The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-10-18
NATIONS STREET FAIR.
More About the Novel Exhibitions
That are Growing Popular.

AhaI are 6roWlng Popular.
NATION, Ill, Oct. 1s-When Mattoon's
enterprising business men decided three
weeks ago to give free street fair ex-
hibition, beginning October 13, and last
ing four days, it was the opinion of
some persons that the time for prepara-
ton was too short to make a success of
the undertaking. but all doubts were
diSpelled when the sun rose in a clear
sky Wednesday morning and ShOne
down upon one of the largest and most
novel fair exhibits ever witnessed in the
state, and the thousands OF visitors
who put in the day, and the three fol-
lowing, seeing part of the exhibits
were delighted with the change from
the old style country town fair and ag-
ricultural horse trOt.
Travellers who visit all states say that
no other city has such broad, level and
uniform streets as Nation, most OF
them being 80 feet, and the principal
Fifty feet of the center of the main
street is paved, mostly with brick, and
almost as level as a floor. Instead of
being off in an enclosed fair ground
mile or two from the city the exhibits
were in booths covering a width of Is
feet in the center of the main street,
which, outside of so feet of paved cen
ter, has sidewalks rs feet in Width
above the curb. The booths were COW
cred with heavy duck cloth or h-sards-
Intermingled with the fine showing of
fruit grain, vegetables, broom corn.
live stock, poultry, fowls, dogs, pets OF
all kinds, machinery, agricultural i'm
plementS and other articles in endless
variety, were the exhibits of the mer-
chants in their numerous lines, each
vying to surpass his neighbOr in an
elaborate display, while at the driv-
ing park, which contains one of the
best half mile tracks in the state, every
one of the many stalls was filled with
fine horses, which made fast time every
afternoon, and there was no gate
fee or entry fee charged, the attend
ance was way up in the thousands. Ball
games between the best clubs in the
state were arranged for the forenoon
hours, and at intervals on the streets
there were concerts by splendid bands,
and vocal music by the best jubilee
singers.
The professor made balloon as
censiOn every day at p. m At night
the multitudes of people were enter
tanned by concerts, music from a num-
Der of piano exhibits, life-lil1e vitascOpe
pictures thrown upon a large canvas
where 20, 900 persons could see it plainly.
wire fenced park contained buffalo,
elk, deer, moose, bears and OIher Wlld
animals, and made an interesting feat
ure of the exhibit, especially for the ju-
veniles.
Liberal premiums were paid. the mon
ey being donated by the business men,
and all entries were open to the world.
The agricultural exhibit of the Uni
versity of Illinois was an interesting
the handiwork of thd students 81 that
institution in both wood and metal
work was in satisfactory evidence. The
works of art in fine portrait, china and
other branches of painting were mar
velS of beauty, while plants and flow
ers, coin collections, antiquities, relics
and curiOsities alone made a study suf-
hclent for one day The quality and
quantity of fine needle work shown by
the fair ladies of Nation and sur
rounding districts equaled anything in
its line that has been exposed to view
in the state.
In short. Mattoon's first free street
fair was both an exhibition of the
choicest products of the best produc-
ing section of the world and a moving
panorama of living pictures covering a
frontage of over two miles of street, and
in addition filing several large rooms
and the public library, while in the side
attractions, such as vaudeville and cir
Gus. the visitors were presented one
continuance performance from early
morn till late at night, and the best of
good feeling and order prevailed.
Fancy bicycle riding and bicycle races
We're included in the programme. and
some of the best men in the land were
here with their wheels
The Nation Street Fair association
has been incorporated. and in the fu-
ture will make its exhibit one of the
best given in the west. This year the
fair contained about everything the
! people use from the cradle to the grave
"a baby cab standing next to an ex-
hibit of tombstones being witnessed to-
day-while the products of all states
and territories were to be seen, one
booth being filed with an Alaskan In
dian, a pair of fine Eskimo dogs, sled
| and complete Klondike miners outfit,
while at another place could be seen a
deep sea turtle, and in still another a
den of Georgia rattlers and reptiles
from the south Nation business houses
have been often beautifully decorated
in the past, but never so deliberately as
] TO-
| any decoration ever witnessed any
where and the people residing in a
district covering half dozen counties
were here to enjoy the week of festiv-
tiles in ideal fall weather. The hotels
and regular boarding houses were well
filed, and citizens are opening their
to foi lei