Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1907-06-20
A Trip to thu Exposition.
Continued from the 6th.)

we had just entered the EXPOSE
tion grounds. Our party was con
siderably augmented by the addi-
ton OF Messrs John Shepherd,
w. O. Garris, Mr.. Young, t h e
hat man. known by all merchants
of Watauga, his wife and five
children, also a Mr.. Harman, OF
Beech Creek, making q party Of
thirteen.
On entering the grounds we
take a seat on the "Lee Parade
Grounds" a fine level grassy plot
of several acres where soldiers
are daily drilled during the Ex-
position. We are just in time to
see them at the morning drill.
Their movements were fine, seem
ed almost perfect. We decide that
if war did not reach Il more seri-
Gus stage than this we would
make pretty good fighters. After
taking in the drill we proceeded
to make a tour of the grounds.
We soon discover that the Ex-
position lacks a great deal OF be-
ing completed. Carpenters and
masons are busy everywhere.
There are a great many build
ings not yet completed, also
quite an amount of work in the
way of pavements and beatifying
the grounds yet to do. Great
piles OF lumber and debris are ly-
ing on every side. Yet there is
much to be seen, much that is
completed.
The government buildings, |
believe, are all complete and their
exhibits installed. We make q
pretty straight circle" to tire
water front-the famous Hamp-
ton Roads. There has been built
q broad plank walk on the water
edge the entire length of the Ex-
POSITIONS water frontage.
Here we sit down to view the
many things of interest that lie
before us. The most interesting
scene that meets our eye, in fact
the thing we most desired to see
lies in full view-Uncle Sans
great grinning,,sn arling wardogs
and a number of war ships from
other nations. There were per
haps, thirty war ships lying at
anchor, a number OF ships ofoth-
er nations having left, some for
New York, some for Washington
and some had gone to other
points for target practice. We
had the pleasure of seeing such
ships as the famous Oregon, Ala
bama, etc. Our ships are nearly
all white, which, to one knowing
nothing OF naval warfare, wotad
be a disadvantage as they are
more easily seen by the enemy
unless it be on a foaming sea,
however did not make any sug-
gestions along this line.
Brazil has some good looking
ships lying close by ours. Japan's
ships are nearly all away at this
time-only temporarily | think,
There were but few Of the war.
ships that had fire il, their furna'
ces. Once and awhile you could
see great clouds of black smoke
rise slowly from a ship, then sal
away to some other port. One O
those war ships, under t e a m
plowing the foaming waters, is
indeed, "a fine sight.
Two nights before we arrived
there was one OF the finest dis
plays in Hampton Roads tn a I
rhas ever been said in any waters
so said by those in position tx
know.
All the warships in the Road
American and foreign, were draw
in line and Illuminated by cleo
tricity, the light on the ships ap
peared to be only a few inches {
part, which made each ship lool
like a huge ball of fire. The grea'
search lights were turned on tn
fla rs of the ships which causes
them to appear to be grea
flames OF fire high in the air.