The freeman. (Parkersburg, W. Va.) 1886-18??, 1888-10-03
A VOTEMAklNG BANNER.
A Campaign Banner That Tells the Whole

Story.
The New York papers thus describe a
banner recently flung to the breeze by the
Pfohibitionists at Paterson, II. j.:
When the Prohibitionists of Paterson
decided to raise banner they resolved
on two things The first was that their
banner should be the largest and most
imposing in the city. To insure this they
made haste to secure a location that
would afford ample room. After some
rather cold receptions by jealous Repub-
licans the committee appointed to carry
out this part of the programme succeeded
in obtaining permission to swing their
banner across Market street, opposite
Railroad avenue and only few yards
from the Erie railroad. The situation is
one of the best in the city for such a pur-
pose. 1t is prominence itself and it is
safe to say that banner erected in this
place, in the immediate vicinity Of two
railroad depots, as it is, will be seen by
more people than any other. Market
street is wide at this point, and as the
committee gazed at the poles on which
their banner would swing, with the ninety
feet or more of space between them, they
were delighted and satisfied that no organ
ization would have larger banner than
theirs.
The second desire of the managers was
to have banner painted in such way
that an impression would be made upon
the mind of everybody who looked at it.
So design most startling in it's concep-
ton was drawn and handed to A. l..
Brumfeld, Market street painter. He
said he thought he could execute it and
at once set about the work. "A w daYs
ago he finished one of the mos remark
able banners ever seen in this city.
To begin with the enumeration of its
wonders, which are the pride of the Pro
hibitionists, the banner Is q third larger
than the largest yet raised. 1t contains
1,790 square feet and weighs 200 pounds.
A thick wire cable was required to stretch
it across the wide street last night. Three
hundred and forty yards of stuff were
used in making this expanse of muslin,
network and paint. In the center of the
banner is space 20 by 10 feet, and this is
taken up with the design upon which such
great hopes are fixed. An immense sheaf
ofgolden wheat, neatly bound end set off
with sickle, has been been painted III the
middle. On one side of this attractive bit Of
harvest are siz figures The most strik-
ing is an exceedingly thin, grinning and
perfectly horrible skeleton. 1t may be
Satan himself, so d1abolical is the express
sion and the work in which the skeleton
Is engaged is certainly that which might
be considered as appropriate for Belize
bub. Bending over the wheat and also
over a woman and her three little ones
this monstrous apparsion pours some
thing from vase that blights the life of
the mother and children and renders the
father unconscious on the floor The IL
quid is extracted from the grain, and ac-
cording to prohibition view, is unfit to be
used by anybody. On the other side of
the wheat are six more figures. Right by
the sheaf stands beautiful female and
in some mysterious way she has got from
the same grain that produced the stupe-
flying fluid loaf of bread This she
hands to father, whose face is far differ
ent from that of the fallen man on the
other side, and whose whole condition is
happier. The mans wife and children,
bright faced and intelligent, complete the
scene. Every figure is moro than life
size, and the effect is really remarkable.
A ribbon seventy feet long winds above
the scene. On the sides are immense
eagles, bearing shields which contain the
heads of the Prohibition candidates.
These faces are three or four times larger
than life.
The only fear the Prohibitionists have
is that the banner may prove so attractive
that they will be proceeded against for
blocking up the street.