The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-06-12
A CARNIVAL WANTED.
Mr.. Reardoa writes Enthusiastically fer
Himself and Other Citizens.

Editor Daily Item: l have been re-
qusted by number of enterprising cit
liens. among them some members Of
the Sumter Fire Department. which
has reflected so mach credit upon the
city of Sumter and of which we are
Justly proud, to take the initiatory
steps to get up fireman's tournament
and carnival week. AS the Editor Of
The Item was prominently associated
with the committee which inaugurated
the movement for the famous Game
Cock City Carnival of 1894 and render
ed valuable services with others of the
former carnival committee who know
what it takes to successfully complete
arrangements for an affair Of this
kind. and to request the cooperation
of the Sumter Business League and
other citizens. There seems to be a
decided desire among many Of our cit
liens to hold another carnival and
freman's tournament as the Game
Cock City Carnival of 1894 was such a
complete success and the great trades
display the finest that was ever wit
messed before or since in South Carroll
ma. During the last gala week in
Sumter the old and the young. the
rich and the poor, the merchants,
clerks, professional men, the laborers,
mechanics, ministers and last but
not least the politicians and the faith
ers contributed of thier income and
manifested great interest in the affair.
The trades display in which the differ
ent business houses and manufacturing
establishment of this and other cities
took such prominent part and wed
with each other in the magnificent
and costly floats and the various de-
signs and other features of interest,
was the greatest and most beneficial
advertisement that Sumter ever had.
Sumter of today is far ahead Of
Sumter of 1894, at which time we
we're recovering from the depressing
effects Of panic times, but Sumter
has grown in wealth, population, COM
mrcially and industrially. We have
more wealthy men, more people en-
ployed and much more to display that
would interest and attract visitors
and investors, and better hotel and rail
road facilities. Experience has shown
that affairs of the kind pay, as the
thousand of visitors spend thousands of
dollars and it helps to advertise the
advantage of Sumter as a desirable
place for good people to locate. We
can also offer prizes for the best grade
of tobacco, etc, and thus stimulate
interest in this important crop and
help to build up a tobacco market.
4 we'll arranged programme Of amuse-
ment, for four or five days will attract
thousands of visitors. The last car
nival week was generally concluded to
be a success and benefit financially
and otherwise All that was required
was the calling of the mass meeting,
the appointment of the committee on
finance, programme arrangement, etc.,
and with some hustling the cost was
forthcoming and the Gala Week was
a success financially and otherwise.
We have more people to contri ibute
and the financial part of the programme
will be easier than in 1894. The ladies'
of Sumter contributed by their pres
ence in the trades display to the
beauty of the scene and by their in
terest and work largely to the pleas
uro anG success OF our uISG dl1o Adoe
carnival, and we have in Sumter to-
day more ladies than in 1894 and they
alone are worth coming miles to see. l
would have rather remained in the
back ground and let some citizen Of
prominence and importance take the
lead. but some of our citizens kept
urging me to write an article. L
therefore suggest that mass meeting
be called by the editor of the Daily
Item to discuss the matter in full.
Sumter should certainly take steps
to advertise herself and display her
natural advantage and as business,
agricultural and manufacturing cen
ter. / know of no other method than
to invite the people here and entertain
them and let them see for themselves.
All that is needed is for some one
with enterprise to start the ball and
be will find that the gala week idea
will be popular. E. I. Reardon.