The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-12-06
AT A BIG SOUTHERN FAIR.
WHAT A WASHINGTON MAN SAW AT
THE AUGUSTA EXPOSITION.
The Stars and Stripes Everywhere Dis
played by the Loyal and Enterprising
Citizens-A Great Chance to Study
Southern characteristics.

"1 have just returned" he remarked by
way of Introduction, "from the land over
which cotton still wields the sceptre From
town where cotton bales can be counted by
the thousands, town in which the predomi-
mating vehicle is long, low, two-wheel dray,
drawn invariably by mule, and driven, OF
course by the ever-present darky. 1 have
reference to that bustling and thriving little
town of Augusta Ga.
"Three years ago the good people there
determined that an exposition should be held
by them, and in November of that year one
was held. Last month they held second one
The first one was great success, not only as
means of advertising Southern energy and
resources, but also rs a means of affordiRg
valuable information and healthy amusement
to its visitors. 1t was, however, not financial
success. The second one, which closed the
2Sth of last month, was great advance over
the first one, and moreover 1t was financial
success result of very rare occurrence in
the history of such institutions. There were
exhibitors from twenty-four OF the States, and
they were all of a very high class.
"To a visitor from the North, as |, was
Augusta and its exposition afforded much to
interest and amuse. 1t was, perhaps, the
very best opportunity one could possibly have
had for studying Southern character and
customs. Crossing the Savannah River from
struck by the great difference in people
separated only by q stream less than half
mile WIDE Leaving 'Cor'lina, as the Palmetto
State is spoken OF down in Georgia, one
Indifferent people. Reaching Augusta one
finds an energetic and enterprising people,
full OF go, and determined to keep well up
with the progress OF the rest of the country.
Augusta is great cotton market, and almost
every other resident is either connected with
hlVorS pOnnpptpQ
one of the many mills there.
During its exposition, Augusta was dressed
In holiday attire, and everywhere throughout
the town the glorious Stars and Stripes were
profusely displayed. Indeed, the national
colors were made use Of In every possible
manner for decorative purposes, and on the
exposition grounds they foated from every
flagstaff. One day, Confederate Veterans
day, the militia and the veterans engaged In
sham battle. The first battle of Bull Run was
intended to be portrayed, for the reason, as
explained by griZzled old veteran, shat it
was one of the times when we got the best of
the Yanksn The battle was fought, and
when the victorious army, over which floated
the Star Spangled Banner marched from the
field, it and its standard were CREATED with
that enthusiasm which is found only in the
South.
''The exposition, of course attracted thou
sands of visitors from the rural districts Of
Georgia and the adjoining States. Those
visitors represented all conditions, and were
almost equally divided between the whites
and blacks. Most of them came by rail,
many drove to town in OK carts, while not
few came in behind the meek and patient
mule. Those who drove to town represented
the poorer classes of whites and negroes, and
invariably the whole family, from its head to
the babe in arms occupied places in the
vehicle. And what a good time they had
Candy was purchased in unlimited quantities
for the children, and every one of the innu-
merable side shows visited. Then when even
ing came back to town they would return and
take the team for home, full Of the wonders
they had seen. 1t could be seen that here and
there was visitor who had never ridden on
the railroad before, and often they would
surrender their return tickets at the exposi-
tion gates never dreaming that they would
need them again until so reminded by the
gatemeD. Simplicity, good nature, and a
determined purpose to see everything COM
posed their makeup. Everybody knew al
most everybody else, aud II they didn't, no
one hestated to introduce his life history on
that account.
1.-The man who said the negroes were the
happest people on the globe should have
been at the Augusta exposition. He would
have then been more convinced of the truth
of his remark than ever before. One day
during the exposition was especially desg-
mated by the management as colored peoples
day, and on that day grand parade of the
local and visiting colored firemen (volunteers)
took place in the morning, and in the after
noon at the exposition grounds, after much
speech-makng, races between the hose and
hook-and-ladder companies were run amid
the Widest enthusiasm. There were about
$4,000 or 10000 negroes in attendance, and
yet there was no disorder, however slight,
during the day. Every one Of them seemed to
realize that, as 1T was a day especially set
apart for their race, each one of them should
see that he and his friends preserved per-
feet behavior. And every one did,"
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