Los Angeles herald., 1891-10-27
CHRYSANTHEMUM FAIR.
PREPARATIONS COMPLETE FOR
THE OPENING THIS EVENING.
The Grounds Transformed Into Fairy
Land-Mus;c and Other Attractions.
Proceedings This Evening.

Just about three years ago number
of ladies who are prominent in social
circles in this city formed society for
the purpose of making an annual dis
play of chrysanthemums, thereby en-
couraging the cultivation of these beau
tiful flowers.
The immense building then known as
Simpson tabernacle, but now called
Simpson M. E. auditorium, was then
building, on Hope street, between
Seventh and Eighth streets, and in that
structure the first exhibition of the
"Rose Of Japan" was made.
The chrysanthemum fair achieved an
instantaneous success, the vast audit
orium being literally packed every night
during the week of the fair by the best
people of the city, and the society was
encouraged to continue the exhibitions
each year.
| The following autumn the second fair
was given, this time Armory hall being
secured, the church building having
| been furnished. The second fair was
| even a greater success than the first one,
and it had scarcely closed when prepara-
tions were set on foot for this years fair.
| Immediately adjoining the Simpson
auditorium building was large piece of
vacant ground measuring 140xl65 feet.
The ladies of the society conceived the
idea of giving the fair on that ground
and lost no time in putting their ideas
into execution.
The fair opens tonight at 8o'clock and
the visitor to the third annual chrysan-
themum fair will find himself in a verit-
able fairy land. Innumerable booths
have been erected over which delicate
vines of many varieties grow in profu-
sion. Hundreds of varieties of chrysan-
themums of the choicest kind will be
seen on every hand and nearly all of
them are growing plants, not merely set
about in pots and boxes, but planted in
the ground as they would in ones own
garden. At every turn of the numerous
paths that twist and wind through this
garden of roses, there will be something
to interest and enjoy and this years
fair will undoubtedly eclipse every pre-
! vious effort of the society, both as So
cial and artistic event.
The ladies have notneglected to make
the week perfect in every respect. In
the auditorium, from which there are
several wide passages to the garden be-
yond, there will be large orchestra,
and in addition many of the best of the
local musicians and elocutionists, both
professional and amateur, have volun-
teered their services for different even
ings during the week.
Capt. H. u. Osborne will preside at
the opening exercises this evening. Col.
]. J. Ayers will deliver an address, and
a poem by Mrs. Eliza A. Otis, entitled
The Birth of the Chrysanthemum. will
be read by Prof. Ludlam. Miss Mollie
Adelia Brown, who is always heard with
pleasure, will render the musical part
of the programme.
In speaking of the fair to a HERA LID
reporter yesterday, Mrs. j. P. Widney,
president of the society, called attention
to an exhibition now being advertised
by means of cards in the show windows
as "the second annual chrysanthemum
show" which also opens this evening.
Mrs. Widney said there are great many
persons who confuse this exhibition
with the "chrysanthemum fair"
whereas they have no connection, and
the ladies who have labored so hard and
so earnestly to make the fair a success
think they are entitled to the name
chrysanthemum fair and are indignant
that new and dissimilar organization
should appropriate their title. They re-
quested the announcement that the
chrysanthemum fair is to be held on
Hope street in the large pavilion adjoin-
ing Simpson M. E. auditorium, and that
the cable cars will convey visitors with
in block of the fair.
Tie request is also made that all per
sons who desire to place plants in the
special exhibit booths, attach the
names if possible, and that any who
have ivy and smilax will send it to the
pavilion this morning.