By all accounts, Tuesday night’s Halloween Howl in downtown Natchez was a frightful success.&uot;We were — actually there’s no better word for it — floored by the attendance,&uot; said Moe Le Blanc, manager for Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Natchez.

&uot;We’re already planning to do it bigger and better next year,&uot; he said. Blanc estimated his booth handed out between 1200 and 1400 free soft drinks to costumed children and adults.

Coca-Cola was one of more than a dozen sponsors of the first-time event, the proceeds of which will help Natchez Regional Medical Center donate child safety seats to local law enforcement.

Jack Houghton, Natchez Regional CEO, found it impossible to estimate the number of people who crowded the corner of Rankin and Main streets by Main Street Marketplace.

&uot;I’m just overwhelmed by the success of it,&uot; Houghton said, adding that the cake walk, the hayride and haunted house were among the most popular activities of the night.

&uot;My greatest hope would be that we would get fewer toddlers coming into the emergency room because they didn’t have a proper car seat,&uot; he said.

Lane Pugh, human resource assistant at Natchez Regional, said she most impressed by the diversity of the crowd.

&uot;There was a real cross-section of people,&uot; Pugh said.

Five-year-old witch Emily Pearson said she most enjoyed collecting bundles of candy from the rows of booths.

&uot;The best part was when I ate the Tootsie Roll,&uot; she said. &uot;And then I got more candy after that!&uot;