The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1867-09-05
Ottumwa, Aug. 28th, 1867.

the whole community. c. W.
Ottumwa, Aug. 28th, 1867.
!. EDITORS CoURIDR:-Our neighbors
Of Mahaska County are far in ad-
vance of us in the way Of cnconrag-
ing Agricultural Fairs-the best in.
terest Of the county. They will hold
this Fall their fourteenth fair, for
which they are making extensive
preparations by way OF buying sew
eral acres more land to enlarge their
fair grounds, increasing their driving
track from one fourth to half mile
track, etc. This is all being done and
tho expenses paid by :he farmers and
citizens OF the county, under the
name and style OF the sMahaska Go.
Agricultural Society,"" while we in
Wapello County are SO far behind as
not to have had an agricultural So
ciety to represent our interests before
the State Board of Agriculture
Now, that the Ottumwa Driving Park
Association have made The liberal Of
fer to fit up their grounds suitable
for holding fair, and permit their
being used for said purpose, if the
citizens of the county will organize
an agricultural. society and raise by
sale Of membership tickets, or other
wise, not less than $500, every dollar
of which to be paid out by the socie-
ty as premiums, shall it be said that
Wapello county is 20 dead to her own
interests as to fail to have a fair p
Let every citizen answer in the neg.
ative by buying a membership ticket
and inducing his neighbors to do the
same.
But commenced intending to tell
Of the agricultural horse trot the Ma
haska Co. Society have just had. In
order to help pay the expenses of fit
ting up their grounds they concluded
to have little trot, that after the
manner of church festivals,hey might
raise some money by nominalIy Civ
ing something in return, So they in
vited some of the Ottnmwa horses To
come up there and match some f
theirs, they to pay all expenses and
have all premiums and gate fees, and
agreeing, If the .. D. P. A. desired,
they would come to Ottumwa on the
same terms. Accordingly, Mr.. D. B.
Abrahams went with his horse Ber-
trdnd Bldckhdpk, and b. Ladd with
his horse Dan Tucker. They were
matched the first against VIM. John
sons horse Reconstruction, and the
latter against Jerry Evert's horse
Tottinq Jack. The trots came off
on the evening of the 24th. about 5
o'clock. A vsry respectable crowd
assembled inside the grounds, the re
ceipts being, over s10O. But, to their
shame, be it said. nearly as many
people assembled outside the grounds.
and by climbing On fences, standing
on wagons, 90. endeavcred, with par
tial success, to get view of the
trot without paying the 25 cts. ad-
mission fee.
Dan Tucker and Jack We're called
up first, Jack drew the inside. The
horses, on the second trial, got very
even send off. Dan worked badly,
breaking frequently, and much more
disposed to run thantrot. Jack went
steadily to his work and soon drew
away from Dan, winning easily the
first heat-time $40. Second heat
the horses went off we'll together,
Dan working better; when about the
first quarter Jack made a skip which
let Dan take the lead which he kept.
coming home the winner in 3:O8.--
Third heat, Dan having the pole kept
the lead and won the heat and the
race in 3:06 not very fast time, but
pretty good for green horses.
Next was the trot between Recon
struction and Bertrand Blackhawk.--
Reconstruction drew the inside. The
horses went off we'll together and
trotted nicely for young, green hors-
es, II. winning the heat in 3 min.-
Second heat-the horses got an even
send. off and contended SO nard for
the lead as to make tho heat very
OASittIS OiC, WuOttS Wv VIZ sesSc NNh -
on the last half mile Bertrand show.
ed in front and was just drawing tc
his place on the inside when one of
those who had already showed his
lack of manhood, by climbing on the
fence instead OF paying IS cts. and
coming in at the gate, jumped down
in front of the horse and threw up
hat, causing him to stop SO suddenly
as to almost overtnrn the wagon, and
placing Mr. Abrahams, his driver, in
very great danger. This accident
again gave II. the lead and he won
the heat and the race by a length, in
2:56. It
This termination, under the cir.
cumstances, was not very satisfacto-
~ to Wapello county, but could not
be helped and seemed to be - sin
cerely regretted by the officers of
NJ. CO. "A. s., who invited nsthere, as
by any one. 8a alle
However, the horses for age and