The Washington herald., 1914-04-04
THE WAR DAY BY DAY
Fifty Years Ago.
April lS6e "Great Metropolitan Fair for the Benefit of the United
States Sanitary Commission, Was Opened New York C-A Phan
thropie Enterprise that Melted $1lst,4s772
written expressly for The Herald,

States. cities, or societies and were at
tended by women wearing light dresses.
with army blue sashes over their should
ers. great variety OF objects was Of
fered for sale.
There were numerous devices for stalk
ing money on the drawing of tickets.
Young women went about selling flowers
and giving no change. In one section
there was billiard hall. In which ex-
hibition games were played.
Il Jacobs Well. restaurant. and an
Indian department were among the at
fractions. In the latter a company of
Indians exhibited their handiwork ana
from time to time gave exhibitions OF
cermon.al dances. Among the articles
exhibited here was a wampum belt
presented by George Washington to the
Six Nations and "a hatchet presented
by the Chief Red Jacket to the governor
OF New York.
A department of arms and trophies.
souvenirs of the war. had a strong pa
triOtic appeal
An art exhibition occupied a consider
able space in the main building. In con-
nection with it certain citizens OF New
York opened their private galleries to
the public at fixed entrance fee.
Among the largest collections thus
shown was that of August Belmont.
whose home was at Eighteenth street
and Fifth avenue. This included numer-
Gus fine examples Of the French. FIem-
ish and Italian schools W. II. Aspin-
wall. whose home was at % Tenth ave-
nue. also opened his gallery. which con-
tained among other treasures. according
to the Press. 'Murillo's Immaculate Con-
ceptiOn. taken by the French Gen. de
Sole from the EsCUrial in the Peninsu-
lar Mar and for some time i'm the pos
session Of the King Of Holland
In the first ten days of the fair the
receipts passed the 500. coo mark Thence
| on they increased steadily through vari-
Gus devices intended for the raising Of
money.
Grant vs.. Mcclellan.
One Of these was a sword contest. in
which by the payment Of 81 a vote might
he cast for Gen. Grant or Gen. George
u. Mcclellan. The general receiving the
greater number of votes was to be pre-
scnted with fine sword, which had been
given to the fair for this purpose by a
! leading New York Jewelry house.
The firm had presented two swords.
ono for the most popular naval officer
and one for the most popular general
| in the army" The sword for the most
popular general monopolizcd attention.
| Voting on it began Wednesday. April
1
| twenty-three votes, Gen. Mcclellan nine,
and Gen. b F. Butler two. BY Saturdav
night. April .. the vote stood. Mcclellan
Lao Grant l.5Ss. BY April Is the aggre-
| gate had risen to 9.637. with MCClells n
:eading by SO votes. BY Tuesday night.
! April l9 Grant passed Mcclellan. with
\ a lead of IS in a total OF 1900.
Announcement was made on this day
that after o'clock on saturday. April
| -. votes would only be received IN
| envelope packages. From April - the
| struggle began in earnest and the con-
! test attracted crowds.
: On April 20. Gen. Grant was but -
| ahead in a total of 1900 votes. The
| figures OF April q showed Mcclellan in
the lead by 3S5 votes.
On April . Mcclellan led Grant hy
| 900 votes in a total of lS.noo. On Sstur-
! dav. April 3. the last day of the fair.
| when envelope Packages were received
for the day. the Grant vote went up bv
| leaps and bounds. The New York friends
| OF the successful Union general came
| forward with sums from sos" down,
| and the hero Of ViCksbUrg won the sword
/ by a total vote of So against 1859 for
! Gen. Mcclellan.
! Tomorrow; sheridan Joins the Army
| of the Potomac.
| tC0pyrigbf l9lsl