San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1894-09-19
A FREE FAIR.
A DRUMMER MAKES A VALUABLE
SUGGESTION.
He Tells of the Great Free Street
Fair of Peru, Ind, and Thinks
That San Antonio Could
Profit by That City's
Example.

Conrad l.. Huntington, repre-
senting an eastern scale house, was
in the city yesterday, on his way to
Vera Cruz and the City of Mexico,
whittier he left this morning. Mr..
Huntington has been travelling
over this state and Mexico for the
past three years, and takes con-
siderable interest in this city,
where he spends a great
deal of his time. He has
returned from a visit to his family,
at Indianapolis, Ind, and incident
ally made a trip to Peru, Ind,
where a novel fair is in progress.
"San Antonio," said Mr.. Hunt
ington, sought to emulate the ex-
ample set by Peru, town of
about 10000 population, up in In
diana. The people had gotten
tired of putting up thousands of
dollars year after year in coun-
ty and district fairs, that as
a rule were far from being
a success, and this year
the business men of the town,
with the mayor at the head, got up
a Free Street Fair. 1t is as novel
thing as 1 ever saw, and judging
from the opening on the morning
that l left Peru, will prove most
successful one. The little city was
already then filled with visitors
from adjacent counties and even
remote parts of the state.
"The fair consisted of nothing
more than sidewalk displays in
front of each store. Every mer-
chant on the leading business
streets of the city was represented.
Some erected temporary coverings
over the walks in front of their
places of business and displayed
therein their most snowy wares in
a highly artistic manner, and with
buntings, wreaths and notices for
decorations. Others erected booths
over the sidewalks, some of them
costly and very beautiful. 1t was for
all in the world like going
through a large main building of a
fair, except that it partook of the
nature of open air displays, with
crowds afoot and in vehicles surg
ing between the exhibits that
lined the principal streets. Things
were exposed to inspection and put
on sale in front Of the mer-
chants very places of business
and the business men
no doubt, gained a greater direct
benefit, than if their exhibits had
been made in fair grounds build
ing. In addition to this there
were parades, concerts and various
forms of entertainments.
"This is a matter that the mer-
chants of San Antonio ought to
take up. Imagine the advertise
ment that this city would get by
holding such an open air Free
Street Fair this winter, when the
town is full Of health seekers. Or
it could be done in the spring,
with the flower battle as a side
attraction. Concerts could be ar
ranged for in the two plaza parks
during the afternoon and night,
races and other sports during the
fair week. Surely this city, with
its resources and its many large
establishments, could produce
something great in this line. Then
you have got a Mexican element
who, with their displays, even if
it be the humble chile stands,
and candy and bird cage VEN
doris, could give decided
tinge of novelty and Interest to the
affair. There is no city in the
state that is better qualified to
give grand Free Street fair than
San Antonio, and l don't believe
that she could get up a more profit
able thing than just such an af-
fair. Every city in the state, with
any push at all, is getting up an
enterprise of some kind, and San
Antonio's business men can't af-
ford to remain idle"