The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-08-11
CAPT. PURSES ARCTIC FEAST.
Board of Trade Members and Their
Friends Entertained.

II there had beca any question Of the
success of the Arctic feast AT the Board
Of Trade yesterday noon. an inspection Of
the countenances Of the hundred or more
guests as they emerged from the water
melon room would have dispelled that idea
in moment. Lean chested. thin men went
In and emerged with aldermanic proper
tlons and a counteuance beaming with that
inner consciousness Of having done a good
deed-and done it well. too.
This melon feast was a conceit Of Capt
d. G. Purse, president Of the board of
trade and it was carried out in all its de-
tails 1t was something new and novel
and the invited guests fell in with the
spirit of the occasion and enjoyed them
selves as only men with light hearts can.
over so were invited. taking in the clergy.
the doctors, and many other professions.
While all did not respond the most of
them did, enjoyed the luscious melons and
added TO the jollity of the occasion By
their overflow OF spirits.
The captain was bound to have every
thing Of the best and he sent up to the
famous melon fields in and about Augusta
and had the pick Of the fields. About 100
large, noble fellows, weighing from 30 TO
80 pounds each were sent down, and after
lying in the De Soto refrigerator room
for two days, they were a feast for the
gods" The Southern Express entered into
the spirit of the occasion and with great
lberality brought the melons free from
Augusta. carried them to the De Soto and
then transported them to the board of
trade rooms
At II o'clock the large room next to the
elevator on the second floor was closely
packed with the invited guests and mem
bers of the board of trade. Tables had
been provided set out in the form of "a
It, with huge melons ranged along the
wall back of them. Knives and forks and
a tin Sample" dish We're provided and
soon every man was up to his neck il de-
licious melon. The huge, red, luscious in
teriOrs made ones mouth water at the
sight merely, and when 1t was found that
the melons kept up their reputation with
sweetness and flavor. the enthusiasm of
the guests was spontaneous.
Capt. Purse was in his element and If a
man escaped without eating half a melon,
it was because he escaped the eagle glance
of the president of the board. His coadju-
tors and members of the committcS,
Messrs. J. b. Withers, J. +. c. Myers j..
b. Chestnut, f. F. Lowell. J. f. Rowland,
c. d. Baldwin, W. ID. Champion, J. c..
IO"elli - f1tcHl' - W. odussS' D. II -
ton, w. d. Simkins w w Starr, w. NJ.
Bent, II. II. Bruen, and c. F. Law. Every
man present was kept at his stint till the
big pile of melons grew precpetibly less.
Capt. Purse took especial pride in the
fact that it was a melon and ice-water"
feast. The committee had been offered
beer, in unlimited quantities, but" said
Capt. Purse, this is a temperance feast
as it were, and ice-cold melons and ice
water are good enough"
In all it was a jolly gathering, something
unique, and all present felt half score
of years younger at its close.
Those present took advantage of the oc-
casion and inspected the handsome build
ing of the board of trade. and its suites of
rooms. This was what Capt. Purse want
ed, also, and he took especial pains to see
that the building was thoroughly inspect
ed and its good points made prominent.