The Asheville citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1885-1889, 1885-08-17
A SENSIBLE MOVE.

We commend the following, from the
Charlotte Observer, to the readers of the
CITIzEN in this. whole section The
Western North Carolina Fairis expected
to embrace every county from and In
Guiding Mitchell and Burke to Cherokee
We thank the Observer for the following
arrangements have been made for an
exhibition of the woods and minerals of
Western North Carolina at the ap-
proaching fair at Asheyille, and
the Asheville papers take oc-
.easion to urge the people to send
IN specimens tfiat EffeIF mag be a e it,
able exhibition of these things, as well
as of the agricultural products, of which
it is said there will be fine display.
This is a move in the right direction
There is business in it. The completion
of the Western North, Carolina railroad,
giving Asheville connection with the
Western and Southern systems of roads,
has made her a centre accessible to the
travelling public fromsall directions, and
the consequence is she isseena and visited
by hundreds of people who before scarce
lly knew of her existence. Many of
these are business men, men of capital
portunities to invest money. They keep
their eye on industrial fairs, where the
resources of the country are grouped in
miniature under the eye, and where a
pretty correct estimate may be formed
of what the country really is. 1t is a
matter of fact that the display of North
Carol; mas resources at Atlanta, Boston
and New Orleans largely attracted public
attention and led to the investment of
no small amount of money in this State,
which would never have found its way
here had these exhibits not been made.
Of course exhibits at the fair at Ashe-
vile, being local, will not reach the eyes
of strangers as those at the exhibitions
referred to did, but they will be seen by
many people, seen on the spot they came
from, as it were, where all desirable in
formation in reference to them may be
obtained, and they will be noticed and
will be talked about and written about,
thus getting before much larger circle
of people than those who actually see
them.
This ought to be leading feature of
fairs wherever .1eld in the State and of
our State Fair. 1t would attract men of
capital from ether sections, to whom a
simple agricultural fair would present
fine inducements. It-would be very
easy matter, respectfully in the central or
western part of the State, SO prolific in
varied forests. woods and minerals, to
make a superb collection, if the effort
were made and the people who would
eventually be benefited by it took but a
little interest in it: There are but few
counties which could not furnish its
'QHptuof attraetive exhibits, withaut ex-
penSe to the collectors and costing only
the little trouble of collecting and for
Farding. 1t is not matter of mere dis
play, the arranging in cases and on
shelves of collections for mere show.
There is business, dollars and cents, and
perhaps goad many of them in it. The
man who owns farm, with 6ne timber
or mineral ores, though anxious to sell,
cannot always find purchasers, can't go
out and hunt them, don't know where to
find them if he could. But when he
places specimens of his timber and ores
before the public eye he does effective
advertising, without costing him either
time or money. But whether it results
in material benefit to him at the time or
not, it does benefit the section and in
creases derectly or indirectly the general
value or property
We trust the people of the mountain
section will respond to this movement in
earnest, and that the wood and mineral
display at the coming fair will be a good
one, and then we hope to see it initiated
in other sections" 80