Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1860-10-05
State Fair.

views upon 1t except such as we have
gathered from outside sources. Newspa-
per accounts, SO far as we have noticed,
are unanimous in the statement that the
Far was complete success, and the exhi-
bition in all its departments better than
any the Society has made in number of
years. The officers of the Society, of whom
particular mention is made of the Secreta-
~, }. W. Hoyt, are spoken of very high
y Tor the admirable manner in which they
discharged their many duties.
In another place correspo ndent gives
his impressions, which place the matter in
different Light We print his conlmuni-
cation, as we would any other, without
wishing to be held responsible for any
thing it contains. Our correspondents
speak for themselves.
MR. EDITOR 1t was my privilege last
week for the first time since have lived
in this State, to attend the Fair at Madison.
Everybody, you know. expects to see some
thing wonderful, besides a great many peo-
pie, on such occasions so I, like most ey-
cry body else, went with high anticipations
of seeing ard hearing many things that I
could not of course see if [ remained at
home The Fair was very good one
considering the unfavorable circumstances
under which it was held 1t may be un-
fair to say that the Officers of the Society
did not do all in their power to make
a fair show; still such an impression
has gone abroad, however just or unjust it
may BE. Its effects however were visible
IN the meagre display of articles on exhibit
ton. The general opinion expressed by
everybody with whom I convcrsed, was
that the Fair was humbug, attended
with but little interest or practical benefit
to any except those who manage itsfnan-
cal affairs
1t seems unkind to say that all the Com
mlttees are made up and all the prizes "a
warded to serve some personal end but
II this is not the case then those who have
the direction and control of the State Fairs
are unjustly censured. But there is evil
IDENTIFY "a Niger in the fence" or an A
chan in the camp, else the people in this
great state would have contributed this
year, above all Others a year Of plenty
crowned with fairness, overlooking with
abundance moro than they did last week
at Madison
Notwithstanding the people throughout
the State generally failed to respond to
the invitation, some counties were nobly
represented by great variety Of beauti-
full specimens of Agricultural, Horticultural
and Mechanical Art, which displayed great
care in raising and much skill in manufac-
turing. There was a fine display Of Fruit,
such as Apples, Pears, Peaches, Grapes,
&c, sufficient to demonstrate beyond the
possibility Of a doubt, that Wisconsin and
its climate are equal to any other for the
production of all kinds of Fruit, On no
occasion did ever see an exhibition Of
such splendid vegetables. One Squash
from Pierce county weighed 142 pounds.
There were also fine samples of all the DIFF
ferent varieties Of Wheat, Corn, Oats, Rye.
Barley, Buckwheat. &c.
The finest exhibition of Grapes was
from the famous Vintage Of Atwood & Co.
of Lake Mills. A cheese from the dairy of
farm near Madison, weighing 1625lbs.,
loaded on wagon, occupied a conspicu-
Gus position in the dairy department
[ was disappointed in not seeing a lar
ger amount and a greater variety of arti-
cles, as I sincerely believe that if these ex-
hibitions were properly conducted, so that
every branch Of productive industry could
be fairly represented, no state in the I'm
ion could make more brilliant display
than Wisconsin.
There was great variety Of Manufac-
tured articles brought from other states,
such as Threshing Machines, Reapers,
Tanning Mills, Pumps, Corn Drills, &c,
but few indeed from our home shops. The
exhibition of Blood Horses and Cattle, was
small, bat good.
The Temple of Art was tolerably we'll
filed with a variety of articles, such as
Sewing Machines, Musical Instruments,
Bed Quilts, Mats, Crotchet Work, Paint
ings, Drawings, Shell and other Fancy fix
ms, too numerous to mention.
There was some fast driving trotting
and running, on the course, and on Thurs
day the largest crowd of human beings Of
every class, grade, shape and color, from
the lowest to the topmost round in the lad
der of society. The rich, the poor. the
lame, the halt, the blind, the druukard the
sober man, ladies in silks and ecomaen in cot
ton, nursing mothers and crying children,
were there all gathered to see-what?
just about what might be seen at any re-
spectacle County Fair I left the grounds
on the last day with the profound convic-
ton that the State Fair was of but little
account to any one except the hotel keep
ers, livery men, omnibus owners, saloons.
whiskey shops, and officers of the society
generally.
The Union Scheme-Be not Deceived.
The New York City Merchants have
finally closed their labors Thpv ba1o