The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-09-14
THE FAIR ASSOCIATION
The Truckers and Planters Journal Enc
dorses 1t and Proposes that New Hanover
Brunswick, Columbus and Pens
der Counties Join Handsome Valuable
Suxgestions

OB010WACAs ~ oD~ ASh
der Counties Join Handsome Valuable
Suggestions
The Truckers and Planters Journal,
of C~hadbourn, under date of September
9Th, says:
w note with much interest the ef-
fort on the part of leading representa-
tive citizens of Wilmington to organ
fZe a fair association. We ave not
been informed as to the scope to be
given to this work, and do not know
what territory is to be comprehended
by it, but a few observations at this
time can do no harm. Wilmington Is
the natural business n commercial
centre for the agricultural districts
outlying fifty miles in every direction.
From it railroads radiate, traversing
every bordering county and naturally
to 1t all travel and business converges,
and here more easily than anywhere
else may the people Of all this region be
gathered together and brought in touch
with each other. We believe therefore
that this fair association, to be perma-
nently successful. should be given a
territorial boundary and should be
made to include the counties of New
Hanover, Brunswick, Columbus, Bla-
den, Pender and Onslow. The shares
Of stock should be made SO nominal
that people of ordinary means may be
induced to subscribe, and then a can
vass of this entire territory should be
made to widely interest the people and
secure from the first sufficient money
to establish permanent grounds and
put the fair on a solid basis.
Should the association confne itself
to New Hanover county, while the
mercantile and mechanical displays
would be representative, the agricul-
tural display would be far from being
SO. Aside from a few lines of truck
farming, New Hanover is not much Of
an agricultural county, but include the
territory as we suggest and it would
include the great trucking belt, some
of the best tobacco growing sections,
and vast areas that are devoted to gen.
eral agriculture, and the fair could at
once be made representative in every
department.
at cannot be doubted that such a
fair held each fall in the city of Will
mingtOn would soon attract widespread
attention and give a great impetus to
our internal development n agri-
cultural progress, while the city itself
would be repaid many fold for all it's
outlay in the increased trade derived
from the thousands brought within it's
gates.
"As to location Of grounds. a recent
conversation with Mr.. w. A.. Wright
suggests to US the ideal spot. He said
to us that several years g he tender
ed to h city, grounds lying north Of
the shell road inc about half a mile or
such a matter from the city limits, be-
tween the city and the sound. In the
first place, as we observed it, the land
seems we'll adapted for the purpose,
and no doubt the association could Sc
cure. it on most reasonable terms.
Then it is easily accessible, by foot or
carriage over the shell road, by rail
over the sound road, and tracks from
the Coast Line road could easily be
laid to the ground for movement of
stock and displays. In reference to
the ocean n other attractions in and
about Wilmington, the location could
not be improved upon. We believe too,
that clay lies close to the surface here
and tina it would be neither difficult
or expensive to build one of the best
and fastest race tracks in the country.
Combine all these advantages with
Wilmington's many other attractions
and we are confident that flair week"
could be made one of. the great events
Of the state each ear.
IF the fair association now forming
will SO extend it's scope as to include
the outlying counties which The Jour-
nal especially represents, to the ex-
tent of our ability and usefulness we
are at it's service to help create inter-
est among the farmers and bring the
project to a succe ssful issue. It is
really the only '4ope these counties
have of becoming associated with a
fair sufficiently large and representa-
tive to be valuable. They all have
railroads to Wilmington and it will
really be easier and cheaper to TAKE
displays and exhibits to that point
than it would be to transport them
from any n Of them to another. In
deed such is u dependence that we
are really petitioners for admission to
the association now being formed.
For many years before coming south
we saw a great deal of fair work and
fairs in the central part of Illinois and
we know that these associations have
been one of the prime factors in the
marvellous agricultural development of
that section, and we know hat the
fairs are responsible for the high bred
stocks of an kinds to be found in every
farmers barn yard. We remember
ava back in the seventies how the
woods of that country were full Of slab
sided r%ooters, lean cattle, and drom-
edary horses, but these have long since
disappeared before the onslaught of
fair approved, and blue ribboned stock.
Just so would a new era Of progress
set in for this section, now reduced to
as a necessity, if year af-
ter year the best achievements in farm
machinery could be illustrated before
the farmers and the most highly perfee-
ted breeds of stock exhibited for their
and made available for their
use. We honestly believe that such a
fair maintained for five years could
and would revolutionize the agricul-
tural aspect Of this entire section and
we stand ready to join hands with
Wilmington to make just such a fair a
living fact. What say you Whining
ton? Shall it be the fair association OF
the six cOunties?"
The Messenger is pleased to take the
above from the columns of The Truck
ers n Planters Journal and it is
to note the interest it takes
in the proposed fair here. 1t will show
citizens what interest our neighbors
axe in u city and it's projects, and
it will go a long way to encourage them
Vn