Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1912-12-06
ADVERTISING THE
STATE WELL At THE
CHICAGO LAND SHOW
How West Virginians Are Put
ting State On the Map.
OUR EXHIBITS HAVE
NO EQUALS THERE

The Mountain STATE Has Taken HIGH
Rank at the Big Show and is Lead
ing All others-Grain and Fruit Ex-
hinits are so Tempting That They
are Guarded to Prevent Thieves op-
Grating.
} CHICAGO, Dec 4.--If there are any
in West Virginia who were skeptical
concerning the Mountain States ex-
hibit at the Big Land Show in Chi
cago, their skeptcism will be quickly
abandoned if they refer to the flee of
any Chicago daily paper. West Vir-
ginia through some of its more ener-
getic characters, has been advertised
I to at least 100000 persons In Chicago
under the spell of the call of the soil
In the centre of the Coliseum. extend
4 ing one-half the length of the build
! ing, on the centre aisle. West Virginia
is represented by an exhibit second to
none other in the immense building
where three men have been nominal
ed for the presidency of the United
States.
/ The West Virginia exhibit is cover
ed with signs with the slogan The
Land Overlooked" Chicagoans were
willing to admit that fact before the
land show opened, because at the time
West Virginia to them was nothing
more nor less than the nations coal
reservation. Today this condition is
distinctly reserved West Virginia,
by actual display of its products has
placed itself in the same agricultural
category az Western Canada, Upper
Michigan, Southern California, the
far northwestern states, and Texas.
Ever since the land show opened.
week ago, a committee of men from
West Virginia. mong whom are
names familiar to two continents, has
been mceasing in its efforts to put
West Virginia, its products and its in
dustries well to the fore, among those
that the land show at Chicago has so
generously advertised.
A picture displayed in the West Nir
GINA reservation has been the cause
of much comment. 1t is lash-light
taken in an abandoned coal mine,
showing mushrooms growing in pro-
fusion. Along side IL a picture of
little boy bringing basket full OF
these tables delicacies from the mine.
1T is too bad that West Virginians
do not appreciate the great value OF
/ presenting their products in eXposi.
tons of this kind, said Colonel Stew
art
Il hope that some of those at home
will see what an impression our state
has made in this section, even though
we are surrounded by exhibits of the
prize products from all sections of the
American continent. Experience is a
great teacher however, and I believe
the future win be marked by an era
Of progress and aggressiveness on the
mart of West Virginians."
4 This is what Mr. Theodore +. I'm
bach formerly of this city, says of the
show:
West Virginia has them all backed
off the boards at the Chicago land
show" It's a fact and all the com
petiting states have to admit it. You
might think I am prejudiced in favor
of our exhibit, and as a matter of fact,
| am, but West Virginia has the best
show, nevertheless"
West Virginia shows the best corn
exhibited in the Coliseum" declares
the Morgantown man. There is moth
ing there to compare with it, and most
of the corn came from Monongalia
county. Some of the western states
produce more corn, of course, but
their acreage is larger. None of the
western states will produce more corn
per acre. and corn of as high quail
ity. as some of our Ohio river bottoms
/ There is nothing in the Coliseum
that is superior to our display OF
erasses and forage crops, and nothing
superior to our grains In fact, very
little that equals it is offered by any
one Of the thirty-fve states repre-
sented
West Virginia has more apples
than all the other states combined,
and the exhibit is the commercial
pack entirely. Other states showing
apples. have dummy boxes and bar
rels. We have $50 boxes and 24O bar
rels of West Virginia apples, as they
are packed and prepared for commerce
ial use.
"No state has offered display of
soils like that representing West Vir-
ginia, and this feature is attracting
not a little attention, The big lump
of coal, furnished by the Consolidation
company. weighing $500 pounds. is al
so a big attraction. Hundreds OF visa
tors have Clipped off and carried away
small pieces as souvenirs. We have
all sorts of trouble keeping people
from carrying away grain, fruit and
other articles on display, and have en-
closed everything under wire net
ting"