The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-09-08
FITzGERALD's FIRST FAIR.
Everything Ready For an Auspi-
cious Opening To-day.


Fitzgerald, Ga. Sept THE most re-
markable achievement of this section Of
Georgia is the undertaking Of the Corn
and Cotton Exposition by the Magic City,
which is scarcely ten months old. One
year ago a pine forest; to-day modern
city, characterized by the courage and viii
power, the discrimination TO succeed, no
matter what the obstacle, that belongs
essentially to the nineteenth century
American.
Just in the center of the city is the.
large white building of the corn and cot
ton carnival. 1t is a most desirable loca-
ton for an enterprise of this kind, and
presents a most pleasing sight. 1t Is mid
way between the colony headquarters ana
the business part of the city and has
telephone connection, and so is easily &C
cessible by all.
The plan of the building is well calcu
lated to make favorable impression and
show to the best advantage all exhibits.
A large dome covers the central space,
from which extend four large wings TWEEN
ty feet in hight, and one hundred and sew
enty feet from end to end of opposite
wings. A gallery surrounds thee central
space under the dome, and makes a de-
lightful promenade, as does an outside
gallery some twenty feet higher than
the first, the latter really forming the
third story to the dome. Numerous tur-
rets, each surmounted by a flag stan,
ornament the roof of the building and
break the monotony.
The decoration on the exterior of the
building were purposely delayed until TO-
day in order to have them as fresh as
possible during the two weeks Of the
exposition, but have been carefully plan
ned, and large force is at work under
the direction of a skilled artist, and will
be entirely in keeping with the interior
of the building.
On entering one is confronted by most
excellent crayon portrait of the founder
of the colony p. R. Fitzgerald. The pic
ture is appropriately draped and deco
rated and placed in the position of honor
The whole interior of the building is
completely covered with decorations of
some description, and one would never
dream of seeing the beautiful things pre-
scented to the eye that the building was
made of ordinary rough lumber.
Three wings are devoted entirely to the
exhibits from the six counties here repre-
scented, Irwin and Berrien, Wilcox, Tel
fair. Coffee and Worth, and 1t is difficult
to determine which is most attractive.
The most important exhibits are being
put in place to-day. They consist of pro-
ducts of all the important industries of
this section. A single exhibit from the
resentatiVe. 1t contains specimens of
rosin and turpentine in the various stages
of development, from the crude material
on a section of pine tree to the finished
product ready for the market. This, with
the implements used in the manipulation
of the rosin and turpentine, will be of I'M
usual interest to the hundreds of northern
visitors, who have never seen anything
similar.
Wonderful specimens of corn long sta
pie cotton and various vegetables will
convince those who have doubts as to the
fertility of the soil that 1t only requires
intelligence and labor to produce results
unsurpassed by any country or locality.
high board fence has formed an in
closure for the stock ON exhibition, and 1t
is expected that a creditable display in
this line will be made.
The decoration consists of all the beau
tiful things the woods and fields afford.
the most conspicuous. of course, being
corn and cotton. Nearly all this work
has been donated by the public-spirited
committee of ladies, of whom Mrs. b. f.
Knapp is president.
In the fourth wing of the building, on
the ground floor, is to be found an old
plantation scene, and adjoining 1t a most
excellent reproduction of the famous pic
turesque SHACK Town" of last winter.
The walls of the building are entirely COW
cred with pine boughs. suggesting the for
est surrounding the place, and numerous
little "shacks,' perfect miniatures of
those hastily constructed little buildings
so numerous last winter, but which have
all disappeared from the real shack town
long ago.
To the right of shack town Is Sapp S
alligator pond in miniature. This is in
tended to represent a small swamp in the
edge of the city, which never contained
an alligator. and which gained its name
from the letters of one Sapp. who visited
the place about a year ago and wrote all
sorts of fabrications without foundation
about the place; the name became popular
| and has furnished much amusement.
Here, too, Is the famous "kcker's cor
ner." and a laughing crowd surrounds the
| placards bearing a few of the famous
kicks most frequently heard in even the
| best regulated of colonies. To appreciate
these one would need to know the history
| of the colony. but possibly the humor OF
the following can be readily seen: "Oh
this here amt the way we do in Indiany.
| 81 aln't no kicker, but-!r "Why dom
| Fitzgerald do something's" "Any mar
from Kansas can get job. Apply up
| stairs"
Upstairs the galleries have been divid
| ed into various booths, representing 9TH,
bridal chamber" "a northern home II