Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1901-10-10
QUEEN OF CAM MAS PRAIRIE
GranseVjlIe for the Second Time this
Year Has Won that Title.
HER STREET FAIR A GRAND SUCCESS
And the Display Of Fruits and
Vegetables the Finest Ever
Seen in Any Mans Coun-
try.

IOi tilS cCCOIlu plulc tilS yctI |
growing Grangeville has done her.
self proud by entertaining for
three days in succession the great
est crowds of people ever assem-
bled in the history of the county. |
The amusements conducted dur
ing the three-day celebration of the |
glorious Fourth Of July were
thought to have capped the cli-
max and to have exhausted the
resources of our people. But so
far from this being the case, the
public-spirited citizens of growing
Grangeville about six weeks ago
inaugurated the idea Of street
fair, and the project was taken
hold of and pushed to the success
iul finish which chhracterizes every
effort in which our people embark.
Despite the fact that the idea
was new, and that all our people
were inexperienced in the matter
of attending to the details Of these
fairs, despite, also, the further fact
that the fair was only announced
about six weeks since, when it was
too late for the farmers to give any
time or attention to the cultivation
Of fruits, grains Or vegetables for
display, in spite OF all the fair was
complete and overwhelming sue.
cess in every deta u. and no other
one enterprise in which this town
has embarked has made MS so
many friends as the street fair.
Last Thursday the day opened
with brilliant sunshine. Early in
the morning the mechanics were
busy erecting the booths and
stands for the display of the ex-
hibits, and by bre eakfast time they
were decorated with bunting and
the exhibits were placed on exhibi-
ton. Slowly the town filled up
with people, until by noon it was
impossible for anyone in hurry
to use the sidewalk on account of
the throngs. The exhibits were
closely examined by the great
crowds and were generally COM
mended as showing off the choice
productions Of famous old Camas
Prairie in an eminent degree.
Never before has such a wide
choice OF fine fruits, vegetables and
grains been exhibited. Heretofore
the only mention of such products
has been in the columns of the
local paper. But it would seem as
if the street fair had been success
ful in attracting the attention of
every citizen of the county who
had been more successful than
usual in raising mammoth veget-
ables or partleula arly choice speci-
mems of fruits Every booth along
Main street had on exhibition
some of the finest and largest veg
etab!es which an y country could
show More tha 90 years ago a
local Fourth of July orator told
the people of Camas Prairie that
the soil Of this cd untry would grow
potatoes as big AS beer barrels; that
grain would grow on a plank side
walk without irrigation, and sun
dry other humu rous items were
spoken Of which created great
laugh for many a day. But the
orator was not sd far-fetched after
all, judging by the exhibits which
were displayed here during the
street fair. Potatoes, carrots,
beets, turnips, rutabagas, and
squash of enormO size were SO
frequent as to cause no surprise.
In the matter Of fruit, the exhibit
was a genuine surprise to many
people who have been here for
years and who thought they knew
all about the possibilities Of Camas
Prairie as a fruit producing section.
Surely no country on earth ever
made a better showing. Peaches
were exhibited which Lewiston
itself cannot beat, while as for ap.
Piles and pears, plums and prun es
and varieties of berries, the display
WOuld nave maze the mouth OF tne
veriest epicure water in anticipa
tion of delights to come when h
tasted the luscious fruits displayed
all along our main street.
Without being inviduous, it wa
; a matter of CON mon comment thai
!; the Tolo district exceeded all an
, ticipations in the matter of its frui
display. The farmers of that pre-
cinct did themselves proud in thei
| fruit exhibits. 1t was not merel
! case of one individual farme
, making a display, but the entir
peighborhood seemed to have some
thing to exhibit which attracted al
E tention, and as aforesaid, thei
? fruit displays were uncommonl
, fine.
] Salmon river orchards were we
t represented, but not nearly 80 we
= as they should have been. Der
a yer, Fairview, Sunnyside and Cles
water had exhibits Of magnificer
products. The west side was nc
in evidence, but they promise to d