-
perintendant's pride of +xclnsivenefs
! had pot extended to bis on anac,ts
a1ey.so7.Ce as well as to the exhibitors Ill
his halls. 1t seemed to be Il destruc
| ton of the eternal fitness Oh thugs.
! THIRD DAY.
The interest which the coiored peo
take in the exhibition seems to be uE
! abated.
! Yesterday a new feature of the en-