The herald., 1896-12-15
san JOAQU|N'S CITRUS FAIR
Beggars Description by the
Rural Reporter
10 sMUTTy FRUIT THERE
And There's Quite a Lot Of II on
Display
The Northern Citrus Belt is Doing It's
Best, and Lots of Visitors Are
Expected Soon

Associated Press Special Wire
FRESNO, Dec. 14.-The citrus fair of
the San Joaquin valley, which opened
it's doors at 8 o'clock last night, origin
ated in the Fresno county citrus fair
held by the chamber of commerce last
January
A fair had been previously held in the
wonderful citrus center of Porterville,
and the members of the chamber of COM
merce concluded that it was time that
Fresno paraded it's golden apples of the
Hesperides, and a very creditable dis
play was made, one satisfactory to all
concerned.
During the past summer it was decided
that another fair should be held at this
time, and the chamber of commerce in
vited the Hundred Thousand club to join
with them in the enterprise. At once a
joint committee was appointed. The
committee conferred with growers of
citrus fruit throughout the valley at
once, inviting them to take part,and they
responded so generously and so great
was the demand for space that the COM
mittee found it had an elephant on its
hands.
The supervisors of Tulare and other
counties made appropriations to aid
county displays, and when the demand
for space was figured up it was found
necessary to erect a pavilion 140X160 feet,
and that the expense would be $4,000 in
stead of $4,000, as at first estimated.
The fair mas been advertised through
out the state from Los Angeles to the
bay, and arrangements have been made
for excursion rates for visitors On all
lines leading into Fresno.
The pavilion is decorated with green
and yellow bunting and innumerable
electric lights illuminate the hall.
The designs for the displays are
unique and the drapings and ornaments
very artistic, with scarce two alike. The
fruit simply beggars description for
size, variety and color. No smutty fruit
here. No red scale, but rich ripe, clean,
luscious fruit, just as it came from the
trees in the orchard
1t may seem that the San Joaquin val
ley is footing her own horn bit In say
ing that no part of the state nor the
whole state outside the San Joaquin val
ley can furnish duplicate of the citrus
fruit now on exhibition In the pavilion,
but then she has just got that horn and
she is going to toot it,
Although some of the exhibits were
not quite complete last night, the scene
in the big building under the glare Of
hundreds of electric lights was a sur
prising revelation even to those who had
expected much. 1t was a bewildering
scene of rich colors and close inspection
more than fulfilled the anticipations of
the most critical. The oranges, lemons
and grape fruit were all that could be de-
sired in size, color and abundance, while
the exhibit of raisins, wines ani. cried
fruits were as fine as the earth could
produce. Besides Fresno county's large
and varied showing of products and par
ticularly attractive exhibits from Tulare,
San Joaquin and Stanslaus counties.
The opening address was made by
Judge Stanton L. Carter. 1t was an elo-
quent effort. and was most ably respond
ed to by Col. II. G. Shaw of San JOAQUIN
county.
Visitors are already arriving in consid-
erable numbers from adjoining counties,
and large attendance, both from the
northern and southern portions of the
state, is confidently expected during the
week.