The semi-weekly messenger., 1902-11-11
TENTS FOLDED
The "Eruption of Mont PeIee" Took
Place Last Night on The Cape Fear.
The Pyrotechnics Witnessed by
Thousands-The Carnival Commit
tee Meets Wednesday Night to
Wind ; ID it's Affairs.


night at IL o'clock
Yesterday morning the rain was pour
ing down in torrents, the northeast2r
predicted by the weather bureau, hav-
ing struck the city with full force. The
city people had 10 remain in doors and
the hundreds of visitors still left in the
city, had to abandon the streets, as it
was an exceedingly disagreeable day
Besides the wet and slush it had turned
considerably colder, and the day was
quite raw, calling overcOats and wraps
into requisition-
Whenever the showers would let up,
the shows of the Layton Carnival Com
pany opened. and despite the mud on
the streets and rain ever and anon the
people poured forth and the attractions
received considerable patronage.
During the morning the fitting clouds
bet the sun shine through and the pros
poets were for fair weather, but the
clouds kept drifting over and rain
would fall at intervals. In the after
noon the carnival spirit was not damp
ened and the crowds of people came
down town in the drizZleS and the
shows did fair business despite the
weather.
The carnival committee announced
during the day that the pyrotechnic
display would take place last night at
s o'clock and before that hour thou
sands of people assembled on the water
front to witness the eruption of Mont
Pelee,'' which took place on floats an
chored in the middle of the river OPP
poSite Market Street. The attraction
was one of the free ones advertised by
the carnival committee, but in order to
accommodate those who desired Se.tIS,
the committee had tier of seats erect
ed at the foot of Market street and sold
them at 20 cents a seat. Captain John
w. Harper, of the steamer Wilmington.
also admitted people on the steamer
Wilmington at 10 cents each, and sold
seats in mis- pagoda at tho steamer s
landing at 10 cents each. The Whining
ton was brilliantly lighted and was
strung with Chinese lanterns, making
pretty sight as she went out into mid
stream. She carried out a large num-
ber of people and so did the steamer
Compton. All the buildings along the
water front, fences, stacks of wood,
and other objects were black with peo-
pie. Through the courtesy of Mr.. B. F.
Keith, collector of the port, quite
party were admitted to the custom
house to view the fire works, and he
also opened the enclosure and allowed
the people to go on the custom house
wharf to see the mock eruption of the
Volcano
The crowd had to wait fully an hour
while the fire works were being gotten
ready for The display. 1t was cloudy
and cold and there was a most dis
agreeable wind. Finally, however, the
display took place, but the wind was
so high and the river SO rough that
several OF the pieces fell into the river
an that much of the display was lost
While the display was disappointing in
its realistic and scenery effect as imi-
tating i volcano, the pyrotechnic dis
play was well worth seeing. While the
IRE works were being gotten ready, the
Hoilowbush and Second Regiment
bands rendered numerous selections
from the floats amid stream.
After the fireworks, the thousands of
people dispersed to the carnival dis
trict, and Front and Market streets
were packed with people. The shows
did a good business, and the crowds on
the streets had their last confetti bat
tie. The noise makers also had their
sQuedunks, dumb bells, and COW bells
out, but by IL o'clock the fun was over.
The shows closed and soon the streets
were deserted and the carnival became
a thing of the past. The shows are be-
ing dismantled and will so to Sumter,
s. c.. where a carnival will open to-
morrow.
The carnival executive committee has
worked hard to make the carnival a
success and whatever may be the opin-
night packed the streets and immensely
enjoyed the occasion The shows We're
well patronized and If it had not been
for the three rainy days, Manager Lay
ton says he would have done the ban
ner weeks business since the shows
left Maryland and Virginia. He says
Wilmington is a rattling good town,
and he expressed his nigh appreciation
of the liberal patronage and especially
of the courtesieS which our psopie
he hopes to return here next season
with an entirely different outfit on
new lines. He says Notwithstanding
the rain the business he has done here
was perfectly satisfactory He will
show next week in his home town OF
Florence, S. G.
Manager Layton soke especially COM
plimentary about the carnival commit
tee. He got along Wi them most
agreeably and he appreciated the bust
ness-like methods of Chairman S. H
FiShblate and the other clever gentle
men of the committee. The committae
looks jaded from its hard weeks work
and Chairman Fishblate is reported &C
have lost fifty pounds of avoirdupols
but he doesn't appear to have lost only
ten pounds.
The executive committee. barring its
disappointment about the weather, eX-
presses itself as pleased with the result
of the carnival. They say that finan'
cially it has been SucceSS1uI so lar a:
they are concerned, and judging from
the mirth of the people they have en-
joyed it.
The Country Store sold out, prac
tically speaking, and went out Of busi
ness early yes erday. The receipts ou
of the store during the week have beer
about $500. MIR. J. F. Woolvin, man
ager says he desires TO acknowledg
contributions for the store from th'
following. and to express his thanks t,
them for the same: ]. w. II. Fuchs
The L. L. Go.c Company, NJ. Rathjen
J. w. Murchison & Co., The c. w. Pol
yogt Company Fishblate Clothing