Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1901-12-12
THE BUFFALO FAIR.
Commissioner T. }. McDuffie
Tells About Idaho Exhibit.

commissioner - MOD0tbl0
Tells About Idaho Exhibit.
Commissioner J. T. McDuffie
gives the Free Press the following
interview concerning the Idaho ex-
hibit at the Pan American fair, and
the good results that are expected
to result to the state from the dis
play:
While at the Pan-American fair
/ found the people of the eastern
states very anxious to learn some
thing of the northwestern states,
and more especially Of Idaho.
While there was considerable in
quiry about the agricultural, horti-
cultural and forestry prospects Of
the state, yet / found more in
terest taken in the mineral re-
sources. We had splendid min
eral exhibit, consisting of the nu-
merous gold, silver, lead, copper,
and asbestos specimens from vari-
Gus parts Of our state. The greater
portion of my time was spent in
explaining to the visitors the pro-
cess of extracting the gold and
other metals from the rock, for
which purpose we had model
stamp mill continually running, by
means of water power. Ry this
means we could show the treat
ment of the ore from the mine to
the gold on the plates, and from
there to the gold amalgam.
Thousands of visitors witnessed
this process daily. All were
greatly interested and many in
dicated their intention of coming
to Idaho as soon as they could ar
range their affairs to get here. As
they put it: 81 am going where
/ can take gold out of Mother
Earth" 1t was with great delight
and intense business-like energy
that the people would examine and
inspect the samples of gold, silver,
lead and copper ores, and take
notes of the names of the mines, To-
calities and address of the owners.
The copper ores from the Seven
Devils district, and the gold, cop
per and asbestos specimens from
Idaho county, and the silver and
lead, as well as gold from the more
northern counties received special
attention, and at no times during
the Fair did the interest in IdahO's
mineral resources relax. From
early morning until late at night
our booth was full of earnest ant
anxious visitors, plying us with
questions concerning the minera
wealth of Idaho. These visitors
were not mere curiosity seekers.
but were business men and women
of high intelligence, who feel, tina
the west is the place to go. Ant
they are coming. Idaho's minera
showing was great surprise tC
many of the eastern visitors, anG
created general comment as to thu
riches contained in our great state
Though young, she took her place
among older mining states, ant
made a showing as good as the
best. So say the visitors aud thu
exposition experts.
Our horticultural booth attracted
the greatest attention, and w
heard nothing but words of TIN
highest praise for our fruits of al
kinds. Though some of the west
ern states gave us close chase
nevertheless Idaho held the crowd
of the people, and when some on
would remark: "Can it be posi-
BILE that Idaho can produce sucl
fruits?' our ever wide-awake AM
energetic Fred II. Davis, of Owy
hee county, would reply: eyes
these apples-or pears-or grapes
came from this or that part O
Idaho. They are real, and this
years crop"
Our agricultural booth was tn
special comment of everyone Wit
saw it. Idaho received a golt
medal for her agricultural exhibit
This was the highest award re
ceived by any state for the genera
display of agricultural product
and artistic arrangement, and W.,
the only gold award received fol
a general exhibit. Ella Wheeler
Wilcox, the famous authoress
visited the booth and was en-
raptured; she said: at is tn
most artistic arrangement of agri
cultural products l ever saw in my
life Our agricultural exhibit
were as good as the best, and ere
ated no little amount Of common
among the eastern and southern
people. Our forestry exhibit o
merchantable timber caused grea
comment among the lumber me,
who visited the fair And all il
all, Idaho sustained herself il
every particular, and we heard NJ
complaint from anyone Words o
the highest praise came to us from
all sections of the country, and
am satisfied that as result o
Idaho's showing at the Pan-Ameri
can fair, we will witness wonder
full increase in our population
and that in all departments. Tn,
east is over rOWded with neonl,