The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1857-10-09
THO s,aIe FaIr.


We left Muscstine on the evening of the
second day OF the State Fair, with the i'm
preston that it lacked great deal Of being
equal to that Of last year in many respects,
and more especially in the number and en-
thusiasm of the audience. This is to be nc
counted for in part by the very unfavorable
character Of the weather preceding the Fair
and by the pressure Of the times upon the
pockets and spirits Of the people.
The southern part of the State had very
sparse representation. There were not much
over score Of exhibitors from oil the re-
gion OF the State south and west OF Skunk
River, apparently, and not more than twice
that number in addition present as specsa-
tors from that part Of the State ms far as we
could learn. Indeed the only counties with
anything like full representation on the
show grounds or in the crowd, seemed to be
Muscatine, Scott and johnson, and possibly
Cedar, Linn and Louisa.
Still the exhibition, SO far MS the number
and character Of the articles entered is con-
cerned, was equal to that of last year.
From our county, We only noticed Steuart
and Hutchcraft as competitors for stock pre-
mums, and believe they met with their usual
success in carrying of prizes for short horns.
Winterbotham and Mears were on hand with
fine lots Of agricultural implements. O'Bry-
an had some nice buggics, and Cue attract
cd crowds of admiring eyes to his display Of
Daguerrean pictures.
Van Buren, and the counties west had moth
ing at all on exhibition, we believe.
Tuesday. the FIRST day of the Fair, was a
day Of preparation, and not Of exhibition
Wednesday forenoon the cattle were brough,
on to the ground and made very fair show
equal to that probably Of last year, with
a larger proportion Of Devon and Hereford
stock compared with Durham than We had
then. In the afternoon we had an exhibi-
ton Of horses in single and double harness
and under the saddle, which attracted the
crowd and infused some life and animation
into the affair. The best time made Was by
johnson county horse, being mile in
minutes and seconds, and the second best
by one from Cedar Rapids 3:4, which we be
leve corresponds exactly with the time made
| last year on the same track by the winning
| horses.
/ After the conclusion Of the horse show we
had rare exhibition. A large drove OF
mu stang horses were driuen into the ring pei
NELL, with whoops and yells, pursued b,
/ their Mexican drivers on horseback with las
SOS coiled in their hands. As they hurried
and skurried hither and thither after tn
frightened wild horses Of the plain and threw
the lassos skillfully over their heads from
time to time, the people become as wild and
excited as the horses, and greeted the per
formance with frequent uproarous yells 0!
delight and applause. 1t was evidently re
garded as the best part of the show thus fa
| on all hands.
II was understood, however, that the third
day would be the great day of the Fair ant
would call forth much larger attendance o
people, but with regrets that the pressing
character Of our business engagements de
manded our presence elsewhere, we wer,
forced to leave the further progress Of tn
| Fair to other chroniclers.