The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-07-31
Leads all North Carolina Dalies i'm News and Circulation

iron. the corundum and other abra-
sives are here in full lines. All fresh
discoveries of the past ten years are
in evidence. and it is safe to say that
this mineral exhibit of North Carolina
is two to one ahead of that made at
the Columbian Exposition.
In the Palace of Forestry, Fish and
Game. North Carolina has a display
of which any State in the Union might
he proud. The exhibit of timber spe-
cimens of commercial woods, so far
as wide variety and market value are
concerned, is probably the best in the
building The section of the 500
years-old yellow poplar from Chero-
kee county, attracts much notice; the
great six-ton black walnut log from
Jackson county, together with some
finished veneers from other cuts of
the same tree; the beautiful specimens
of white pine, sand hickory, curly
poplar, yellow locust, and many of the
beautiful and valuable woods collected
since the Chicago Fair, have, in the
aggregate, doubled the large exhibit
made by North Carolina there.
The finished wood products, such as
4S-inch turned bowls, berry shipping
crates. handsome household furniture,
finished ceiling, flooring and wainscot-
ing. fine fiber and liquid products of
the leaf, handsome split baskets, ma
tive (French) briarwood pipes, etc,
may all be credited to the progress of
the last eleven years.
Progress is the watchword all
through In the Fish and Game De-
partn1ent various new specimens Illus
trating the commercial and sporting
features are shown, while much addi-
tional interest is given by the display
of a series of the more modern hunt
ing and fishing tools and appliances
folk II, l. rfs,.ar
the different varieties of game birds,
animals and fishes found in the State.
These have been loaned the exhibit by
the different manufacturers. A COM
plete whaling outfit from Beaufort N.
c., which has been actively employed
in the whale fishery there for twenty
five to fifty years, is shown for the
first time. A fine lot of high grade
native furs are exhibited in the raw
state and as dressed skins, and in an
adjoining case are shown the animals
from which the different furs are de-
rived This exhibit is about three
fold as large as that made by North
Carolina in Chicago, and its value ann
interest to visitors are proportionate-
ly great.
One of the unique displays the State
is making is that of tobacco in the
Agricultural Building. A large octa-
gonal pagoda, with a cornice line s
feet above the floor is covered and
decorated with the different colors
and grades of granulated smoking to-
bacco and the beautiful bright yellow
golden leaf" Several interesting le-
gends are displayed on large shields
ON the sides of the structure, showing
facts of interest as to the history and
value of the North Carolina tobacco
crop. Tobacco was first given to the
Old World from North Carolina, and
not from Virginia as often stated, the
returning expedition of Sir Walter
Raleigh taking it back from Roanoke
Island in 1892. Another fact is that
Pitt county, North Carolina, grows
more bright tobacco than any other
county in the United States.
On top of the octagon is a great
twenty-five foot globe, with a map of
the world worked out in light and dark
tobacco, the light showing the water
areas and the dark the land. This
structure is the striking feature of the
row of Special exhibits running
down the center of the great Palace of
Agriculture, from end to end. The
States display in tobacco is so far
ahead of that made at Chicago that
no comparison can well be made.
In the general exhibit in Agricul-
ture. North Carolina is making a valu-
able display of the many products OF
the soil grown in the State. The in
stallation is plain and is conspicuous
in avoiding the over decoration so
many of her sister States are indulging
in, but the exhibit is very meritorious
and contains many valuable lessons to
the seeker after agricultural knowl-
edge.
The display of grains of peanuts
and of the many varieties of cotton,
both in seed and lint are all fine, and
much good must result from their
showing.
lot of cotton mill machinery is a
feature of the Special Cotton Section,
and the Charlotte firm exhibiting II
no doubt will reap a reward. This
is the first time the State has made a
show in this line of exhibits.
The Horticultural exhibits in gener-
al are at this date mostly of cold stor-
age or preserved fruits North Caro-
lima has meritorious exhibit Of last
years crop of apples. Everything
combined to make for a poor showing
IN this line-poor crops, a premature
r1pening owing to drought, difficulties
of collection and transportation-and
the wonder is that the State has any
thing to show at ALL But what is ex-
hlbited is good, and the flavor of these
apples from the mountain counties of
North Carolina is not surpassed any
where
AT Chicago North Carolina showed
only few jars of preserved fruits AMI
wines, SO this display of fresh fruits
is decided advance over the State 5
exhibit there. Enough remains on
hand in cold storage to keep up good
displays for the remainder of the ey-
position.
Altogether it may be said that the
exhibits which North Carolina is max
ing at st. Louis are fifty per cert.
larger in the aggregate and at
least that much in advance in merit
and usefulness of those made at the
Columbian Exposition.