The Alaska citizen., 1916-09-04

| statement would seem bare and meaningless, but to the people of the Interior it is full of moment ] Tor they know that at last the pro duets of the year. raised at the cost of untold labor, watched night after night to prevent the early 1 frost from cutting them off before their time, in fact the best represen- 1 tation of the untiring energy of the people of the North and their ire pressible optimism, are to be pre- scented to all who wish to see some ] things of what can be raised in one of the future leading industrial cen tors of the United States.
 Every year, with the increased interest in agriculture which has taken place in the Panama Valley, the annual fair has improved, but it is no eXaggeration to state that this years fair surpasses them all by great lengths. The present eX- ] hibition is not merely showing of the products of the interior; it is an artistic masterpiece, worked 1 Dlt after days of planning by men who wished that the visitors to Fairbanks might go away with the true significance of what the gar dens Of the interior really mean, a1Gn WiChpI tn chow haf the story about the ice bound terri tory of Alaska is and should be an ancient myth; thing of the past.
 This Is indeed the time for the farmers of Fairbanks and the vici- nifty to try to do their best, for among the visitors to our city is Chairman w. C. Edes, of the Alaskan Engin- eering commission, who is particu- larly interested in the agricultural possibilities of the interior. This is also the year to show the doubt CTS of the city that with the com ing of the railroad only a few years away this part of Alaska is going to take it's place among the agri- cultural centers of the United States the minute the farmers have a chance to ship their products to Outside markets.
 As stated above, this years fair is an artistic masterpiece. On en- tering the old rink from the Cush- man street end, one first notices the floral display in the center of the hall, which is described in de tail later. Then. when the observer raises his eyes, he receives an in stant shock for he might well be lieve himself on some hill near Fairbanks overlooking the whole Panama Valley For in the dis tance stretches a snow-capped range of mountains, the exact counterpart of the range south of Fairbanks. Right in front of the mountains is a low range of tree covered hills, anu Ollt tdll dIIiloNl plth otl IlII various parts of Birch Hill and other hills near the city. Down from the hills sweep the long grass and tree covered flats, until the river is reached The painted scenery is the work of Lawrence Thimme, the well known artist of this city, and he has certainly copied the picture of the valley from no other model but a living picture.
 Let us now follow the observer around the hall, from booth to booth and exhibit to exhibit. Following around the hall to the right, the first booth is the Women's Home Products exhibit, a picture of the ideal Alaskan home The booth is in the form of small cottage, covered entirely with the leaves and branches of the wild high bush cranberry. Everyone who has seen this shrub in the fall of the year with its wonderful flame-like leaves and it's bloodred berries hanging in clusters can instantly picture what a beautiful booth this is This booth is in charge of Mrs. Beraud.
 Next comes the quartz exhibit, of particular interest to the men. Vari- ous minerals from all the important mines of the vicinity are to be seen, and the specimens have been ar ranged so that they may be closely examined by the ones interested in them. One specimen that is sure to be of great interest is a large piece of antimony from the mine of Alois Fredrichs at Fredrich's Landing. Since this mineral has begun to be so extensively mined in the interior, it will no doubt be of interest to casual observer to see what the ore in it's original state looks like. MT Smith is in charge of the mineral exhibit.
 Alongside of the quartz booth is the Barthel Brewing company's ex- hibt, tastefully arranged, as it al ways is, and presenting to the spec tator an idea of the extensiveness of the industry in the interior
 Following this comes the most interesting exhibit of all to the