The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-09-22
CInCAGo, Sept. 10, 1859.

CHICAGO, Sept 10, 1859.
Close Of tie Ear-75 900 Strangers in 7own-Conest Of
Brass Bands-7he Race for 81 ,oO0-Wom by Ike Cook
Admirable Arrangements Of tie Illinois Central Rail
road Western Iolieness. dc, dc.
The United States Fair closed on Saturday afternoon II
has been great success and has been also highly cred-
table both the officers of the society the farmers
who have contributed the fruits of their abors The
hotels Of this city have reaped rich harvest and the
of money left here all hands has of been
very large. Some very wild estimates that point will,
no doubt, be made by the city papers 1t is probable
that IS 900 strangers have been here during the week.
but think that not than 80 060 of them probably
stayed here during the greater part Of the week. the rest
might have been here for two days If cost them on
an average SO per day (and that is moderate estimate
for hotel expenses shows amusements and exras) they
would have spent here SIPS OOO You may assured
that is somewhere the figure good portion of it
is in silver coin Silver to-day drug the money
market, and the brokers will scarcely touch it.
Among the prizes offered that of a silver medal for
the best music executed by brass band and Friday
the two best bands in Chicago-he Light Guard Band
and the Great Western Band-competed for the same.
The competition neither spirited mertorious The
Light Guard Band has played ten times better when
marching in the streets before that gallant corps the
Chicago Light Guard and il the Great Western Band had
played before select Chicago audience they did
Friday they would have beea Kissed off the stage Both
bands capable of much better work At the after
concerts given here than year ago. the Great
Western Band-then led by the lamentcd Henry Ahner-
executed music that would have done honor to the orches
ira OF any opera troupe in America But was not so
the fair grounds No wonder that the committee declined
to give the silver medal to either band
Another exhibition of Fawkes steam plough Lancaster
was given on the same day. which occasion the great
defects OF the machine glaringly shown. II broke
down twice, but after being mcnded up it succeeded in
blowing two acres in forty minutes The engine is of thr
ty horse power. The machine is eighteen feet long,
weighs ten tons and cost 81 900 Water for use can be
n
There are eight ploughshares. The locomotive is high
pressure engine The cost of poughng with this machine
was found by the committee to be SIG per day. and they
computed that could plough twenty five in day.
The great feature Of the fair Saturday the
test for the citizens purse Of 81 600 for the best rong
horse Seven horses were entered namely: Belle Of Sa-
raoga, Billy Fox Ike Cook and Dick Tcnbroeck, of Chi
cago; Fillmore, of Iowa. Magma Chara, of Michigan and
Reindeer OF Chicago After spirited race Ike Cook was
declared the victor and the prize Of 81 900 handed
to his owner, Mr. Henry Graves of this city Ikc
great favorte here, and think worhly He certain
y deserved the prize. He the first heat, against
Belle, in 22Si, the second, against 'Rcndeer,n in
2:331s He is a beautiful bay, fourteen years old
and driven this occasion by James L.
Eof the owner of Princess. The why Princess
and Flora Temple did compete Cor this prize was
the judges decided them ineligible, because they had
trocd for money in another place the day before.
The exercises OF the fair formally closed by an
address by President Tglman, after which tr immense
audience slowly dispersed
1t is a remarkable fact that in large gathering of
people, certainly not less than 900 souls requiring
to be transported three miles by railroad lake. horse
and in carriages, not single accident has happened
during the entire week. The arrangements of the Illinois
Central Railroad Company were perfect in this respect
and to this is owing, in great measure satisfactory
result During the four great days Of the fair they
trains of sixteen to eighteen passenger every thirty
minutes. There could not have been less than eighty
passengers in each Yet every train made its proper
time there interruption OF the regular business
Of the road, there collision and delay If an
accident had taken place, would not the officers of the
road have been roundly blamed for iH Let them then
receive their due need Of praise for taking those preca
tons by which all danger avoided 1t not too much
to say that $4,000 lives committed TO their keeping
and that their and attention has restored TO half that
many happy homes, the dearest objects Of love
and regard. DO you wonder that / write thus The
track OF the road, for the distance Of mile passes in
front Of the city, over the lake. at the distance 200 or
900 feet from the shore, structure Of piles Over this
track and into the great Central depot passes daily two
passenger trains from Cincinnati, two trains from New
York two trains from Detroit and Canada two trains
rom CAIRO and the South and two from Galcna and
he west over this track and out Of the great depot
pass dhly the same number of passenger their
outward trips Besides these the freight trains the
Illinois central, Rock Island Gacna, Michigan Central
and Burlington and Quincy roads all pass the
track and Gutter and depart from tue depot The