Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1902-02-13

twenty years ago-Mississippi's dis
play at the Industrial Exposition at
New Orleans was so varied and so ex-
tensive. and embraced so wide a
range OF agricultural. horticultural
and manufactured products. Taking
into consideration the fact that an ex-
position lAL--Rai -tasS hscaksss--
everyday AFFAIR. and that the manage
ment thereof and the part played by
each State had all 10 be laid cut
along unfamiliar paths; that Missis-
stppi was then regarded as a cotton
State and nothing but a cotton State
first. last and all the time. and that
We were just beginning 70 hear the
first faint. sweet sounds made by the
onward march Of Progress as it came
In our direction. the States achieve
ment at this Industrial Exposition was
something 10 be proud OF. And Mai.
Jonas and his assistants Zone OF
whom. Hon Ramsey Wharton. is now
State Senator from Hindsl. and par
tieularly the ladies who gave their
services as commissioners in the wom-
ans department without money and
without price" deserve the greatest
credit for this really remarkable show
ing Much Is now being said about
the introduction" Of the culture Of
wheat. rice and pecans (amOng other
thinssl into the State The report
OF our exhibits at New Orleans show
that eleven counties Monroe. Kinds.
DeSoto. Alcorn, Clay. Lowndes. Tate.
Tippah, Attala. Grenada and Jasperl
exhibited splendid grades Of wheat
there in 1ssi- Four counties Han
cock, Jackson. Warren and Pike) sent
nne specimens Of upland rice. and
among the pecan exhibits those Of
Warren and Carroll counties and from
the Gulf coast were far and away the
finest exhibited from any part Of the
world. Why. even our oranges
(raised near BiloxiD were acknowl-
edged to be the best exhibit OF oranges
even among those from Louisiana
and Florida There were innumer-
able products OF field. garden. orchard
and vineyard for which We have not
room here. but We then had sugar
from three counties. tobacco from six
teen. forty varieties OF grasses, etc.
Our wool exhibit was OF such proper
tions as to interest and amaze visit
ors. and it came. splendid in grade.
fr~r-
section. Our timber exhibit then gave
but suggestion Of the revolution that
our forests were to cause in the
worlds timber supply. One of the
chestnut trees exhibited by a Warren
county lady was six feet in diameter.
A yellow poplar from Pamela was
twelve feet three inches in diameter.
and the list shows that we possess
most expensive woods known to the
trade. The manufactures show that
We had then in the State nine cotton
and wooden mills, and that we were
then manufacturing fine blankets. cas-
simere shawls, as well as yarns, jeans.
domesties. plaids, rope sheeting. etc.
We had then in the State excellent
potteries. and at Moss Point glass
works. while the pressed brick exhibit
by Taylor Of Jackson were adjudged
equal to PhiIadelphia's celebrated
Peerless and were not approached
by any exhibited from the South Our
list OF inventions is too long for
these columns-as Is. likewise, the
lists OF fossils. curios and varieties Of
voman's work Just here, however.
NE must refer TO a township map of
Wilkinson-her native eounty-paint-
ed BY Mss Blanche MeNanus- II was
from the praise accorded her work In
this department that Miss McManus
was encouraged 20 pursue her art
studies. To-day, after a hard fight with
uakind conditions. this brave Missis-
sippi girl stands at the very head Of
her beloved profession, and her studio
In New York City Is a center for the
talent and culture Of the metropolis
artists Two years ago she illustrated
An edition De lure Of Lewis Carrolrs
Alice In Wonderland" receiving
therefor q handsome sum- Mrs
Poole's taxidermic exhibit included
the tragic story Of Cock Robin" IL
lustrated with wonderful accuracy by
Mississippi birds. So interesting was
this Mississippi exhibit, and so alb
sorhIng is a recital Of its contents.
that We are tempted to take up too
much space with IT, However. We can
not close without stating that Missis-
sippi received the grand sweepstakes
premium. 800 in gold. and a medal
for best collection Of varieties OF
fruit. from any State or country. We
also had the largest China Sand pear
(thirty-two and a half ounces) shown
by any State. and the largest peach
al the exposition Both were raised
in Rankin county. and the peach
weighed sixteen and 4 half ounces
The largest and finest tomatoes (rwen-
ty-four ounces eaehl from Madison
county; the best new Seeding apple.
from Hinds county; best Japanese per-
simmons, from Hinds. and best CHI
nese ounces. from Wilkinson county
II the old State made such show
ing OF her assets and possibilities a
score Of years ago, while still within
the shadow Of the -four years hor-
ror," and when her timber interest
was in its infancy, her great orchards
and truck gardens were all unplant-
ed. her present educational work not
even thought about, and her manu-
factures only dreamed Of by a few
enthusiasts, what may We not do to-
day. when all these hopes and dreams
have become living realities. and
when Mississippi deserves 70 rank
with the best Of her sister States?
The great trouble Is that the outside
worid-in which we must find our
markets-dces not know all these
things in which We take such pride