The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1863-10-01
The State Fair.

the enterprise Oh us citlZenS. It's
splendid blocks with their marble, iron
and glass fronts, its elegant residences
embowered in shade, its fine streets,
its manifold public improvements, and
the alacrity and energy with which
they engage in every enterprise calcu-
lated to advance their interests, gives
the most unmistakable evidence of the
public spirit which animates and per-
vades the citizens of the Burr Oak
City. The immense success of the
State Fair this year, which was held
there, is but another evidence of this
energy and public spirit. 1t is but due
to Kalamazoo to say that on every
hand, was Witnessed the manifestations
of careful and judicious preparation to
meet the requirements and exigencies
of an inundalion of people at the State
Fair.
The beautiful weather and the COM
parative leisure of the farming commu.
nifty was seized upon by them as well
as thousands who follow other pursuits,
to enjoy this great rural State holiday.
On Thursday over 10000 people were
upon the grounds, fact rendered be-
yond dispute by the receipts at the
Treasurer's Office, which reached near
ly $4,000, and on Friday nearly as
many. Among the prominent men in
attendance, we noticed. Hon. q.
Chandler, Gov. Blair, Hon. John Went
worth of Illinois, Hon. F. e. Beaman,
Hon. John w. Longyear, Hon. Cbas.
S. May, Judge Christiancy, and Brig.
Gen. Custer Of this State. The Fair was
held upon the beautiful grounds of the
National Park, a mile southeast of the
village Of Kalamazoo. The enclosure
comprises fifty acres of handsome, level
land, admirably adapted to its present
use, and contains a mile race.course,
one of the best in the West. Both the
grounds and buildings were put in SUI
perb order by the Executive Committee,
who have performed their arduous du.
ties in manner highly creditable to
themselves and satisfactory to the peo-
pie.
Upon entering the grounds, the first
thing that attracted particular attention
was Floral Hall, fine ediice, large
and we'll lighted, and decorated in a
manner that does credit TO the fair
hands of the ladies of Kalamazoo, than
whom none are lovelier or more devo-
teddy attached to the Union.
Entering the Hall, we found that
edi6ce devoted as much to the useful
as to the ornamental To the right
and left of the main entrance a glitter
ing display of sewing machines claimed
attention. A beautiful fountain erect
ed near the center of the Hall attracted
much attention, as also the tastefnlly
arranged specimens of fruit and flow
ers on each side of it. The hall was
filled with paintings in oil and mono.
chromatic, specimens of drawing, am.
brotypes photographs, pictures of all
kinds, picture frames of guilt, rosewood
fancy construction with shells, cones
acorns, leather-work &c. Among the
paintings in oil was life size portrait
of the Empress Eugenia, one of Gen
Cass, of Gen. Rosecrans, the unwilling
of the conspiracy of Pontiac : and
others, that owing to the crowd, we
could not get near enough to examine
The fruit department., exhibited under
the large tent belonging 10 the Society
was well represented, and the speci
mems were equal to any ever exhibited
at former fairs.
The exhibition Of agricultural nipple
ments was the best in quantity and
variety that we ever saw at any State
Fair. Reapers and movers FREEDOM
mated, embracing Woods Manny's
Kirby's, and twelve or fifteen other
patents. Among the articles that at
tracted universal attention, was the
Roller Grain Drill, manufactured by
+. ID. Beckwith OF this village, and
which was awarded a first premium
and diploma.
The exhibition of cattle was yery
fine. Short horns and Durhams were
well represented, among which were
many fine entries from Cass, Van Buren,
and Hillsdale counties. The show Of
hogs were also qnite good, but sheer
and poultry were "no where"
The great trotting match for the
citizens purse took place on Friday at
ter noon and drew nearly all the vas
crowd to the neighborhood of the race
A