The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1913-02-20
Our First Food Fair.
Held Feb. 11-15,19l3 Under the Auspi-
ces of the Belfast Board of Trade.

Oul IuSL rOOQ dill.
Held Feb. 11-15,1913, Under the Auspi-
ces of the Belfast Board of Trade.
Belfast's first Food Fair closed last Saturday
night, and Sunday must have been welcomed
as day of rest alike by those who labored so
strenuousy for its success and those who were
SO constant in their attendance at the crowded
hall. In looking upon the brilliant scene from
the balcony or stage we wondered what could
have been done in the dark ages, with kero-
sene or even gas as the only illuminant. And
all this electricity. indoors and out, was fur
nished absolutely free by the Penobscot Bay
Electric Co. and every one connected with the
company labored earnestly, in and out of sea-
son, to promote the success of the fair. Yet
not long ago local newspaper made venom.
GUS attack upon this company-as it has on
many other local institutions and threatened
to go before the legislature and have its char
ter taken away and then promote new COM
pany.
There could be no better indication of the
success of the fair than the fact that the at
tendance increased each day and evening un-
til the close, and Saturday night the hall was
crowded to suffocation. And this despite
the extreme cold and bad travelling which
prevailed the greater part of the week. The
managers had expected to arrange for special
trains over the branch, but guarantee of SlOO
per train was demanded, and that was regard
ed prohibtive. The season is also unfav-
orable for boat travel, SO that there were few
visitors from that direction; but if arrange
ments could have been made for special boats
and trains the hall would not have been large
enough to hold the people. Another year it
may be necessary to have Memorial hall as an
annex.
THE OBJECT OF A FOOD FAIR
We find there is difference of opinion as to
what should constitute food fair Some con-
tend that it should be for the exhibit and
demonstration of staple articles of food by
outside manufacturers, who are thus enabled
to advertise their wares in a community at
comparatively little expense and who get valu-
able publicity through the newspapers abso-
lutey free. Others think that, without ex-
cluding such concerns, more prominence
should be given to local food products. In
measure it is the fault OF our people themsel-
YES that this not the case in our first food
fair. The farmers were appealed to in the
newspapers, and otherwise to bring in their
products, but only three did so. There was no
exhibit that attracted more attention than that
of the Ftenchboro Land & Fisheries Co., of
which further mention will be made, and we
5 hould like to have seen the Saco Valley Can
ming Co, the Lubec Sardine Co., the local
bakers and candy-makers represented, and
line of exhibits from local cooks, including
bread and biscuit, cake, pies, etc One side of
the hall might well be set apart for these local
exhibits-which should include of course, choice
products of the farm, garden and orchard
with show cases for the display of the speci-
mems of culinary art.
THE FRENCHBoRo LAND & FISHERIES co.
This is new local industry, not yet fully
underway, and another year il will be able to
make more extensive display In a very
short time it will be prepared to supply the
local retail trade with fresh, ,salted and smoked
fish and Holsters. Its supplies will be brought
from Frenchboro by auxiliary craft in few
hours run. Mr.. McIntire, the head of the COM
pany, has had 30 years experience in the busi
ness and only the more improved and sanitary
methods are used in preparing the goods for
market. Salt water is used in dressing fish,
and pulverized Trapani salt as the Liverpool
salt, so generally used, contains much lime,
which is not good for the fish, or the consumer
There are haddock caught along shore at
this season; but in the season these FISH can be
in the smoke house at Frenchboro in two hours
from the time they taken out of the water.
They are smoked with drift wood, and the fin
nan haddle thus prepared are of the finest
quality. This cornpany's booth, in charge of
Mr.. Kent, foreman, was decorated in white
and contained great variety of sea food such
as klppered herring in glass jars and in boxes,
boneless cod tnnan haddies salted dry COG, fresh
cod,etc. Two Goldfish weighing about 80 pounds
each, caught off the Lincolnville shore, at
tracted much attention, and demonstration
of packing fish was given by two young women
in white gowns, who handled the fish with
white gloves. Many interested visitors car
ried from this booth glass ia. of herring as
souvenir.
OTHER LOCAL EXHIBITS.
The floral booth of the Hamilton green
house, in charge of Mr.. and Mrs. W. E. Hamil.
ton, our local florists, while not coming under
the head of food products, was welcome ad-
dition to the fair and appealed alike to the
sense of sight and the sense of smell. The
display of roses. lilies. pinks, violets and set
pieces was ravishing to the eye and their frag-
rance was no less enjoyable. The decorations
of the booth were in red, white and blue
Ross Arey. one of our enterprising young busi-
ness men, who was assisted by Mrs. Arey, hao
an attractive booth from which Moxie was dis
pensed and dainty souvenirs given out. Mr..
and Mrs. J. L. Sleeper had pretty booth in
which they demonstrated the Victrola talking
machine. The Pitcher Music Co. had a parlor
just off the stage, where pianos and piano
players were shown. W. M. Thayer. the
jeweler. had fine display of his goods, and
Harley Godfrey and Frank Libby did rushing
business at their booth in the center of the
hall. The display of the Penobscot Electric
Co.. the decorations in general, and the pro-
gram up to and including Wednesday night.
were reported in last weeks paper During
the fair A. A. Howes & Co he'd one window
filled with Town Talk -four in barrels and baps