The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1855-10-20
Regular. Discrc
1918 4Ol
%
Total,

3
An interesting feature Of the fair were the
mineral products, such as coal, stone, mar
bic iron ore, &c, collected by an agent spc-
cially employed for the purpose by the Iii.
nois Central K. X. Co. The collection occu-
pied large space, and attracted much at.
tcnton.
Coal was exhibited from many parts of,he
state, and generally as good as the best
Ohio. A specimen from Marseilles, exhibit.
cd by Mr. John James, lessee Of a mine own
ed by DR.. Ward, is thus noticed:
! The coal seems to be quite equal in quail
ty to the best specimens taken from the low.
or vein at La Sale. 1t seems to consist Of
almost pure carbon, and makes excellent
coke, as some fine specimens exhibited in
connection with il demonstrate. The vein is
four feet thick, and is supposed to extend
over large area, and lies in a nearly hOri.
zontal position. The opening from which
the above specimens were taken is only
about a quarter Of a mile from the line Of
the Rock Island road and as Marseillcs is
only abort oeycnty-iiye miles from Chicago,
this deposit VERY recently discOvercd) is
worthy the attention Of our citizens. So far
as we are at present advised, this is the near.
est point at which coal can be obtained for
this market.
Very fine specimens from La Sale, and
from the bed Of l.. p. Sanger, at Little
Rock, east Of La Sale, also elected many
cncomiums.
Another interesting feature was the exhi.
bition Of the productions Of Egypt. The
Press says:
DR.. 5. ). Condor, Of Jonesboro, seems
| to have been chosen delegate in general to
| present the offerings of Egypt, aud no man,
we are confident, j. better qualified 10 speak
graphically Of their merits He has in
charge iron ore and fossils, before referred
/ to- wheat and rye; corn, in the ear and
/ upon the stalk, some Of the latter lGt feet
/ in length, one stalk having six ears; broom
corn, l9t feet in height; chocolate and rice
corn; two stalks Of Tennessee cotton,
grown in Union County the last summer,
| with rich, mature bolls, ready for picking
upon the lower limbs, and which is grown to
some extent for domestic use; stalk OF
Georgia cane, %! feet in length, grown in
ten weeks hemp and tobacco; fourteen or
| fifteen varieties Of grasses from near Cairo,
the tal!cst ten feet IN length, and crowned
with an ornamental feather Of soft fuzz, and
one called wild rye, which is said to make
excellent food for cattle a lot Of pcrSlm,
/ mons, sluashcs and potatoes. The Doctor
is enthusiastic in cxpntia,ing upon the capa.
cities of Egypt, and his enthusiasm was
backed up by the most convincing OF all ar
guments. He even had a rattcsnake-hor.
ridus duraSus-in cage with some dozen
other venomous reptiles belonging to Mr..
Robert kcnnicott, which for deadlincss he
was sure could not be beat. The person
who should be bitten by it would be sure to
die in twelve hours"
Several Egyptian counties are represented
by handsome specimens of several varieties
of wheat upon the stalk, oats also upon the
stalk all remarkably fine in appearance, be-
sides corn, grasses, &c.
The principal competitors in cattle were
from Sangamon and Morgan counties, be-
tween whom long and friendly rivalry has
existed. They are thus noticed by the
Press:
The counties of Sangamon and Morgan
bot h celebrated for excellence of cattle
have long been engaged in an active compe.
titon. Before the opening of this Fair, a
challenge had passed betccn DUNLAP Of the
latter, and BRowN Of the former--both well
known stock raiscrs-for the winning Of the
handsome premiums offered for the best
ten calves in one lot, and the best three cows
and three heifcrs in another. AS a consc-
! qucncc both counties were on the ground
yesterday in strong force, and with some of
the finest stock that ever stood on four legs
in the State of Illinois. Considerable excite
mcnt was felt by the citizens of each locality
as to the result; but no ill-feeling. The
award for the calves was given to Mr.. Brown
OF Sangamon; and for the best cows and
heifers TO Dunlap of Morgan--thus leaving
the matter no nearer decision than it was
before. The Committee gave satistactlon,wc
believe, by their decision, though the ami
mails presented were so exceedingly fine that
the decision was not easy. We presume
better lot Of cattle than these, belonging to
these eminent breeders, never was shown in
the West Let us hope that both counties
will keep trying; and the friendly compet.
ton will be always maintained, One such
COW as Dunlap led off yesterday, is worth to
any country, half hundred County Court
poltcians-particularly il they be Of the
Sangamon and Morgan species.
A new kind of corn is noticed
VIM. p. Cox. of Wavcrly, Ill.,, furnished
for the fair beautiful quality of white Corn
in the car, the seed Of which was obtained
one year ago from the Wyandott Nation.-
Mr.. Cox planted six acres the present year,
and raised from it 900 bushels. lie planted
the corn ~ feet apart, one grain in hill
each hill produced from five to fifteen stalks
each and each stalk from . to ears
La Sale county, considering our convcn.
fence to the fair and tho richness of the
county, we regret to find, was but thinly
represented. of the greenhouse plants of
our friends Chalmers g. Co., we find the fol.
lowing handsome notice taken:
VIM. Chalmers & Co., of Ottawa, have a
very fine show, considering the season and
the distance they had to be brought by rail.
road and dray. Among them we note sew.
eral specimens of new cvcrgrecns, natives
of the llimalaya Mountains und Of Japan
among the latter is the Cryptomeria Japon.
lea, years old; and of the former is Tax.
odium Sempcrvircns, the largest in the col.
lection; another is the Cuprcssus Frmbrs.
Most conspicuous in this lot Is very large
Saliva Cordata, and shrub called the Yer.
onica Andcrsonia, with campanulate shane
flower; and collection o iuschias Alto.
gethcr Messrs. c. 4 Co., have over 40 spec.