The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-02-21
MIDW|NTER EXPOSITION
Southern California Day at
the Big Show.
Inauguration of the Southern
Citrus Fair.
A Magnificent Display of Oranges
and Other Fruits.
An Interesting Programme of Exercises.
An Eloquent Address by Hon.
w. A. Harris, Orator
of the Day.



BY the Associated Press.
SAN FRANCISCO. Feb. 20.-This was
Southern California day at the mid
winter fair and hundreds of people from
the south, as we'll as thousands from
San Francisco and vicinity went out to
the fair grounds to attend the opening
of the great Southern California citrns
fair. The day opened cloudy and
gloomy and rain threatened. but in the
afternoon the sun struggled through the
clouds and made things more chearful.
To the disappointment of good many
early comers the doors Of the Southern
California building were kept closed
until noon, 80 that the finishing touches
could be put upon the great citrus dis
play. The Southern California man
ayers say that they have paid more at
tention to quality than to quantity in
this display of citrus fruit, but quantity
has not been entirely lost sightof.
THE ACME OF EXCELLENCE.
When one steps inside of the door
way and sees directly in front of him
structure 80 feet high, built OF oranges
and topped out with lemons, and on
top of that life-sized elephant made OF
figs, there is an impression that there is
a good deal of fruit in sight. When one
turns either to the right hand or to
the left and sees the gleam OF gold In
every vista, and when one can scarcely
walk around among the exhibits with
out knocking down oranges or stepping
| ~ I.k nj
knocked down, one must think that II
| the quality is any better than the
quantity, excellence must have reached
it's acme. This is just the state OF affairs
| in the Southern California building.
THE COUNTY EXHIBITS.
Each OF the Southern counties is vie-
rng wlsss..tha nthars TO make the most
complete and most attractive display,
and each seems to have succeeded, for it
would be difficult for any jury to decide
which collective county exhibit ie the
best. San Bernardino, San Diego, Ven
turs, Orange and Los Angeles are all
there in beautiful array. and the en-
thusiastic residents of each county have
just right to point with pride to their
own particular exhibit and say ''These
are our JEWELS"
There are oranges piled in the form of
cornucopias; there are long tables of
oranges with the fruit laid fat on top
of them. Near by is a pyramid almost
as big ae the Santa Barbara building,
and all made of golden fruit.
VARIETY OF PRODUCTS.
| But oranges and lemons are not ell
that the Southern California building
has to show. One of the prominent OBJ
iects in this Southern California build
ing is great ear Of corn, reaching away
up among the rafters and made of thou.
sands of real corn ears. Some of the
decorations of the building are made of
peanut traceries with orange and lemon
pendants. There are great stacks of
prunes and olives and raisins as well.
Up in the gallery there is q model of
San Luis Rey mission and great collec-
ton of work OF the Southern California
Indians.
THE FORMAL EXERCISES.
The formal exercises took place at 2
p. m. The lowe state band, stationed
in the upper gallery, rendered some of
! it's best music, including the Southern
California March, composed by j. A.
Calvin OF Los Angeles, and entitled
! Our Italy.
The specially invited guests occupied
seats in the main galleries directly under
! the band, and there it was that the
speeches were made. Hon. ]. S. Slau-
son, president of the Southern California
i association, was president of the day,
| and introduced the speakers of the occa-
sion. Dnector-G General NJ. H. de Young
had been asked to say a few words of
welcome, and he did so as the official
representative of the exposition man.
/ agement. The orator of the day, how
ever, was Hon. W. A. Harris OF San
| Bernardino. A few remarks were also
made by Judge Silent OF Los Angeles.
Alter the speeches general reception
was held, and everybody was made to
feel perfectly at home in this bit of
southern citrus belt, temporarily trans-
ferred to the San FranGieco peninsula.
THE sPEEcH-MAKING.
The speech-making began soon after
2 O'Clock. By that time the galleries Of
the Southern California building were
full and every available space on the
floor wae also occupied. Each guest as
he entered the door. was given pocket
full OF oranges, and every body came in
the beautiful building with smile upon
his or her face, and every body was in
excellent good humor.
The Iowa state band played an intro
ductory overture and the Hon. J. S.
SlauHon, president OF the Southern Cali
fornis association, srose and spoke as
follows:
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN We Lad
hoped 10 have Governor Markham here
with us today; also the president and
secretary of the Northern Citrux fair;
but they were unable to attend"
Messages OF regret from Governor
Markham, James X. O'Brien and Will
lam B. Gester were then read.
PRESIDENT sLAUsoN's sPEEcH.
Mr.. Slauson then said: I'VE are here
today to open the citrus exhibit OF
Southern California; also to celebrate
Southern California day at the midwin-
ter fair. We come here not as an entity,
as Southern CaiifornisnH only, but We