The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1859-10-01
THE COUNTY FAIR.

great success" Inregard to the number OF
people in attendance, the amount of mat
ter on exhibition, and the pecuniary re
suits. il has greatly exceeded the anticipa-
tons Of the officers Of the society, and
has nearly doubled any of the proceeding
fairs We have no data by which TO esti
mate the numbcYNeople that have been
upon the ground but ct a rough guess, We
should not put the figures below 10000
The entries We're nearly double those OF
las; year, and the receipts have been about
$500 against some $500 last year.
On Monday the weather was highly un-
promising, and things looked gloomy
Tie entries, it is true, had been fair, but
not as brisk as they should have been. On
Tuesday, the first day of the opening OF
the fair, the weather was still threatening
but the number of people in attendance
was encouraging, and the entries SO brisk
as 10 assure at least 4 respectable display.
Wednesday morning however, dispelled
all gloomy apprehensions, and lighted up
the counteuances of the officers of the So
ciety, and farmers and visitors in attend
ance with unmixed joy. The sun rose
in unclouded glory anda light breeze from
the south gave assurance OF pleasant,
balmy day At an early hour the crowd
began to pour in. The entry clerks found
themselves suddenly overwhelmed with
business The superintendent found that
in the way Of pens and sheds for stock
they had made but half enough provision.
The buildings for fine arts, textile fabrics,
floral hall, &c. We're found wholly defici-
eut in space New fruit stands had to be
erected, in short, from all quarters theory
came up, for more room. Horses and cat
tie seemed TO come in droves, and wagons
and draws came loaded with inanimate ma
terialS For few hours, 1t may well be
imagined, there was cons!deral hustle
among the officers; but being men Of en-
cry and business capacity, 1t was aston
i,hing to see how speedily they brought
order cut of what had appeared such in
extricable confusion, and by noon the FAIR
was arranged in presentable order.
The attendance on the grounds By this
time could not have been less than eight
or ten thousand. Outside the enclosure,
for quarter OF mile in all directions the
congregated mass OF every species Of
wheeled vehicle presented the spectacle Of
monster California train jivouac. In
side the enclosure the scene was no less
animating Although the enclosure sur
rounds some 6 acres, it took good lodging
to get round without being lost in the
maze of boots, whisllers, and crinoline, or
crushed under moving horses or carriages
which had been strangely admitted 10 the
great danger and terror of pedestrians.
The features Of the day, as set down on
the programme, were to be the exhibition
of machinery. trial of draft horses, and the
fremens parade. At the hour appointed,
the machinery got in motion. Here q row
of corn-shcllers were deyouring the huge
cars, and running out streams of finely
SHIELDED clean grains. There a row Of sor-
ghum mills were crushing the green cane
and pouring the juice into huge tubs
Further along. Cooks Evaporator, presi-
ded over by Mr. II. King the agent in
this city, was rapidly converting the juice
into beautiful Nolasses Now q rafting
noise announces the approach OF column
of Reapers and Mowers, cutting imaginary
acres Of r!pened grain. Wonder cob
mill is grinding feed for cattle at stun
ming rate Seed drills are sowing imagin-
airy fields of wheat and oats, and plat
Don of corn-planters are methodically
dropping corn all over the ground. Neri-
ly it was beautiful and animating sight
But the din and excitement are not per-
ulitted TO subsIde, before a small cavalry
regiment of noble horses is seen moving
to the charge or the race course These
nre the draft horses and draft enough
one would think there was in the stout
limbs and swelling muscles of these noble
animals TO drag the whole fair to the 9th
er side OF Styx The judges ride back
and forth, looking fearfully wise but evi-
IDENTITY perpiexed TO decide, while the ca
ger crowd talk horse with volubilitv that
Is deafening. \ shout in another direc-
ton, and the rapid ascent OF two beauti
full columns ofwatcr, however, relieved the
horse excitement by a counter irritant in
the direction Of the fire engine Unfortu
nately the new engine of the 'Cndne
Company had not arrived from the east in
time for the fair, and the only company
on the ground was the Niagara The
company was out, in full force, and their
machine worked admirably 1t threw
water some 225 feet in horizontal direc
ton, and perpendicularly- well, we could
mt measure, but it seemed very high ur
in the air, at least LOO feet Capt Cogs
well had his boys in admirable drill. and
the performance of the company elicit
ed much well merited applause.
Thursday was put down for carriage hor
ses, trotting horses, cattle, fruit, &c. anC
these, with another beautiful day, the mil
itary parade, and an immense attendance
quite equal in number to the precedin.
day, furnished abundance of interest an,
excitement Capt Gray Light Guards
were the only military company that ar
peared, and for the time they drew al
eyes upon them They We're put through
variety of beautiful evolutions, and t,
ceived their due share Of attention and q,
plause Thus was the interest kept u
and deepins until the delivery of the &C
dress at three o'clock, and the announc,
ment Of the premiums, seemed like brin;
ing the show to premature and abrur
close The address was delivered by Jon
HisE, Esq, was short, and to the point, an
exceedingly well received The announc,
ment of the observation-disclosures a mo,