The Catholic Fair Turns a Profit
A week-long bazaar in the Tremont Building successfully raises funds for a new church, bolstered by competitive voting and clever marketing.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The community last week was invested in the Catholic fair, which was held in the Tremont building on Third street. The hall was packed with people each evening, and it is gratifying to know that a large sum of money was realized for the church fund. Over $1,000 had been realized before the doors were closed last night, and there is still one more night for the returns to come in. The fair was successful both from a social and financial standpoint. All through the week the friends of popular persons cast votes for the candidates of their choice, and many dimes and quarters were gathered in this manner. It was the idea of Mrs. Philip D. O’Brien to have the fair just before election time, and the wisdom of the lady was fully proved by the liberal manner in which all the aspirants for office came down with the cash.
“It was an exceedingly easy matter to get into this fair, it was a costly experiment when one found himself in the hands of those persistent young ladies.”
Fundraising through 'voting contests' at public events was a common social engine in 1890s Seattle. Today, that same competitive civic energy persists, though it has shifted from church bazaars and candidates to digital crowdfunding and GoFundMe campaigns.
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