The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-06-24
ATTRACTIONS At BUFFALO
Unique Features of the Great Pan
American Exposition.
The Louisiana and Texas Rice
Kitchen and the Florida Sponge
Exhibit CIassed Among the OddI-
tiCs-A Treatise on Rose Culture.


a great deal of attention on account of
the beautiful wood that has been used in
its construction The lumber was shipped
from Louisiana and Texas. The panels
and friezes are remarkable specimens Of
the CUrIed golden pine. The doors and
window trimmings are of Cur!ed cypress
These two ornamental woods arc found
in great quantities throughout the State
Of Louisiana. They are very much ad-
mired by people who have made a spe-
cialty of ornamental wood work The rice
kitchen was inaugurated recently with
apr priate ceremonies. The building is
in charge OF Col J w EgEleston, of Lake
Charles, La.
The object of the establishment of the
kitchen is to show Northern people the
virtues of rice as a food. Dainty dishes
will be prepared during the exposition
and the various methods of cooking rice
are explained by Miss Ella Whitney
Gould, of New Orleans. graduate of
cookery from one of the best schools of
New York city She is assisted by Miss
Carrie Waterbury, of Boston. The cash
Ter is Mrs. Clement, formerly cashier of
the Arcadia National Bank of BROMLEY,
La one of the greatest rice centres in the
world There are at least 290 different
ways of cooking rice and the management
has printed very handsome and extern
sive menu card which is distributed
throughout the grounds. The demonstra-
lions are from II to y a. m, and meals
are served from y to ? and to p. m.
Prof. S. a. Knapp, President of the Rice
Association of America viii be here on
the 18th Of July to spend several weeks
at the Exposition. He leaves here to go
on tour around the world in the interest
Of rice. The Southern Pacific Railway
has printed 250,000 cook books showing
how to prepare rice in every possible
manner. These are being distributed free
from the rice kitchen. Gumbo fiji, a de-
icious soup about which our Northern
brethren know nothing whatever. is the
first dish served every day. Gumbo fiji
is chicken soup thickened with rice, gum
DO (okra) and fill. Fill is a spicy aromatic
ingredient made from the dried leaves Of
the sassafTas, which, when one becomes
accustomed TO it, is one Of the most fra
frant and appetizlng spices known Rice
pan cakes. rice fritters. rice buildings.
rice ices and similar dishes are served in
regular restaurant style.
Hundreds here who were at the Paris
Exposition and know that $4,000 was
spent on the corn kitchen regret very
much that corn was not exploited on the
basis of the rice kitchen here The Amerf-
can corn kitchen at Paris supplied every
pauper with his daily lunch free, whereas
by charging the small price which Colonel
Eggleston demands from those who are
served in the kitchen, the attention OF
thrifty farmers and householders Is Sc
cured. Served free. every dead beat who
could get admission to the grounds and
every pauper would be the first one to
enter, as was the case in Paris. The
greatly Increased production of rice viii
make its purchase easy to the masses Of
the people, who are always ready to listen
to reason when an economic, healthfui
and nutritious food is offered for their
consideration. These are the people Col
oaeI EggIeston wants 20 reach and the
plan he has adopted caHEot fail TO be sue
cessfuI It is suggested By these who are
familiar with foreign vfaTsds that a spe-
CiaI campaign should be carried into the
enemies country-that is. rice should be
officially introduced into the foreign mar
kets by the rice association at whose in
stance the rice kitchen was established
here. French cooks in Paris, London,
Berlin, Vienna, Rome, and Athens fail to
appreciate its merits. If it was properly
introduced by a person who understood
foreign languages well enough to make
it's merits known it would become popular
because of its delicacy. its uourishing
properties and adaptabiIity-
The officers of the Rice Association Of
America are: S A Knapp. Of Lake
Charles. La, president. D. L. Evans. of
Goldsboro. y. c., vice president; Oswald
Wilson. of Houston, Tex, secretary; H. c.
Wheeler. Of Galveston. Tex. treasurer;
S. A Knapp, Oswald Wilson, H. c.
Wheeler, John Green. of Crowley. La.
Of Iarnfros a
ecutive committed
The Florida exhibit Of sponges in the
Horticulture Building represents an i'm
portant industry Of that State T. NJ
Wier Of Tampa the Commissioner from
Florida says: The Florida sponges are
Of many varieties. differing in commercial
value ION 500 to a great many dollars
per pound. It is one Of the largest indus
tries in the State. more than 100 vessels
being engaged solely in this trade. The
business IS carried on almost entirely by
negroes. It is not ar uncommon sight
to see a vessels captain and all of the
crew composed Of colored men. The spon-
ges are gathered by means Of a long pole
with a hook attached 10 the lower. end
with which the sponge fisherman is very
expert He lies prone upon his stomach
in the stern OF a boat looking through an
ordinary water bucket with a glassbOt-
tom, which does away with the glare from
the water and allows him 10 survey the
bottom Ieisurely while the boatman rows
or souls the boat A schooner lies at
anchor near by from which half dozen
or more Of these small boats fish. which
returns 70 port when it is loaded or at
night, as the case may be- The men all
share and share alike Of the cargo, the
captain receiving a larger portion and the
owner Of the vessel one-fourth Of the
profit.
''Anclote Harbor, in Hiilsboro county,
and Key West are the principal sponge
stations o the coast of Florida. After the
sponge5 are caught and carried 10 port
they are thrown into pen made BY driv-
ing poles into the sand. where the water
at ordinary tide is knee deep. In the
meantime they have died. After they
are thrown into this shallow water they
are tramped upon by negroes, thus
squeezing and forcing the animal matter
out and leaving the remains or carcass
/ OF the sponge, which is the article Of com
| nerce so commonly used Very few peO-
pie know when they are bathing with a
sponge they are simply using the remains
lowest order of animal life. II has almost
aS many Colors as there are varieties. It
attaches itself firmly 10 the coral reefs
! and Is almost always found in connection
| with coral
The sponges along the coast Of F'IoTi-