The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1901-07-04

OF the South-Importance of the
! Work of the Rice Association
/ Sponge Industry of Florida Fine
T Floral Disp!ay-Otiler Features.
/ Especial Correspondence of the Gold Leaf }
/ Buffalo, y. Y, July /, 'Ol.
/ The Louisiana and Texas Rice
! Kitchen is attracting d great deal OF
/ attention on account OF the beautiful
wood that has been used in its con
. struction. The lumber was shipped
from Louisiana and Texas The
panels and friezes are rcmarka bic
( specimens Of the curled golden pine
/ The doors and window trimmings are
OF curled cypress. These two orna-
mental woods are found in great
quantities throughout the State of
Louisiana They are very much ad-
mired by psople who have made a
/ speciality of ornamental wood work
The rice kltchen was inaugurated
today with appropriate ceremonies.
The building is in charge of Col.
j. W. Eggelaton. Of Lake Charles,
! Louisiana.
/ The object of the establishment of
/ the Kitchen is to show Northern peo-
pie the virtues of rice as Il food
Dainty dishes will be prepared during
the Exposition and the various
| methods OF cooking rice will be ex-
! planned by Miss Ella Whitney Gould
of New Orleans. who is graduate of
cookery from ONE OF the best schools
/ Of New York CITY. She will be
assisted by Miss Carrie Waterbury, of
/ Boston. The cashier is Mrs Clement.
/ formerly cashier OF the Arcadia Ma
/ tional Bank, Of Crowley, Louisiana,
one Of the greatest rice centers in the
world. There are at least 200 differ
Cnt ways Of cooking rice and the man
agement has printed Il very hand
some and extensive menu card which
/ will be distributed throughout the
grounds. The demonstrations will
! be from II to II a. m, and meals
! viii be served from II to and ) to I
/ p. III, A nominal price Will be
/ charged
Prof, 5. A. Knapp. who is president
/ Of the Rice Association of America,
/ will be here on the 18th Of July to
spend several weeks at the Exposi-
tion. He leaves here to 90 on Il tour
around the world in the interest of
rice. The Southern Pacific Railway
has printed $50, 900 cook books show
ing how to prepare rice in every
possible manner These will be dis
lributed free from the rice kitchen.
LO lo1;
which our Northern brethren know
nothing whatever, will be the first
dish served every day. Gumbo fill is
chicken soup thickened with rice,
gumbo (okra) ahd fill. Fill is spicy
aromatic ingredient made from the
! dried leaves Of the sassafras, which,
when one becomes accustomed to it,
is one of the most fragrant and
appetiZing spices known. Rice pan
cakes, rice frittcrs, rice puddings,
rice ices and similar dishes will be
served i'll regular restaurant style,
practically at no appreciable cost to
the customer. Hundreds here who
were at the Paris Exposition and
know that S3O,0 900 was spent on the
corn kitchen, regret very much that
corn was not exploited on the basis
of the rice kitchen here. The Ameri-
can corn kitchen at Paris supplied
every pauper with his daily lunch
free, whereas by charging the small
price which Col. Eggelston demands
from those who are served in the rice
kitchen. the attention of thrifty
farmers and householders is secured.
Served free, every dead-beat who
could get admission to the ground
and every pauper would be the first
one to enter, as was the case in Paris.
The greatly increased production OF
rice will make its purchase easy to
the masses Of the people, who are al
ways ready to listen to reason when
an economic, healthful and nutri-
tious food is offered for their consi-
deratiOn. These are tho people
Col. Eggelston wants to reach and
the plan he has adopted cannot fail
to be successful. 1t is suggested by
those who are familiar with foreign
viands that a special campaign should
be carried into the enemies country,
that is. rice should be officially intro
duced into the foreign markets by the
rice association at whose instance
the rice kitchen was established here.
French cooks, both in Paris, London,
Berlin, Vienna. Rome fail to appre-
ciate its merits. If it was properly
introduced by person who under
stood foreign languages well enough
to make its merits known, it would
undoubtedly become popular because
of its delicacy, its nouriShing proper
ties and adaptability.
The officers of the Rice Association
of America are: ). \. Knapp, of Lake
Charles, La. president; ID. l.. Evans,
of Goldsboro, \. c., vice-president:
Oswald Wilson, of Houston. Texas,
secretary; H. c. Wheeler. of Calves
ton. Texas. treasurer: 5. A. Knapp,
Oswald Wilson, H. c. Wheeler, John
Green. of Crowley. La, and F.. +.
ROwsOn. of Jennings. La. executive
committee.
The Florida exhibit of sponges in
the Horticulture Building. Pan
American Exposition, deserves espe-
cial mention. 1t IS an important in
uuStlt III 'na' S'a.o anu shou'' ~
developed. Mr.. +. Nj. Weir, of Tampa
the Commissioner from Florida says
The Florida sponges are of many
varieties, differing in commercial
value from $500 to a great many
dollars per pound. 1t is one of the
LARGEST industries in the State, more
than 100 vessels being engaged solely
in this trade. The business is carried
on almost entirely by negroes. 1t i:
not an uncommon sight to see
vessels captain and all of the crew
composed of colored men. The
sponges are gathered by means of
long pole with a hook attached tc the
lower end with which the sponge
fisherman is very expert. He lie: