The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-10-09
KEOKUK. IOWA:
[For the Gate city.l
Van Buren, County Fair.
KEosAuQUA, Oct. 8, 1855.

KEosAUQUA, Oct 3, 1855.
Mr.. EDITOR The people of Van Buren,
are out in their mighty strength to attend the
county Fair. Agricultural exhibitions should
BE- the index of progress in all matters of farm
economy Are there labor saving machines
of tried utility? Are there improvements in
the various departments of stock? Are there
superior fruits and vegetables, not produced
by fortuitous seasons or generous soils, but
gotten by skill in cultivation? Are there the
thousand products of the kitchen and freside
to minister to the comfort and contribute to
the enjoyment of home? Where can they
be SO well seen, and SO proftably brought into
comparison as upon the Fair grounds If
county and State Fairs have any merit, it may
be found in the opportunity afforded to COM
pare ideas and gain information as to all
those elements that conspire to render agrl-
culture profitable and home pleasant. The
herds of cattle here are mostly from the farm
of the Messrs. Day and are too well known,
not only in Iowa but our sister States, to need
any further commentator. The horses are
indiherent-not one claiming "blood." The
track is not one-fifth of a mile in circumfer-
snce, and is covered with grass, SO that trial
of speed and endurance too, is practically i'm.
possible; this fact, however, may be to the
credit of the horses. Jacks and jennies are
well represented, and the class is a decided
improvement on what is commonly seen on a
county Fair ground. In view of the wide
spread interest that is exhibited throughout
the State in the raising of sheep, it isremarka-
BILE that there is not a pure-bred on the ground.
Some Spanish Merinos-and but a few bear
marks of 'blood' and some crosses of NUT
ton sheep are very presentable, but the num-
bers are Insignificant and the display indiffer
ent. Swine, both Chester, Magee, and Suf-
folk are here in perfection. A washing ma
chine or two, horse hay fork, cider mill
and scraper, cultivator, horse hay-rake COM
pose the show of agricultural implements.
The animal shears shown by Baldwin won the
admiration of all beholders, the witnesses be-
ing satis6d of their great practical utility and
value to the farmer. Ahurdy- gurdy, turned by
Bird and awake up Sally" under canvass,
while young man of fine oratorical powers,
calls upon the gaping crowd to visit his ''great
moral exhibition of colt with human
head, living alligator and bear-which
same bear catching a scent of candy in a vis
tors pocket, event for it to the serious Diet
riment of the visitors broad cloth.
Fine art hall is permanent structure-a
building of elegance and taste, and it is being
rapidly filled with the usual items that make
up all similar displays. The exhibition of
domestic hannels, linnens, Jeans, satinetts,
&C., is very superior and indicates common
cling return to the loom and spindle-imple-
ments of household labor that had well nigh be-
come obsolete. Fruits are not here yet. There is
no nursery of any considerable pretensions iu
this county. the people mostly depend on for
eign parts for their trees: witness the fact
that one agent secured this season $1,000
worth of orders, hereabouts. But YOU should
see, the vegetables! They are a marvel
Beets, potatoes, are of mammoth proportion
Grains and seeds are represented by some
samples of corn that would utterly astound
the best informed The Keosauqua brass
band plays extremely well in the upper part
of avery tasteful octagonal center stand. Their
strains give yivacity to the entire affair. Hon.
CHARLES BALDWIN, the President, and all the
officers are active in the discharge of their
several duties. The entrees already reach
650and as the books willnot close until to-mor
row, they will be greatly increased The Of
ticers look for large crowd Friday, and it is
believed that the receipts will far exceed those
of any previous exhibition The derrick used
in working horse hay fork fell upon the
crowd breaking one lady's shoulder and in
iicting upon the head of another CHASTITY
but not dangerous wound
Truly, &C., J.M.S.