The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-10-28
For the DisI a,ch.
The Augusta County Fair.


STANTON, VA, October 81, 1859.
In the Richmond Enquirer and hr0na'ner'
Of Tuesday last, the a9th Of October, APP
reared an editorial headed ''DanVllle and
Staunton," speaking of Fair Week at
those places, in which we find the following
paragraph "At the former the Border
Agricultural Society held its Fair. ana III
the latter the Augusta County falr was
held. Both were failures. Perhaps, we
might euphemize this expression somewhat
if we were writing simply to please the
rood people of the two localities in ques-
ton. But we hold it to be the highest duty
of a newspaper to tell the truth. So we say
both were failures" Then comes its own
observations on the Danvile Fair, with
which we have nothing to do, winding up
with the urban(e) remark that the sports,
&C., at Staunton were Well-sulted 10 4
county fair" adding that the show was
better at Staunton.th at Danyllie. NOW,
all this might have been forgiven if the En-
0u,rer had not blown the trumpet so loud
aud long to call the people from far and near
to the Augusta Fair, and promised, III an
issue few days before the Fair, to he there
himself as one Of the shows
Now. what is the truth about this mat
ter? Was the Augusta County Fair fall
l1re in any sense: The assertions of the
ENQUIRER have led us to investigate the re-
SllllS, anu We VIII III eAASh oP
I. The grounds We're in fine order, en-
bracing several acres more than last year
thirty acres in alias large rs any State Far
has the roads were good; the track was
good the green was fresh and clean; and
there was "elbow-room" for everything
and evtrybodv-wass some left for the 8 BIZ"
men like the Enquirer.
.. The crowd was Il good one. There
were ten thousand people there that PAID
e IN, ont n IL
sand complilnentaries, including the III
natics, the blind, ct al, DC.
3. The receipts were over $4,000, in
GLIDING 81, 400 for life-nemberS.
q. Notwithstanding the large crowd ga
thered from all quarters, representatives
from England the regular correspondent OF
the London Ne,cs was there, but the EnQW-
rer's was noD, Germany, Baltimoreans by
the dozen, delegates from the RockDrldge,
Lvnchburg. Wythcvile, and State Agricul-
tllral Societies, swarmS Of people from the
surrounding counties, and letters of regret
for absence from General Lee, General Ma
hone, Governor Walker, &c.-(none from
the Eagu1rer.) There was the most COM
plete good order and good humor-nobody
hurt, nobody's toes trodden on.
5. The exhibition was good in quantity
and qudliy-a' real marvel when we bear
in mind the fiery trial the Valley has passed
through in the drought of last summer and
fall The Enquirer has not seen the &ur
solid columns of the Spectator and Ftnd,CG-
tor, of this week, that it takes to hold the
brief announcements of the four hundred
and thirty premiums that were awarded,
and that have been distributed. Last year
about three columns held the list.
In 1868 there We're 1874 entries for exhibit
ton; and for an account OF that Far we
refer to the Enquirer of the first days OF
November of that year. That Augusta
County.Fair was "big thing" 4 success.
But with 1000 entries in 1869 it was a
flilure-as seen from the Enquirer office,
its editor looking through the big endDf its
tield-glass. 1t is not the first time the wrong
end has been gotten hold of by somebody.
But then the Fair was failure--people
enough, things enough, but no show, no
-there-quick draught, heavy draught, sad
die, trotters, PAGERS, walkers, thorough
breds. Why, even the Enquirer, we think,
would go from its corner as far as Main
street to see a procession Of 1919 fine horses
especially the 70 of the various classes
that were awarded premiums, and that
wero the best of Bedford, Albemarle,
Augusta, Rockbridge, Warren, High
land, Amherst, and Rockingham mean
counties for good horses. The mules We're
not numerous only 3-enough to show the
breed and keep people in mind Of stubborn
ness, long ears, &C., rs eXtant productions
of the State. Fifty fine cattlc-the pride OF
the fat lands of Kockbridge, Augusta, and
Pocahontas, with some Kentucky visitors
Durhams, Ayrshires, and natives and
grades-fine, fat, well-to-do cattle, that it
would put even the Enquirer in good hui
NOR to look at. Then pens of fine sheep
not many, but enough-people saw there
were sheep at the Fair that they had not
all been left at home. Over score Of hogs
big, fat fellows-Chesters, YOrkshircs, NC
such as Bagby delights to picture wish he
would draw one for tigure-head y Poultry
in full feather-pairs by the dozen. A hun
dred agricultural implements some late i'll.
yentions-of the same stock that raised
Mccormick & Gibbs. Dozens Of sam
ples OF workings in iron and ores that
will carry the palm from all the rest of the
State--part Of the backbone of Augusta
that will some day edo q great deal OF
good" 4 score or more of leather doings-
saddles. (How much it would have added
to Miley's collection of the curiosities OF the
Fair that he photographed if the Enquirer
had been there in an Augusta saddleD Tween.
ty-1ive churns, barrels, and the like. Reapers,
mowers, corn-harvesters, wagons, buggies,
horse-powers, stoves. Twelve premiums TO
ploughS. Slate, from Amherst. Routt, with
his numberleSs earth-disturbers. One hun
dred samples Of domestic manufactures
linens and laces, woollens and cottons, the
fine products Of the Charlottesville mills
the cunning needle-work Of the ladies of Al
bemarle and Augusta; elegant cotton ia
bricsfrom Georgia embroidery, &c. Of the
Enquirer had been there, we don't think he
would have gotten beyond this department
during the whole Fair. He's fond OF plumins
himself before the ladies. But he says they
are failure. He won't think so if the hun
dred insulted ones that he has calunnieh
ali come down to the State Fair and demand
satisfaction0 Nine premiums for printing.
(None from the Enquirer Office on exhibit
tion.) Fifteen premiums for paintings,
photographs, &c. elegant photographs of
noted men and places-the only failure the
one to find the Enquirer office in the places,
and its unknown editors in the faces,
shown; 100 samples of wines, liquors, and
tobacco; Bumsasdner's pure whiskey
ON augusta, and Bucks pure wines and
1randies from Warren, that man NAV
taste and stu know the difference between
faiinre and Q successive commend these
70 the Enquirer $50 samples Of fine fruits