The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1865-10-26
UNION FAIR.

NNAoN AIM
Mr.. E1itor-iSir:- The 5th, 9th and
7th ults. were the days appointed for the
fifth ANIMAL exhibition of the Union Ag-
ricultural Society, at Wheatlaud, Clinton
county; and hence, on the morning Of
the 5th, with our better-half at our side,
we started for that place, twelve miles
distant. The morning was fair; the
weather little coclish with slight indica-
tions Of rain. These, however, soon
passed over, and we had pleasant ride
Our road lay along the south and west
banks Of the Wapsis river, which, on
passing, We found had changed but very
little in its general appearance since We
first passed over it some ten years ago.
Several farms had been made aud few
good buildings had been put up. These
were directly on the road, which, on our
right, as we passed along through the
openings of the timber land or over the
bluffs, we could see large farms out on
the prairie, showing that the country
had improved greatly since we first saw
it. Then, save here and there, spot of
few acres under improvement, all was
a wild, unbroken region, inhabited only
by the wolf and the prairie hen, yet wav-
ing in all the luxurisnt productions of
the richest soil on the face Of the earth.
Wild grass Of uncommon height and
flowers of almost every hue and desert p
ton, gave to both hill and hollow, a most
delightful appearance. Now, that ap-
pearancs is changed. The tall grass, for
the most part, is gone, and the flowers
are not so numerous as they were. The
wolf, too, is gone, and his howlngs, even
among the bluffs, are seldom heard; while
herds of cattle and horses are seen ream-
ing at large over the grounds he SO late
ly fearlessly occupied. There, too, now
are seen fields where have grown, even
this year, thousands of bushels of wheat,
and barley, aud oats, yet in the stack,
and still other thousands of corn yet
standing, waiting for few more suns
to finish its ripeniug process and make
| shis year one of th. y..r. hieh truly
eladdens the heart Of both man and beast.
Such is the prospect as We pass along
from eur residence to Wheatland. That
place, We found live spot, on the Chi
caco, Iowa & Nebraska Railroad, about
35 miles west of the Mississippi River.
1t contains about one thousand inhabi-
tants, and shows its thrift, this year, by
adding four new store buildings to those
J already occupied in trade, which are Ave
dry goods stores, one drug, one grocery
and one hardware store; one hotel, ont
eating room. four blacksmith shops, ont
printing office, one agricultural ware
r house, one lumber yard, three shoe shops
. and six produce warehouses, besides th'
depot and telegraph office belonging tt
the Railroad. 1t also has two houses o
worship and one school house, showing
that the inhabitants are desirous of pro-
noting both the intellectual and th'
moral part Of our nature.
The fair grounds are situated on The
south side of the village, little less thar
half mile distant, and arc among tht
e most convenient in the State. They
}. boast of what few fair grounds in an.
State can boast of. natural pond Of wa
y ter. sufficient for the use Of any quantit,
). of stock that may ever have any occasion
to enter them.
u u On arriving at the grounds we foun
+ the gates open and went in, whore "
found the officers hard at work, and, a
z is usual on the first day of such exhib
tions, every thing in motion; and then
J, after making our entry of fine Florenc
Sewing Machine, We gave ourselves u
to general inspection of the ground
. and tho few articles that had then bee
brought in. The grounds were in fin
condition, containing, besides the pond
full. new we'll. ample yards for sheep
swine, and cattle, and sufficient sheds fo
horses. Refreshment rooms were ais
= there, where the dealers in cakes, apples
pies and lemonade, were already enticin
the appetites of the passers by, with tn
exhibition Of some Of tho finest fruit "
ever saw.
The next day we were on the ground
at an early hour, and found everythln
:, wearing the appearance of readiness f'
g tho results which were to follow; IL
sheep were in their pens, the cattle
their yards, the horses in their stalls, tt
farming machinery in its place, AM
what was best Of all, the farmers wit
their wives, blushipg daughters an
. laughing boys were coming 10, IN sue
"a mum bers as told the officers in the stron
est terms that their efforts to promo
Al