The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-09-12
HUNTING A .MASTODON.5
Vlrglnlan Reporters Long Tramp tosthe.
Suburbs and His Reward. Il
SIGHT WORTH GOlHG MILES TO SEE
Great Iron Structure at tho Driving
Park-n Notable Enterprise re.
hcctirs Groat Credit on tho Pro.
.jector-1ho Fair Full OF Promise OF
Good Things 10 Norfolk.

There have been rum ors Of n nastadon
having been seen in the suburbs, and
yesterdays Virglnian. reporter VENT out
to look for 1t, on foot. A citizen, pre-
sumably bicyclist, advised him 10. get
Off the street cars at johnson avenue,
Huntersville and go out Chapel street
toward the fair grounds, abc IL three
fourths of mile, he said 1t was. The re-
porter is curious to know the name OF
the wheel that citizen rides, for It must
be a space annihilator. Either that or
it was an India rubber road, that
stretched toward the Driving Park be-
fore him. On he trudged, however, past
the rambling rookerieS on the road
across the bridge at Tanners Creek
where the mild-manneTed brigand, figur-
atiVely speaking, took from him his last
red cent, sitting at the receipt OF Gust ON
In truly medieval fashion, and where
two youthful Senegambians were doing
sum with rod, perch and pole, which
was not land measure by any means.
Past green fields filled with long rows Of
what might be peas, potatoe or peanuts,
according to the intelligence of the be-
holder. Past the wayfarer bucolic, with
load OF watermelons, to where was re-
Healed the skeleton Of ithe mastodon, the
colossal steel skeleton, towering sky
ward, OF the great main building, now be-
Ing erected by that Mariner. beside
whom for venturesomeness the voyager
of the Pinta, the Santa Maria, and the
other "dinkey" was not q circumstance
This building, which will be finished
Defore the nine days wonder, the fair,
which begins ut the Driving Park Oc-
tober 9Th, and lasts nine days, is but ten
days old, and we'll grown for its age. 1t
is apparently as long as from The Vir-
Sinlan o1lice, on Main street, to the post
ONCE, and eight times as wide as that
street from curb to curb. Built by
bridge builders, of iron, It is n substan-
tial structure. indeed. One hundred
men were att work on it yesterday, fifty
more were only waiting for more iron
TO begin. The laborers employed arc
paid, 1t Is said the highest wages paid in
years. For twelve hours, includig over
time they are paid from SO to S275.
me contract price Of the building is
said TO be over $4,000. Who shall say
that John Mariner is not a courageous
man And who is there, merchant,
banker. or qaborer, who is not benefited
by his enterprise ? If ever an undertake
ing deserved the support Of a city's peo-
pie and Its papers, this surely does.
Men of great means like Major Gin
Ter or Richmond, have undertaken large
enterprises from motives of public spirit.
nut surely no one In Virginia for his
means has done more than Mr.. Mariner,
who Is not really n rich man. 1t would
surely ing the blush OF shame to the
cheek every man In Norfolk if this
undeit,. zig should not have the moral
support OF every citizen, and. although II
Is SAID mat MIR. Mariner has asked no
financial aid, it is certainly proper that
thosc able to should tender It.
Big as the building Is, however, that Is
peinE built out at the grounds it IS
small beside some OF the attractions
mat are to be there and of which here
after. 1t Is understood that the prizes
oItercd for speed alone amount TO s2S,-
ooo. Ihink of man or moderate means
doing that. Two hundred and fifty
stalls for stock, of which the first came
yesterday, are still ana fifty more arc
TO he.
Half rates are being granted by all
me ines entering the city, and hun
dreds. II not thousands of visitors, will
come. 1t Is high time that Norfolk was
waxing UP to the great fair that Is soon
10 open. Last year 1t was. In spite OF
many difficulties. a 81 eat success This
year IL VIII be ten times better Next
year. with the proper support of our
people. 1t may rival the great fair which
mas made st. Louis the great city that
1t is. People will soccl come by thous-
ands to see when they know what Is to
hS newspapers OIL the city
VIII loyalty support this enterprise
which interests alike every business
man-that much IS certain. Every c,ti-
zen can help and should, II only by toll.
ing others. writing to friends at a dis
lance Of the attractions OF the Norfolk
fair. No one should be derelct: ali on,
interests are Identical. If differences
1ealous!es, chickering's ever existed In
Norfo!k they are dead; they ran the loco
motive over their grave when the South
ern railway came to Norfolk.