Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-10-23
FLORIDA DAY AT LOUISVILLE.
The Story of its Success Again Interest
ingly Told.

Florida day just walks ahead. The morn
ing was nshered in with a depressing
autumnal drizZle that increased steadily
toward noon to regular down-pouring,
but this seemed to interfere but little with
/ the intentions of those who meant TO be
/ IN for the festivities. From an early hour
in the forenoon the Exposition cars went
out crowded, and the throng in the build
ing increased hourly. The Florida De-
partment had been dressed up in full re-
gala, and was the absorbing attraction.
! The principal entrance to the space was
an archway of arbOr vitae in which were
imbedded the words, ''Welcome, Governor
BloXham," in white and scarlet flowers.
| Within the boundaries the orange boxes
were piled up in groups, and the shelves
were loaded with oranges and grape fruit,
the latter proving an inscrutable mystery
to the unihltiated, who could not under
stand why anything should so resemble
an orange and prove so delusive.
OF course, every one gravitated natu-
rally to the Florida section, and every one
was brimtul of questions about every OBJ
ject on display. The Commissioners an
Swered and explained and illustrated un-
mental wreck and ruin whea it was all
over, but they all smiled sweetly and pro-
fessed themselves only too happy to sat
Isly all inquiries. Mr.. f. Ii. Rand had
charge of the South Florida Railroad ex-
hibit and was in constant demand during
the day. This railroad exhibit has been
only recently arranged in the space. aud
comprises little of everythng-sugar,
rice, long cotton, fruits, indeed all the
marvellous productions usually scattered
over Il wide area are here compressed into
one rich section, and displayed as Il speci-
men of what South Florida can do bv way
of strong point.
LITTLE BEFORE 3 O'CLOCK
in the afternoon GilmOre's men took their
places on the platform in Music Hall and
gave out some enchanting preparatory
strains. In due time Governor BlOXham,
accompanied by his staff, was conducted
to the chair Of state amid quite enthusi-
astic demonstrations. The Governor was
attended by Secretary Ormand Chaires,
AdJutant General YOnge, Hon. Z. w.
White, Judge Sebing, DR.. Shine and Sena-
tor Wilkinson Call. The opening speech
was made by General Alpheus Baker, of
Louisville, who welcomed the Governor
effusiyely and gracefully in the name of
the Directors and of the whole people OF
Louisville. Governor BloXham respond
ed very happily in a delightful little adj
dress, in which he brought in very ef-
fectively a handsome tribute to the Gland
Of fair women" This, of course, brought
down the house. 1t never fails. Then
President Harris Of the Press Association
made some very pleasant remarks on be-
half of the crowd he chaperOned. The
Florida Press deserves a whole chapter of
compliments. The editors, with their
wives and daughters. occupied seats of
honor along with the official party and
presented a charming spectacle of blush
ing beauty. The Florida ladies are re-
markably handsome but the editors are
perfectly lovely. Possibly to the ''fair
women among whom they shed the light
of their presence there was one depressing
feature-each one, with scarcely an eX-
ceptiOn, was accompanied by his wife.
The query might naturally arise-are
there no Florida editors lying around loose
and unproyided with heIpmates?
After President Harris concluded his
remarks he presented General Baker, on
behalf of the press, with a handsome
cane of Florida material and workman
ship. The entire crowd then marched off
to the banquet, where the various members
came out strong and distinguished them
selves and their countrymen when the
tOasts came on. But the real crush began
at nightfall when the lights were turned
on and the fruit was distributed to the
eager, pushing, laughing crowd. The
Commissioners fenced themselves in and
issued stern edicts that no one was to in
terfere in the work of distribution, but
ladies sent their escorts to leap the bar
riers and some in their desperation seemed
on the point of leaping over themselves.
1t was found that it would be impossible
to satisfy all during the evening, so that
the men were set aside and as nearly as
possible every lady was presented with a
specimen of the wonderful Florida fruit.
A large quantity still remained boxed up,
and the next morning another crowd as
sembled In the Florida space to consume
the remainder of it. Indeed, the interest
was still so lively and the scene so ami
mated during the entire succeeding morn
ing it seemed very like Florida day warm
ed over.
GOVERNOR BLOXHAM,
who has been quite unweIl during his
visit, decided to remain over a little
longer than intended, and on Friday morn
ing, attended by number of FlOridians,
made an extended tour through the Expo
sitiOn, such a thing being impossible on
the regular Florida day as the avenues
were choked with people,
The visiting journalists on the evening of
Thursday, after being conducted through
the COHrieT-JOHrRdt building, accepted the
invitation of President Bennett Young
and went on an excursion over the Monon
Saturday evening. One of the editors
Mr. Allen, of the Madison Nec Erd-was
recalled by telegram, which he found
upon his arrival in the city, announcing
his fathers death In NaldOsta, Ga, where
he was Town Marshal,
The visitors were to be entertained with
an especially gorgeous display of fire.
works, but the pitiless rain etfectually
quenched that plan. There was post
pOnement to the following night, but it
rained harder and more spitefully than
ever.
A tank of fresh Florida fish was unique
feature of the display on Florida day
Governor BloXham is voted the finest
looking Governor that has yet visited the
Exposition. II there are Governors any
where else who feel piqued now is the |
time to come on and compare notes.
Altogether, Florida day was triumph. |
The only thing that t'cast gloom over |
the entire community was the rain, and |
every one echoed Governor BloXham'g J
wish that he could have transported sew
eral acres of his Florida CLIMATE with him. |
What has heretofore been known in Ken
tucky as 'florida fever" is something |
more nOw-it is delirium.
There are now only three weeks remain |
ing of the great Exposition, the manage
ment having decided to close up for good |
on Saturday night, the 10th of November. |
How quiet and dull old Louisville will |
seem when she falls back into her accus- |
toned ways, when there will be no longer |
the face of the stranger, nor his garments |
nor his fearful and wonderful hats, nor |
anything that is his rem lining amongst |
us. There will be no rush qi ieet by day |
and no halo of light against the Southern |
sky by night TO remind us who are left |
over that the hundred days are melted |
away. Well, there is one vast consQla. /
tiOn for us who belong on the sl0t--We |
are going to have dog show! That is
our day to come out strong, On the last
two days Of this month there is to be a
bench show of dogs, and as every dog has
his day, and everybody else has been
given special opportunity, the dog-days
are ours, evidently.
There has been Considerable weeping
and waillEg ana smashing of teeth among
the license people. They don't or can't or
Won't pay UP. and the consequence is they
nave been compelled, TO a large number,
10 IOla EAelF Ients and depart in anything
Dut Q quiet spirit or peaceful frame of
MIND. President Dupont is being sued
right and left by these people, and he Ands
that he has scrambled into oceans Of Ghotwa- |
ter. The huge sOda-fOuntain in the centre
of the building. wbicb is the rendezvous
for the world at large, and without which
it used to seem there could be no EXpOsi-
tiOn at all, is silent and deserted and the
passer~by remembers mOurnfully its de-
parted grandeur. COYLE DOUGLAS.
The Chili-Peru treaty Signed.
LIMA. Oct. a2-Ke E6Urio 06cfal -.