The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-08-06
The best Introduction I can give the
subject is to reproduce the language Of
the heading Of the circular, as follows:
Grand Patriotic Festival and Fair

In Aid OF the
q. s. Sanitary Commission, Christian
Commission and Soldiers
Aid Societies,
For Sick and wounded Soldiers,
To 30 Held at
The Fair Buildings. Corner Fourth and
| John Streets, Commencing on Tuesday,
June 2S 1864, and Continuing for one
Week, Including q Grand Celebration
on the Fourth OF July.
The appeal TO the people in the body OF
the circular stated that the object Of the
fair was "for the alienation OF the suf-
| ferings OF our sick and wounded breth-
rem nobly battling for our cause" Nom
ey was desired in those days just as
badly as the women engaged in the
Red Cross work to-day have prefer
ence for II, for the appeal for donations
added that anything would be accepth-
BILE that could be turned Into money.
land again from money to the means OF
economiziuS tine health and life Of our
national soldiers"
Perhaps the most interesting feature
Of the circular Is the list Of names OF the
executive comnAbtee attached to It.
! They were: His Honor Mayor CranBle,
President; WiAiam TaEant, Chief Mar
| shat; John r. Hubbard and i. Daven-
| port, marshaps aides: John u. Wilson,
secretary; Samuel Laughiin, treasurer;
| and Thomas HoFnbrook, John Donlon,
| Andrew Glass, Matthew Seaman, John
Bishop, James BOdley, Isaiah Warren
j. A. Metcalf, John X. Botsford, L. w.
Paxton, W. L. AtcNeely, Theodore Cor
| reN, Edmund Booking. OF all that
CLOUD Of witnesses" only three are nv
ing to-day. John X. Botsford, Isaiah
Warren anf W. l.. McNeely.
have before me another circular, that
OF the floral department OF the fair. Inc
| committee In Chnrgc were w. L NC
| Nicely, G. Oglebay, Dr.. A. 8. Todd. Jo-
seph Seyboh ard G. L. Cranmer. Time
has been exceptionally kind with refer
ence to this committee. only two being
dead, MIR. oglebay ard DR.. Todd.
The list OF the persons who were des-
ignated TO receive contributions OF flow
ers, plants, ETC., for this department is
| an interesting one, for few, very Few,
remain in the activities OF this life. The
names follow: c. n. Reed, Washington,
| Pa: Joel Truesdale, West Alexander,
| Pa: John Z. SlssOn, John D. Maxwell
Valley Grove: DR.. ]. II. storer, Triadel-
phia; Joseph Feay, Brldgewater; Hugh
Clark, Pleasant Valley; William d.
Curtis, West Liberty; j. L. Curtis,
Bethany; william North, Moses Ray,
Short Creek NJ. L. Hill, Woods Run;
H. w. CrOthers, Wellsburg. Those re-
siding in Ohio were: Robert Sherrard,
| SteubenYllle; II. C. WeldnY, Joseph
Mellor, st. ClairsvIlle; Charles Barn
ard, Pleasant Valley; j. Sturgeon,
| Bridgeport; C. Davenport, GAINESVILLE;
| A, H. Hussey, Mt. Pleasant; Col. John
Sullivan, Bellaire: Samuel Sharpless,
Martins Ferry. John r. johnson, Cald-
wells Run; G. d. and r. B. Curtis,
MoundsvIlle. W. Va; Mason NJ. Dun
lap, Llttieton, W. Va; George Hard
man, Independence, W. Va.
The "Fair and Tes,dvnY' as It was
called, was held in two immense wooden
buildings and an annex fronting on FIJI
teenth street (o,d CENTER and covering
the entire space now occupied by the
pubic building. Nothing has ever been
| held in this city since that could COM
pnre with II in magnitude and the vari-
ETY. OF It's attractions, Being Of some
what tender years at that time, / have
| but hnZy impression OF Its cOuEtlesS
| exhibits. Two things. however, were in
\ dellbly stamped on my mind, one was
| the alleged wooden leg OF General Santa
| Anna, who commanded the Mexican
! forces In the war with this country, eX-
| hIbited In She CURIOSITY department.
| have no doubt 81 was an inuoCCu. fiction,
for even in those early days men were
] given to h1Imbugs and huTbuSsng.
| The other feature which absorbed my
youthful fancy was the cOn,eEt for
| silyer-mounted fire1naPB trumpet
There was great rivalry between the
several volunteer fire companies. and
my recollection is that the contest for
| that trumpet was one OF ,he hottest
events outside OF the weather that
| transpircd during the fair. believe the
| old Rough AMI Ready company cap
| turcd the prize.
The big annex building was fitted mp
| with q ftage where tgb,eauS and other
! entertainments were given IN The even
| Ing, ana to this dag ! retain pleas
! ant memories OF some Of the dreams
l OF femtninc ovclincss that appear
cd on the boards ms that time. some
| are mothers How-beiter stll. grand
mothers. Az this happened, mind you,
n generation ago. or TO be mGthcmatI-
cnlly correct. just - years have gone
into the relentless past
There was an interesting adjunct 10
the fair, which, l think, was carried on
by private enterprise, as IL cost you ten
cents extra 70 witness n fairly faithful
representation Of the famous naval bat
| tie between the Monitor and tn" McrTi-
mnc The reproduction was given In
| circular pond IN the rear Of me old
| Atheuneum, which was cnc!o ed by a
| high fence The vessels wore mariHu-
| lated by nH Ingenious mechanical mr.
rnngcmrE, ard the show Was VOL
| worth the price 81 The admlsslgH. The
prcscn. war leaves legacy OF the same
| nature for thrifty EhowmGn, for ~ the
present timc Madison Square Garden In