The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-02-26
For the Great Exposition.
Notable Assem- blage of Busi.
ness Men in Chicago.

manufactured, Will Ue neIQ Ill CnlCa
go this fall, merchants, manufac
turers and capitalists of this city,
agreeing to manage and finance it,
while the southerners interested will
furnish exhibits free of cost to Chi
cago. This was the decision of the
special committee appointed by the
delegation at the Palmer house this
afternoon. The committee met i'm
mediately after adjournment and aftes
several hours deliberation decided to
so report to the convention when it
reassembles tomorrow.
Bankers. merchants, manufactn>
rers, capitalists, journalists and mel
prominent in southern public life
came from all the States in the South
last night and to-day in large num-
bers to officially represent their
States and cities at the convention
which will organize the expo
sition enterprise. The delegates
were filed with enthusiasm and did
not even say..unkind things about the
weather which was down to zero and
aggravated by piercing wind all
day.
The States of Alabama, Georgia,
Tennessee, Florida, Louisiana. Ken.
tucky, Mississippi, North and South
Carolina, Maryland and Texas were
represented at the opening session,
he largest delegations being from
Georgia and Tennessee.
Among the arrivals were General
Chas. Thurman Of Nashville, John
H. Mcdowell, the Tenessee's Peo-
pIe's party leader; Chas D.
Mitchell, Chattanooga, vice president
Of the National Manufacturers asso
citation Major John Cam, "the
lame miller" of Cumberland Milling
company ; Capt. II. c. Ward, United
States Army, Nashville, who was
appointed by the governor to look
after the military features of the ex'
position Theodore Cooley, chair
man of the art department of the
Tennessee Centennial and A. NJ
Wells, commissioner general of the
Tennessee Centennial The delega-
tions came to the Palmer house par
lors reserved for their use and after
registering, spent the morning hours
in social intercourse or business talk
with fellow delegates from Chicago
or the South.
Geo. W. Zeiss of Texas was the
first on the ground with an exhibit.
lie brought up samples of the
Canaigre root, which resembles the
sweet potato very strongly, and
which grows in the western part Of
the State, but thrives in much more
profitable fashion near the the Gulf of
Mexico, where it is being cultivated.
Its product is the tannic acid of COM
merce and the Texans are proud Of
it. Along with the canaigre root
comes the ramie, a fbrous production
from which textile fabrics may be
made with profit.
While the delegates were arriving
and being welcomed by Chicago
business men, ex-Confederates and
grand army veterans, preliminary
committee. consisting of W. A.
r.
Giles, Chicago, chairman, Patrick
Walsh, c. A. Collier, II. Fl. Stafford
and w II. Harper, of Georgia; NAL
colin McNeill and Col H. l.. Turner
of Chicago, held a meeting to out
line plan for submission to the con-
vention.
At 8 o'clock, the delegates assem-
bled for business, Chicago being rep
resented by many prominet citizens
named by the mayor. A cordial
welcome was given the visitors by
Corporation Counsel Beale, in the
absence of Mayor Swift. who is con-
fined to his home with the grip
PAT WALSH, CHAIRMAN.
Hon. Patrick Walsh of Augusta,