Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1899-10-13

The Grand Free Street Fair an6
Trades Carnival came to a close Ont
week ago today, and we divulge no
secret when we say it was the greatest
event in the history of the Queen City
of the Valley. A week has passed
but it will take months and years te
blot out the pleasant memories of this
occasion both from home people an6
the thousands of visitors. THE SPEC
TAToR is well acquainted with the his
tory of the Carnival from its birth
Early in the spring less than dozer
citizens assembled in the city court
house to discuss the advisability OF
holding a street fair. They started
the ball to rolling and each subsequent
meeting increased in numbers, when
an organization was formed, commit
tees appointed and the work begun.
It was long pull, hard pull and
though not pull altogether, it proved
to be successful pull. BY keeping
everlastingly at it the committeeman
worked up healthy sentiment and the
press at home and abroad did much
towards advertising it. For some
cause or other there was a lack of con-
fidence on the part of many. but this
had little effect on those in charge OF
the Carnival, only that it tspurred them
on with greater energy.
On September 29th, four days before
the opening day and one of them a
Sunday, the work of decorating the
city was begun. The Carnival people
did much of this and were literally
aided by the merchants, who erec cted
booths and literally covered their build
ings with flags and bunting OF every
kind and color. The city authorities
placed number of extra electric lights
on the streets and these with the lights
on the booths and the bright store and
residence windows caused night to be
turned into day.
The following are the names OF those
whose decorations created SO much
admiration: Bowling. Spotts & Co.
wholesale grocers. The Boston Variety
Store, dry goods and notions, Amerl'
can Stock Co., A. Loeb & Co., j. j.
Fallon, j. H. Matthews, Frank I.
Holt, books and stationery, Anderson
& Bryan, Albert Shultz, books and
stationery; H. l.. Lang, jewelry; Ca'd'
we'll Sites Co., A. Matacia, Splitter q
Howison, Switzer & Grubert, jewelers.;
A. E. Harnesberger's Racket Store;
John R. Kiracofe & Co., gents furnish
ings; Barkman & Brooks, Hoover,
Bear 6 Co., Smith Fuel & Co., coal
dealers; J. H. Woodward, Plaine y
Nain, F, W. Bell & Co., druggists,
Loeb Bros, National Valley Bank,
G. o. Herring. j. N. Anderson
G. C. Wheat, retail grocer; W.
Fl. Barkman, Hogshead, Hanger q
Co., Hamrick & Co., D. w. Landes
w. T. Hartman, Messersmith q Har'
man, and number of others too nu
merous to mention. Besides these
we're the elevated stages covered will
bunting and pretty booths by th'
American Steel Cut Pure Food Co.
Col. Otey Goode, Nosegay tobacco
W. E. Trib5ett, bee hive with specl
| mems of honey and bees making honey
| Arm u Hammer Soda; Staunton Ace
tyline Gas Co. With these beautiful
decorations, booths, lights, etc., tn
city presented a happy scene both b.
night and by day. So when Tuesda.
morning arrived everything was il
readiness.
With a bright sky and weather o
lust the right kind the big show com
menced. People came into the Cit
in vehicles of every description and b.
rail from far and near. The first mum
Der on the program was the trades
parade with John M. Spots, chic
marshal, and the following assistants
T. Mason Miller. Jr., DIR. 9. L. Lewis
Can't. J. N. Mcfarland, W. A. Pratt
w. a. Landes, J. B. Ransom, Ben
Blackford, Joseph Denny, Julius Wit
and w. T. McCue.
The procession was formed nea
columbian Hall and passed along tn
principal streets in the following ordel
Chief of Police J. 81. Waters on hors'
back, the Stonewall Brigade Band, 81
allegorical floats, Progress, represen
| ing the city of Staunton. and Virgins
Our Country, The Carnival of Flower
and Fairy Bower. on each OF whlc
rode four little girls, the latter accon
panied by Turkish boys, and Dixl'
drawn by oxen, on which were seate
four negroes.
Following these came the trad
floats:
Hamrick s. Co., with beautiful
arranged float covered with flowers.
| Bridgewater band.
Geo. A. Haines advertising Buff
: cigars and Nosegay tobacco.
;, ]. E. Graham, fertilizer factory. d
, coratedwith wheat and accompanie
by hands.
u VIM. R. Knowles, butcher, repr
: senting collection of meats.
John R. Kiracofe & Co., gents fu