The Van Buren press., 1901-08-17

Fort Smith is preparing to have an
other street fair and carnival this fall,
the time having been set for the week
of Oct l4th to 10th. A board of direct.
ors has been selected and the enterprise
has been incorporated under the laws of
the state of Arkansas.
The board has determined to pursue
a course this year somewhat different to
that of last year and the year preceding.
In order to concentrate everything and
have matters so arranged that there will
be no friction in any of the many vari.
Gus departments, general manager
has been selected. This honor and
burden has fallen on Mr.. B. F. Fly, a
newspaper man of 25 or 80 years stand.
ing. In order to accept this position
Mr.. Fly has temporarily resigned his
position on the staff of the Arkansas
Democrat of Little Rock. He is,
however, a former citizen Of Fort Smith
and the fact that he was unanimously
selected by the board to manage the
coming street fair and carnival signifies
that the citizens of Fort Smith have the
utmost confidence in Mr.. Fly 8 ability to
give them an entertainment such as
they have never before had
He has had large experience with
entertainments Of this character, and is
said to be thoroughly equipped for the
work In hand. The energy he has dis
played thus far certainly shows that the
board Of directors made no mistake
when they selected him. In the short
space of ten days they have secured at.
fractions enough to guarantee that the
coming event will eclipse anything ever
before given in this section Of the coun-
try.
Among the many attractions already
contracted for may be mentioned
AIMEE the fire dancer, who has
proven such sensation in all the large
cities of the country where she has
performed before fashionable audiences.
Her dancing is really marvel of beauty
and grace. Also the electric fountain,
the electric theater and French theater,
in which will be seen high class per.
formances by half dozen or more
beautiful dancers the Alpine village,
with its Tyrolese yodellers the palace
of illusions, the mystic swing and the
streets OF Cairo, in which will be seen
sword fighters, magicians, knife throw.
ers. gun spinners, whirling Dervishes,
the quaint and unique Mohammedan
prayer and marriage, calnels, Egyptian
donkeys and trained dancing bear, and
last, though not least, bevy of beau
tiful and fascinating Oriental dancing
girls
The great difference between the fair
Of this year and that Of last year lies in
the fact that this year all of,the carnival
attractions will be located along Gar
rison avenue or intersecting streets,
with the entrance to the show on
Garrison avenue, instead Of having all
of them placed within one enclosure, rs
was the case last year
The main feature Of the street fair
and carnival will be magnificent fire
works display three nights in the week
which will be given at a cost OF several
Thousand dollars. II will be superin
tended by experts from Paine's cele.
brated fireworks factory Of Chicago
and New York This will be one of the
most magnificent displays of fire works
ever seen anywhere south Of Mason and
Dixon line. Manager Fly asserts that
nothing like this has ever been seen in
this part OF the country and If what he
says be true visitors will flock to Fort
Smith on this occasion from distance
of 500 miles in every direction. The
towns located in the street fair radins
will all be given an opportunity TO dis.
play their resources and products, the
same as last year, and the winners will
receive valuable prizes for their tronble,
The citizens Of Fort Smith are enthusi.
astic over the project and are rendering
the manager every assistance in their
power with the firm determination OF
making the coming street fair and
carnival the best that Fort Smith has
ever had.