The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1869-04-15

SPECIAL coRREsroSDkzcz OF TIE CLARION


NEW ORLEANS, April 18th, 1859.
Hundreds OF the readers of the CLARIos
have ere this, formed by personal inspection
better idea OF our third annual State Fair
than can pretend to give In comparative
ly biief letter. To those not able to be pres
ent, sketch may not be uninteresting.
| The Fair grounds are about two miles
and half from the river, in the rear Of the
old postofHce of the city, near the Bayou
st. John, and approached by several lines
| Of cars and carriage roads. The Grounds
were formerly the Union Race Course =
and were purchased before the war, by an
association of our merchants, incorporated
as The Agricultural and Mechanics Fair
Association, of Louisiana" with our old
| and much esteemed felIow-citizen, Mr.. J. n
Marks, as President a5 initio. The grounds
are high, level, and now well drained; with
clusters here and there of our majestic live
oaks, to give picturesque effect to the view
without obstructing 1t. The war put stop
to the Associations plans and labors; but
about a year ritter its close, they resumed
operations; planned and erected buildings
laid out the grounds; and achieved a decid-
ed success By their First Fair, held in No.
vember, 1868. The novelty of the occasion
attracted daily, thousands of visitors; and
the Directors felt encouraged to make still
further expenditures and give additional
scope to their plans. The disastrous cpl
demic OF the next year compelled the post
ponement Of the Second Fair, from Novem-
Der, 1867, to January, 1868; and the crops
and business generally, were so bad. and the
weather so very unpropitious, as materially
to affect the attendance of visitors and the
list of articles exhibited, besides dishearten-
ing the Directors.
The Directors presevered, nevertheless;
and, under new perintendent, - that
highly respected old citizen, Mr.. Luther
Homes--aided by the experience of the lbest
and worse features of the two previous ef
forts, and the spirit and liberality of several
of the weather. and more determined Di-
rectors. the Fair, this year, so far as the
grounds and buildings are concerned, the
variety of premiums offered, the choice and
usefulness of classes of industry thereby
sought to be stimulated into competition;
and the general thoroughness and better
working of all the departments-the Fair,
this year, L repeat, rebounds more TO the
credit of its Managers, than did either of its
predecessors.
| am not able to say how many exhibit
ors are represented; but it strikes me that
whilst the shops and stores of New Orleans
are not SO conspicuous as on former occa-
siOns, the Mechanical Department is better
filled, and with more varied and interesting
articles. There, too, is more variety and
larger number of products of the soil and
of home manufactures - articles not so
snowy or attractive to the thousands who
go to the Fair merely to see what is ''showy"
whilst taking holiday but which are more
interesting to the serious observer, who sees
In these things most of these plain, humble
looking articles-that our farmers, planters,
mechanics and manufacturers are beginning
to take real interest in the Fair, and so
carry out its legitimate objects. Certainly,
these evidences of progressive Southern in
dustry are more valuable than ''Moody's
last shirt or the latest fiimSy Boston notion.
The Stock Depa rtment, | regret to say, is
by no means so full as it should be. Doubt
less, this will continue to be so; and some
what similar eagreness will characterize
for some years, the purely agricultural de-
partment until a sy stem of county or parish
fairs is established in the States thai look to
this city for their supplies. Such local fairs,
it seems to me, form the only sound and sure
basis for the successful establishment, on
large basis, of a general State Fair, wherein
ia purely agricultural pursuits,
is sought to be excited. But, until our plan
tiers and farmers are encouraged by stability
of the labor system and certain settlement
of our political difficulties, they will not be
likely to ''loOk beyond Tomorrow, and en-
gage in even county fairs.
learn from your Col. Power, and several
other Mississippi editors, who have visited
US during the week, that it is contemplated
to establish a State Fair among you. You
will not have the resources we possess, to
make Fair attractive, despite the meagre-
ness of the agricultural department; and
the difficulties in time and distance Will
prevent planters and farmers in remote
counties from participating. Better estab-
lish county fairs first, all over the State
under the auspices, If you will, of a State
organiZation-and the spirit and emulation
thereby excited, will build up Central
State Fair to an assured success, beyond a
doubt.
Ere [ close this letter, ] shall give your
readers a summary of the articles exhibited
at the Fair, including notice of the more
interesting featurers provided for those who
cared not so much for machinery, and other
sober topics of investigation.
Meantime. | will speak of some special
features that attracted my attention.
Messrs. Stauffer, Stark & CO., of this city.
successors to Shark. Day & Stauffer, and
Stark. Stauffer & CO., make a very large,
varied and interesting exhibit of their very
extensive stock, especially in the metals"
line-comprising bar, sheet, rolled, fat and
square iron, round and half round, oval and
half oval. scroll and band, in thickness of
from 3-16 inch to 4 inches. Also, cast steel
of all sizes and forms plough sheets, boiler
heads rivets. nails, of all descriptions. In
one department (B) they have a handsome
display of edge tools made expressly for
them carpenters, coopers', and blacksmiths,
There also are all AindS of axes, with large
display of house furnishing and builders
hardware, tin plate, copper stock, timers
materials and saddlery hardware. In an ell
egant case near by. is an elegant assortment
OF pocket knives ard scissors, from all the
best makers. The firm also make the lar
gest and most complete exhibition of agri-
cultural and horticultural implements, as:
blows, cotton planters, corn planters, culti-
yators. corn and cob crushers, hay and straw
cutters, corn shelters. road scrapers, weed
ing hoes, garden implements of every kind.
mowers, harrOws, scythes, cradles, etc., etc.
AS an example of their completeness in this
line, would specify II kinds of mower 81
different sizes of wedding hoes and rs dit
ferent kinds of plows. from the best makers,
as Hall & Co., Garrett & Cottman, Avery
For many of these, Stauffer, Kents& Co., are
the southern agents. They also exhibit r
Hoe & Co.'S well known circular saws; saw
gummers; cross cut and upright saws.
At last years Fair, they obtained larger
number of premiums than any other exhibit
tor. So far, at the Third Fair, they have
taken thirty-one premiums!
The Septoline Oil Company, of which Mr..
E. NJ Hooper, at Is Dauphin street. is the
agent for Louisiana, has taken four premi-
ums; for best assortment oflamps; for best
sugar-house cans; shed and hand lanterns;
for best burners for oil and portable gas
lamps; and for the good and safe qualities
of their Illuminating ell. The SEPToLISE
Or has been in use here over year, and
over 5000 ofthe lamps in which It is used,
are in use in and about this city. The oil
is free from grease, smell or smoke il has
haar dorn0nSfrafQ6 he u00-aYDlOSiVe: IL
burns, without a chimney, with clear,
steady light; and its burners can be fitted
to any lamp now in use. The patentee is
Capt. Gross.
In the OcTAGoN BUILDING, the display of
| fine jewelry by Messrs. A. B. Griswold &