Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1895-11-14

women. There are many beautiful
specimens of decorative art, and the
needlework is doubtless of high or
der, though the latter has no compe-
tent critic in this scribe.
The proper name of the fair is the
Cotton States and International Ex-
position. 1t occurs to the writer, how
ever, that cotton does not cut much OF
a figure in the show. We had expect
ed to see cotton in every stage fgrowth
and manufacture-cotton IN every
shape and form and in countless de-
signs-cotton here, there and every
where. But this is not the case. A
few little patches of cotton were grow
ing on the grounds, and a plant here
and there was seen in some of the
buildings, with occasional small sam
pies in individual displays. In ma
chinery hall, also, were few machines
showing the manipulation of the great
southern staple, but these were to adj
vertise the machines, not to show the
manufacturing process. Certainly
nothing could have been more inter-
esting to northern and western people
than great variety Of cotton exhibits,
but of course in the South it is an old
tale. The Florida building shows in
an interesting way many tropical fruits
and products, and no one should miss
the building of the Plant System,
where all sorts of tropical plants are
growing. The State of Georgia has
large exhibits of natural products and
manufactured articles in several build
iugs, showing that there is deal of
enterprise at work developing the rich
resources of the State. There are
number of State buildings, that OF
Pennsylvania having on its portico the
famous old liberty bell. Numerous
booths and restaurants are scattered
about the grounds, where fapjacks'
sandwiches, lunches and full meals, IN
Guiding almost everything eatable and
drinkable, are served-usually at war
prices.
The exposition has a full-Aedged
Midway" This is an aggregation of
colossal frauds and humbugs. Hagen
beck's animal show is all right, and
one or two other places are worth a
visit. But for the most part the side
shows are the veriest trash. And the
louder-mouthed the "spieler, and the
more importunate the puller-in, the
worse the performance, shooting
the chutes" is great fun, The visitor
is carried by an inclined plane rail-
way to a high platform. Here he steps
into a boat with half dozen other
victims, and in an instant the boat is
slipping like creased lightning down
steep incline straight for a big lake
of water. The boat plunges into the
water with terrific splash, then rises
in the air and fops back again, the
occupants bounce up and down on the
seats, hat or two flies of, the spray
whirls in the air, the craft gives few
more plunges and reaches shore-and
you have shot the chutes. You are
glad you have shot EN-, and now you
can see somebody else do the same
thing. It's deal more fun to watch
other persons take on the various ex-
pressions Of fearless expectancy at the
top of the railway, then alarm at the
rapid flight down the slide, of chilly
anxiety as the boat reaches the water,
of CONSERVATION as it fops up and
down in the lake, and finally the look
of relief when the passenger steps from
the boat to terra frma. And, too, 1t
is so much funnier to see some other
persons hat fly off and into the water
than it is for your own. They have
on the Midway also Ferris wheel,
though but few persons patronized it.
The grounds presented a perfectly
beautiful appearance at night. The
buildings were lighted with electrici-
ty in many handsome designs, and a
magnificent display of fireworks held
the rapt attention of the great crowd
A spectacular performance, the naval
battle between the japanese and Chi
nese fleets, was also given, making a
thrilling scene. Several splendid
bands of music added to the enjoyment
of the visitors.
West Virginia does not cut much Of
figure at the exposition, but while
the West Virginia editors were there
they advertised the State pretty well,
The exposition officials were very cour-
teous and agreeable, and gave US the
freedom of the place. When things
grew dull at the show our boys would
liven up, Col. Bob McEldowney, of
81