The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-10-18
That is What the State Fair will
be This Week
THE EXHIBITS COMING IN
More Already In Place Than
Ever Before This Early.
ASSISTANT MARsHALs NAMED
The Social Features Of the Fair This
Year Will Eclipse in BriiIiance
Those Of ANY Previous
Similar Occasion.
Similar Occasion.


the opening of its gates at 10 O'Clock
tomorrow morning to their closing
Friday night is evidenced, not only IN
the large number of visitors already
arriving. but also i'm the wonderful
amount of work done by the manage
ment Ia improving the Fair Grounds,
securing new attractions and in en-
larging the number and extent of the
exhibits so as to cover every depart
ment of human activity in the State.
So diligently and so faithfully has
this been done that the visitor to the
State Fair this year, as never before,
with the exception of the Exposition
in 1854, will find many treasures, his
toric, social, educational, agricultural,
industrial and artistic, of which he
may pardonably be proud.
For weeks the State Fair authorities
have been declaring that the coming
Fair promised to be the best ever held;
but having heard this so often, / was
inclinkd to think that it was the
same old story. But my apprehen-
sions in this respect were. wholly re-
moved by visit to the Fair Grounds
yesterday afternoon.
Never since the establishment of the
Fair Grounds at the present locality
have such wonderful improvements
been made. The change in the
Grand Stand is one that should have
been made years and years ago. The
alterations in Floral Hall are equally
important. And with the many hum
dreds of exhibits that have, either
been already arranged or are 1Sow be-
ing put in place it is a most interest
ing and attractive place.
THE EXHIBITS ARRIGING
Secretary Nichols tells me that the
exhibits, even on Friday, were greater
in number than they have ever before
been on the opening day of the Fair.
On Friday seven car loads of ex-
hibits, consisting of almost everything
imaginable were received, and yester-
day morning ten more loads came in
and as many more last night.
Col. Julian S. Cars exhibits were
yesterday being put in position, and
Vandrbilts and Holt and Momeward's
exhibits win be arranged by the OPEN
ing tomorrow morning. Mr.. Wolff,
oil Forsyth, also arrived yesterday
with a large and handsome exhibit
There are half "a hundred other exhib-
it's on the grounds already.
The carpenters, decorators, and
painters have been busily engaged and
everything presents a holiday appear
ance.
The races viii positively by the fin
est ever held in the State. The sec
rotary informs me that the entries are
coming in by every mail, and that
they great exceed in number those of
any former Fair. Many of the fastest
horses in the country win be here.
INDEX TO INDUSTRIES.
But there will be another new fea-
ture. The day has passed when a fair
is thought to have filled its true mis-
sion if it only has on exhibition the
largest pumpkin, the longest ear of
corn, the biggest bull and the fastest
horse These are well enough in their
way, and no Fair would be complete
without them. But there are other
enterprises great and important en-
terprises besides agriculture and
stock raising, and in any exhibit of
the States products and resources
these should be represented.
The great object of the State Far
is TO exhibit,as far as possible, all the
resources and industries of the State.
North Carolina has made more rapid
progress in manufacturing enterprises
during the last twenty years than
any other State in the Union; but with
the exception of the State Exposition
in 1884, our~I1anufacturers have taken
little interest in showing their goods
at State Fairs. This year it will be
different.
The managers for the present year
have made special efforts to secure a
small exhibit from every manu-
featuring establishment in the State
These articles are all being properly
labelled and arranged in division in
the main building, to be known as an
Index TO North Carolina Industries"
THE EDUCATIONAL EXHIBIT.
Another new attraction this year
will be the educational exhibit. A
large octagon-shaped hall on the sec
ond floor of the main building, imme-
diately in front of the entrance gates,
has been devoted to this exclusive
use. The teachers of the city schools,
who have in charge the decoration of
this room, are determined to make
this place the most beautiful in the
grounds.
was completed, and the first exhibits
arrived. Superintendent Toms and
Miss Bemis, teacher Of manual train
ing, brought a large collection Of spe-
cimens of work from the Durham
Graded School, and .dr Pearson came
with an interesting exhibit from
Guilford College. President MeIyer
was ais ~"fionai Hall, and
selected space io. . Normal and
Industrial School exhibit. The Raj
eiQh schools--St. Mary's, Peace Tnsti-
fale. the A. and NJ. College and the
Graded schools-will also have exhib-
1s fl this department A number
Of either public and private schools
ID TIE State viii send creditable ex-
slDlls.
~11lE SOLDIER BOYS A-COAIING.
Major Alfred Williams has received
letters from six companies saying that
taey would be here during Fair
week aHd ASKING him to provide suit
sI}le eneanpment grounds for them.