The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-09-05
C. E. McCuIIers Cham.
pion, R. E. Page Second.
BUCK ANDREWS IDEA
FiddIers' Convention on Labor Day At
tracts a Thousand People Who Hear
Leather Britches," Money
Musk" "Mississippi Sawyer"
and Other Old Tunes.

1t was "Fiddlers' Day in Raleigh.
High above the shouts of the APP
plauding multitude the catgut and the
horse hair in conjunction rolled out
sounds of melody while the heel and
toe beat sympathetic time.
1t was the time of the contest in
the North Carolina Fiddlers' Conven-
ton, an organization which had its
birth in the fertile brain of Mr..
Buck Andrews, the jolly president
of the city railway, and which, at it's
first meeting, has fiddled to glorious
success. 1t was not a violiniSts' re-
cital mind you. but it was an "Old
RoSin the ow" that was so good and
so natural that Buck" Andrews is
hereby christened the "aPtron Saint
of Fiddlers.''
1t was intended to have the contest
at ullPen Park, but the rain inter-
fered and it was transferred to Pullen
Hall at the A. and NJ. College. Here
after half-past l o'clock there was a
crowd variously estimated at from 500
to LOCO people, all intent on the fid-
ding to come and beaming with
smiles anticipatory of the real music
without frills they We're going to hear.
While waiting three fiddlers on thu
rostrum gave some preliminary
touches which tuned up the crowd for
more, and just then it was that
BUCK" Andrews, followed by nine
other fiddlers. came marching down
the center aisle. There was a storm
of approving applause that made
Buck" look as happy as a big sun
flower. es--sssss--
The judges were there ready to
judge, these being DR.. b. +. Dixon,
State Auditor; Hon. John Nichols and
Mr.. Junius D. Turner the latter act
ing in place of State Treasurer Lacy,
who was sick at home. An agree
ment was made to give each fiddler
five minutes time, let him play what
he wanted to play and how he wanted
to play it. In starting the ball to
rolling and the fiddlers to fiddle Mr..
Andrews asked the crowd to keep
quiet and let the fiddlers tune up, as
the air was damp.
The fiddlers were the genuine
stuph. They wore no frills or swal-
low-tail dress coats. There was not
white tie in the bunch, nor We're they
collars enough to go round. Some
had on Slick-looking .'store clothes,
but the majority were right off the
farm with mud on their shoes and
their regular everyday clothes. 1t
was fiddling. not clothes, that was in
demand, and the plainest of the fid-
ding bunch wore the greatest ap-
plauSe.
Then the first man was announced,
and he pulled his chair up Loose in
front of the committee, all being on
the roStrum and the fun began.
Fiddler after fiddler filddled, foot
after foot patted time, fddles were
thrust against chests and shoulders
and necks and under chins, the fiddle
necks were elevated and lowered, the |
bows swept over the catgut. the crowd |
yelled and applauded and shouted in
its joy and at last the contest was
over and the judges went to decide, |
though the crowd had already made |
up its mind 1t had decided that No. |
II, who proved to be Mr.. r. c. Page |
of Raleigh r. F.. D., No. 3, was the |
winner and to him it had given |
regular ovation of the William Jen- |
nings Bryan kind as he played, de- |
handing an encore.
But the judges thought different, |
and when they returned announced |
that the Champion Fiddler" was No
8. Mr.. c.. T.. McCullers, of Raleigh.
with a contest for second place be-
tween No. II, Mr.. r. C. Page, and No. |
9, MI. ]. w. Sauls.. of Garner, who
must play off the tie. At it they went,
Mr.. Page playing Leather Britches'
WIN diI Ills Hight, WINE MI. IodulS
tried the Chapel Hill Serenade."
Still they were tied and Mr.. Page was
called on TO play 1.-The same piece"
He did so, the crowd was aroused
and was storm-swept with applause.
Up jumped DR.. Dixon, who pulled Mr..
Page to 1.is feet and cried out, Mot
withstanding the decision, here stands
the best fiddler in North Carolina"
Then the happy crowd shouted some
more, for Page was hte favorite of the
day. though McCullers got the
diploma as the champion Fiddler"
worth sos in cash, and Page the sec
ond Champion Fiddler diploma,
worth $2.05 of wealth, the titles to be
defended next year on Labor Day.
There were no music racks,an a
sput bottomed chair was the furniture
seat, though some OF the fiddlers STOOD.
generally they went it alone, though
one played with banjo accompani-
ment, another had a second fiddle to
aid and third was assisted by a ]
guitar player. Gray boards, and black
boards, and chin whiskers came and
went. while full boards were there as
black and scanty ones of gray Color
ed shirts of blue and pink and black
polka dots We're in evidence. as were
high collars and low collars and wiited
collars and celluloid collars and mol
collars, with a wide range of bows
and ties. 1t was a sight for a country
fair contest from the man who