Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-11-12
|yIRGINIA'S AWARDS.
HER PRIZE EXHIBITS At THE WORLDS
FAIR.
Rsport OF tho Executive Business Com
missioner--Dr. Apperson-some
Practical Suggestions.


missioner--Dr. Apperson-somo
Practical Suggestions.
DR.. John s. Apperson. executive ousi-
ness commissioner of the Board OF
worlds Fair Managers for Virginia mas
submitted his report to the Governor. Inc
naper. after giving history OF the organi-
1stion and work Of the board. setting
forth the difficulties with which II mad
10 contend. owing to the limited appro-
nrsatIon at its command and enunerating
The articles in the Virginia exhibit says
THE AWARDS RECEIVED.
In the matter OF awards considerable
confusion has existed from the beginning.
THE is readily explained by the state
mont that Il was difficult 10 adopt plan
or system whereby satisfaction woulo DE
given 20 each of the many tnousahd eN-
hibtors, both foreign and domestic who
we're asking that each Individual
sxhghIt be examined for award. States
we're AT first considered as having collec-
tive exhibits, and as such only would be
entitled 20 awards. individuals whose
Exhibits were displayed In the space al
lotted 10 States complained. ana all were
admitted for examination. rms sweiieh
the scope OF the work 10 be done by the
T,,ries OF Awards beyond their ability TO
Go it IN the time allotted. and the result
is. at the time OF making up TINS report
though but few days OF the fair remain,
many questions are yet unsettled.
Exhibits In State Buildings are not ad-
mitted for examination, but the buildings
themselves under the head OF isolated
exhibits" were admitted and examined
for award.
In the plan adopted by the commission
no classification indicating comparative
! degrees Of superiority In exhibits was pro-
vided for Awards are granted only
upon specific points OF excellence or al
! voucement formulated in words by
Board of Judges or Examiners. Tne
awards are represented by medals, diplo-
mas and certificates.
| In 10 the time Of making this report
the following awards have been published:
Isolated Exhibits: Mount Vernon, Home
OF Washington, Virginia Board OF Mana
gers.
forestry: Collective exhibit OF tree
trunks; boards scantling, and polished
pieces. Virginia Board of Managers.
MINES AND MINING.
Building and Ornamental Stone: Marble
ana marble onyx. dressed and ponshed'
Marion Marble and Mineral Company,
| Marion, Va.
| Alberine soapstone from Albemarle
county. Va, Alberine Stone Company
New York; London Marble Company,
Mountsvile, Va.
Granite. James Netherwood Richmond
Va. John G. Griffin. Petersburg, Va.
Slate rough, sawed. and dressed, John
| r. Williams & Co., Arvonia, Va.
Collective exhibit Of clay and iire-bricks.
| Buena Vista, Va.
1 SnoCimpng lemOnitR
iron ore. Potts Valley Mining Company,
| Charleston.
Typical basis steel ore, brown hematite
iron ore. Charles Catlett. Staunton. Va.
Specimens of needle iron ore. Buena
Vista Development Company.
Specimens OF red hematlte iron ore.
William Tison. Chatham Ill., Va; speci-
mems OF lemonite ores. Salem Furnace
Company. Salem, Va; Bdena Vista De-
velopment Company; Pulaski and Buena
| Vista Iron Company, Pulaski, Va; brown
hematite ores, Mount Vernon Iron Com
| pany.
Manganese: Collective exhibit OF man
| ganese ores, Virginia.
| Coal and Coke: Gas coal and coke. Big
| Stone Gap Improvement Company; steam
and cooking coal and coke, Pocahontas
| Coal Company. Roanoke.
Zinc, Zinc ores, spelter. zinc wire, and
foil, and other metalurgical forms. Bertha
Zinc Company. Pulaski. Va.
| Lime: Burnt lime. Gown Lime Com
pany. Riverton. Va; limestone and lime,
Warner Moore & Co, Richmond, Va.
Barytes: Suphate Of barlum. crude and
ground, II. =. Copenhaven, Marion, Va.
A MATTER or GENERALIZATION
The report then gives an estimate OF
the printed matter descriptive OF the State
distributed by the Board, and concludes
| as follows:
In submitting this imperfect report. It
| is needless to assume that the diversified
material resources of the State are as well
represented at this greatest of all fairs
| as they should have been. Just at time
| when her comparatively inexhaustible
iron and coal-fields are being brought into
notice and also when rich deposits of
lead and zinc, marble and onyx, manga
nese and other minerals and mineral SUBJ
| stances are inviting capital for their de-
| velopment. when transportation companies
| are pushing their railroad lines In va
| rious directions through the South. adding
| greatly TO an immense tonnage, when
| Norfolk, that CITY by the Sea-" with her
| splendid and capacious harbor, is be-
| ginning 10 feel the Quickening influence
| OF her railroad connections with the great
| West. every one must agree that an ex-
| traordlnary effort should have been made
| TO make the State conspicuous by dis
playing. and to the best advantage. these
| evidences of her wealth and progress.
! Citizens or Virginia visiting the fair have
in some instances shown a disposition TO
| criticse the meagre exhibit. especially
| In the departments OF forestry and agri-
culture. and we confess. as before stated,
they are not what they should have been,
hut when all the difficulties and disadvan-
| tages attendant upon the collection, trans
portation, arrangement. and care OF ex-
! hibits In a great fair like this has been
considered. what has been accomplished
ought to be a matter OF congratulation
rather than censure.
| WHY NOT MORE COMPLETE.
The following may be given as some Of
the reasons why Virginia's exhibit was
| not larger and more complete, and may
be a guide I'm future:
l. The citizens Of the State. as a rule,
themselves did not become sufficiently in
terested 10 extend a hearty cooperation
In the contribution OF exhibits.
2. The Board OF Managers were late In
beginning the actual work necessary to
be done before the opening Of the fair.
Some OF the States making the best
show OF their products and resources
began the work of collection and prepare
| ton or exhibits two or three years in
advance, and were, consequently, less
embarrassed and more thorough in every
| respect.
9. Want OF experience In such matters
| interfered seriously with the undertaking.
In most of the States were persons who
mad attended one or more OF the great
expositions that have taken place within
the last quarter of a century, and they
were selected for the work at Chicago.
They were also authorized 10 employ COM
petent artists who, by education and prac-
tice. were peculiarly well-ftted for the
duties required OF them.
4. Paucity OF means was the greatest
obstacle OF all, and though it has proved
an annoying embarrassment throughout
when fair comparison is made as be-
tween the money expended by other
States and the State OF Virginia, and the
results as they are. we hardly believe the
most exacting will complain.
AS TO FUTURE EXHIBITS.
In any future attempt of Virginia 10
participate In an exposition like this there
should be provided a sufficient amount
OF money 20 engage the services OF at