Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-11-24
THE OROyIILE EXHIBIT.
The First Citrus Fair Held North OF
Sacranan

The First Citrus Fair Held North of
Sacramento.
Two years of experience in exhibiting
in Sacramento, where all the counties of
Northern and Central California were
obliged to display in space necessarily
limited, demonstrated that in such compe-
tition no county could do itself full Justice.
There was demand for more speciality.
Many who would gladly have been exhib-
itors were barred out by distance and ex-
pense. Residents of different portions of
the county were anxious to see one another's
productions Visitors who saw the fruit
also wished to see the trees which pro-
duced them, and the soil in which they
grew. For these and other reasons the
propriety of holding Butte county citrus
fair came up for discussion, and after COM
pairing the advantages of a home exhibit
over one sent abroad, it was decided TO
hold such fair, and Oroyille, the county
seat, was chosen as the place for the ex-
hibit, and the date of December 20. 1887.
fixed upon for the opening.
The local papers and the fruit-growers
in every direction took a lively interest in
the success of the enterprise. The people
of 0royille met and appointed working
committees, The Board of Trade of Chico
appointed committee to cooperate, and
smaller communities took like interest
until every district in the county became
full Of zeal to make not only magnificent
citrus exhibit, but also grand and gen
eral display Of all the products of the soil
nf kn xuh hni a It.f1c nd Il
fruits, grain, vegetables and minerals.
The Board of Supervisors of the county
donated $500, and individual citizens
principally those of Oroville-subscribed
various sums, until nearly $4,000 was
raised to defray the necessary expenses.
In the Courthouse yard framework of
timber was erected $50 feet long, fifty feet
wide and fifty feet high. Over this was
stretched heavy tent-cloth, making an i'm
mense canvas tabernacle. The Court
house yard in 1877 was partially planted
TO orange trees, and eight of these were in
closed in this mammoth tent, FIVE of which
had come into bearing and were loaded
with rich golden fruit, bearing living testi-
mony to the genuineness of the grand dis
play which was gathered beneath and
around them.
Before the day of the opening had ar
rived all the space in the immense pavil-
ion was fully utilized, and silenced the
arguments of those who insisted that it
was too large, and of those who thought a
display in canvas tent in midwinter i'm
practicable.
Chico and the northwest end Of the
county utilized ninety feet along the right
side, Messila valley the entire end, Oro-
vile the center row, the east end and all
but about ten or fifteen feet of the south
side, while Biggs, Gridley, Wyandotte,
Bangor, Paradise, Clear Creek and other
localities had space allotted them accord
ing to the size and variety of their ex-
hibits.
Everything being in readiness, the fair
was duly opened and disappointment of
happy surprise stared the promoters of the
scheme full in the face
THE PAVILION WAS TOO SMALL.
1t was so crowded with exhibits that
there was scarcely left one-fourth room
Tor the countless throngs of people who
visited it. The exhibition was confined 10
Butte county alone, but embraced every
product of its soil. Deciduous fruits,
grains and vegetables were included, but it
was pre-eminently citrus fair from the
fact that the orange and lemon so largely
predominated over all other products ex-
hibited. Certain select localities where
trees had been planted years ago were
known to be a complete success in the pro-
duction of citrus fruits, but not one resi-
dent of the entire county had any idea of
the universally with which they grew in
all parts of the county.
The great distinguishing feature, how
ever, of this first Butte county citrus fair
is the fact that the exhibit was the great
est show of the fruits of the earth ever
gathered under one roof.
The marvellous riches of Butte county
may be summarized from this exhibit as
showing over forty varieties of cereal
grain shown in sheaf and jars, vegetables
in every variety, shrubs and lowering
plants of every description, citrus and de-
ciduous fruits, smaller fruits and berries of
every cline, growing in luxuriance side by
side, in the same soil and under the same
climate.
Such an exhibition of fruits as were dis
played might possibly be made in Europe
by taking apples, grains, etc, from the
Scandinavian provinces on the north
grapes, plums and prunes from France and
Germany on the west; peaches from the
borders of Asia on the east and oranges,
lemons and figs from the shores of the
Mediterranean on the south By making
such selections from all the coun-
tries of Europe, and arti6cially preserv-
ing the fruits, as their ripening sea-
sons are not contemporaneous, such
an exhibition might possibly be collected
under one roof but it remains fact that
it was never done. Itwas reserved by Prov
idence for this favored land, the county of
Butte, in Northern California, to gather
from within its own borders an exhibit of
productions the like of which the world
never saw before.
THE COMING FAIR.