The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1855-03-10
Ottaua frct Grabtr
OTTAWA, MARCH 10, 1855.


In Sale County Agricultural Society.
ihc executive committee of this society
have held several meetings at Ottawa within
the last two weeks, and at the last meeting
succeeded in negotiating for the purchase of
ten acre lot about mile west of the court
house, to be owned by the society aud fitted
up aud used for fair ground The lot is of.
rred on such terms that the society can ne
yer hope tohavc another opportunity ofpro-
curing a Permanent fair ground at SO little
cost, and therefore the utmost anxiety is felt
10y the executive committee to make the pur.
chase at once.
But TO he able to do so they must have
money, and in this behalf they make an ap-
peal t. the libcrality of the people OF Otta-
wa. The whole sum needed to pay for the
lot, to enclose it, and to erect suitable pens,
booths and cases for the exhibition Of stock
and articles usually brought to fairs, is est.
mated at 81 ,200-certainly not to exceed that
sum; and as the society have no means Of
raising the money out Of their own rcsour.
ccS, beyond what is needed for providing
suitable premiums, aud as the business men
of Ottawa are mainly benefited by holding
the fair in the city, the chief dependence is
on them to raise the sum-
II our business men and citizens generally
will take the proper view Of the matter, We
have no doubt they will promptly respond to
this appeal. Whatever benefit in the way Of
trade, business, hotel bills, &c, there is in
the collection, at regular periods, Of large
crowd Of people in our city, accrues to
them; and it is hardly fair to ask the Ear.
mcrs, who are relied upon to present articles
for exhibition; who are put to an expense in
bringing them here, and are obliged to re.
main here a day or two at no inconsidcrablc
expense, to bear also the burthcn Of proyi-
ding suitable grounds for the exhibition
There is scarcely village in the county bnt
would take upon itself to provide accommo.
datons for the fair for the benefit of having
it in their locality. Peru and La Sale, we
know, would chcerfuly incur the cxpcns.
indicated, to have the county fair pcrma.
nenty held at either city, and we feel conf.
dent the people of Ottawa will not yield to
either on the score Of public spirit or liber'
atty.
The city Of Springfield, certainly not very
far ahead Of Ottawa either in wealth or pop.
ulaton, incurred an expense, we believe, of
some s., 800 in purchasing and fitting up a
lot Of 30 acres for the use of the Sangamon
county agricultural society; and the result
of their libcraity has been that they have
made tenfold the amount by having two sue
ccssiye state fairs held on the ground. Tho
people Of the small village of IIcnncpin, al.
so, to secure the benefit Of having the fair
grounds of the Bue Institute permanently
located at their town, purchased a lot and fit.
ted it up for that purpose, at an expense, we
arc informed, of some 1000, and but for
the fear Of its inability to accommodate so
large concoursc Of people, IIcnnipin would
have been no mean candidate for the next
state fair. With good fair grounds at Otta.
wa, what is there to prevent our having, at
no distant day, the state fair, for one year,
at our city?
The matter will be placed in the hands Of
an energetic committee, and we hope for the
credit ofour Furnishing city, they will be met
in manner to leave us without reproach.