The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1900-11-07
THE STATE FAIR---C0LUMBlA.


exhibits ever held in the history OF
the Society. Columbia was literally
packed and iammed with visitors
and they were royalty entertained by
it's hospitable people. No one Ger
tainly has just cause to complain
of the treatment received, and II
any one failed to have good time IN
general he has no one to blame fo1
his failure but himself. Never have
we witnessed such an abandonment
of clanish reserve, such a forgetiul
ness of social distinction and such a
complete surrender to gayety and
pleasure as was witnessed on the
streets of Columbia and the fair
grounds last week. The lawyer laid
aside his briefs; the preacher absent
ed himself from his study; the doc
tor neglected his pills; the merchant
forgot his ledger, and the artisan and
mechanic forsook the anvil and shop,
and all with one accord entered into
the spirit of the occasion with such
hilarity that it became contagious
and levened the whole tremendous
crowds.
The were so many objects OF in
terest, so many sights to be seen and
80 many articles at the fair deserving
of meritorious mention that were
bewildered at the vastness and ex
cellency Of the exhibits. The fair
surpassed any former effort to bring
together the resources of the State in
all theii deversifcation. The county
exhibits were indeed fine, but in this
feature of the fair there is much
room for greater improvement. A
deeper interest should be awakened
in the several counties regarding this
feature, and there certainly should
be an exhibit from every county IN
the State at the next fair. County
and State pride alone, to say moth,
ing of the other weighty considera-
tions, should suggest to patriotic peo
pie that this be done. Lexington, as
usual, carried off many, very many,
blue ribbons, and red ribbons almost
without end. The Lexington county
exhibit, gathered by Messrs. j. Wal
fer Dreher, W. B. Taylor and DR..
j. W. Esrgle, was large, varied and
altogether very creditable. It was
one of the centres of attaction and
was the subject OF many favorable
comments. The exhibit was awarded
the first premium after spirited
contest by Chester, Richland and
Marlboro counties. The second and
third premiums were given to Ches-
ter and Richland in the order named.
Thus again has Lexington county
demonstrated the superiority cf her
products over her sister counties in
fair and open contest and by we'll in
formed and impartial judges.
The improvements madein Colum-
bia during the past few years are won
de,ful indeed and it's growth is simply
phenomenal. As apparent as these
improvements are on Main street they
are even more so in the interior of
the city. Where was once wilder
nesses of vacancy now handsome resi-
dences and comfortable cottages or
nament the beautiful streets. This
writer was impelled during his res
ence in the city to visit for the first
time in years that section where the
mcst of his boyhood days were pass
ed and was agreeably surprised at
the changes wrought by the hand Of
time. The lots that he played in,
the sidewalks along which he passed
many a time had all undergone
change and for time he was lost in
amazement as we'll as locality. Such
was the completeness Of the trans
formation that the section was un-
recognizable. Dwelling crowded
dwelling as if pushing each other
for elbow room, and where the pop
ulation could be counted only by
tens and twenties, now hundreds
find rest and quiet from the hustle
and toll of the day. Other sectious
visited by him, which be once knew
as a book the same marked improve
ment told the tale of the passing of
"Old Columbia" to make room for
the new, the more beautiful and more
progressive city on the Conga 9
the conirg Queen of the South
Her great possibilities are unmeasur-
able and her future growth unlimited.
During the day tie merchants all
seemed to being a good business,
but the biggest business, the largest
crowds and the closest jams were at
The stores of those merchants who