The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-10-25

Fair to-day. and there was a much larger
attendance than on yesterday. About y
O'Clock the fire company marched in, headed
by the new Virginia Military Institute Brass
Band. which arrived this morning. The fire
company and engine were the centre of at
traction, and the music added not little to
the enjoyment Of the occasion.
There was mule race and several scrub
races, which elected the utmost merriment
and excitement. But the balloon ascension
was the great event of the day. After a
long time spent in the necessary arrange
ments the balloon was inflated and started
on its aerial voyage. 1t rose gracefully, dis
PLAYING "Virginia" as it's name, and the
stars and stripes as its flag, and promised a
successful flight but the crowd had only
time to give few cheers before it took fire,
and, of course, soon collapsed.
The annual meeting of the Society to-day
was very largely attended, as it was known
that important changes in the organization
would he proposed. The committee ap-
pointed last year to consider whether any
changes in the character of the organza-
ton were desirable recommended that the
present Society be dissolved and joint
stock company, with capital of $4,000
be at once organized in its stead. After
full discussion, in which oil seemed solicit
Gus TO put the Society on permanent basis
and make its future exhibitions still more
attractive, the report was adopted, the
proper committees arnninted. and the So
ciety adjourned to meet Ut the December
court and put the new organization to
work. The present officers were reelected
to serve until the new Society is organized.
\ number Of important improvements
are projected, and il the zeal and liberality
shown to-day are allowed to bring forth
their legitimate fruits our Fair next year
will be by fur the most successful we have
vet held. Rockbridge was the pioneer in
agricultural fairs after the war, having held
m exhibition in '66, and she does not mean
to be behind her sisters in any respect.
There were number of additions this
morning to the articles placed on eXhibi-
ton. but we can notice only two:
Allen Donnally, of Callaghan's, Allegheny
county, exhibits very superior buckskin
gloves for both gents and ladies.
Mrs. Huckawout, of Lexington, exhibits
model Of house and yard, which is very
complete, very pretty, and attracted con-
siderable attention. .-...
IN the list Of premiums sent yesterday
your correspondent was miSled In stating
that 0. p. Smith, who entered seven head
of Durham cattle, and got several premiums.
man so every head Of cattle save one, all
Of the horses, and indeed nearly every arti-
Gle exhibited, is from this county. it Is
vely cmphaticaly 4 80 Rockb,Idge FAIR
i continue my official list of first pre-
miImS rs follows:
Needle Work. Best silk quilt, Miss Sallie
7. Wilson best worsted patchwork quilt,
Mrs. Captain J. c. Marquis, Of Staunton ;
best worsted comfort, Miss S. p. Bell ;
| calico patchwork quilt, Mrs. e. ii. Holden :
white quilt, solid work (made 1ifty.eight
nv hn
! iO. Mrs. E. Alexander, Of Lexington
knit comterpane, Miss Sarah Camp
ton; cotton shirts, Mrs. L. IL. Holden ;
| trimmed honnctS. Miss n. II. Barbour,
Lexington; embroidered slippers, Mrs.
Colonel Sloan; crochctcd mats, Miss SalIic
+. Wilson: worstcd mat, Mrs. L. Ii. Hol-
| den; embroidered child's dress machine
work.. Mrs. Colonel Sloan; braided linen
pillow-caSeS, Miss Nina Burks; bead pin
Mrs. Charles Jordan thread mats, Miss
Bessie Wharton handmade edging, Miss
Kate Withrow: infants embroidered dress,
Mrs. Colonel Sloan; second premium fol-
bonncts, Mrs. L. Holmes.
Cotton Goods.-Cotton hose, Mrs. }. ~
Hamilton; counterpane, Mrs. j. W. Hamll-
ton: knit quilt, Miss S. Compton.
linen Tclrels.-Mrs. VI. f. Iogssett.
Voollen Goods.-Best factory jeans, Colo
mel X. II. Brown, Of Rockbridge; best ker-
sey, Charlottesville Woollen Mills; best
white flannel, S. Hartman, agent Charlottes-
vile Mills; best wool coverlet, Mrs. Reuben
Bear best home made jeans, Mrs. Lamb
hest homemade linsey, Mrs. L. f. HoGsset.
The committee award diplomas to Char
lottesville Mills for finest grade of factory
goods, and to Colonel r. II. Brown, OF
Rockbridge Factory, for best heavy goods.
It is due to the Charlottesville Mills to say
that their goods could not (by the terms of
the premiums ofiered) come into competition
with those manufactured in this county.
Th1ir fabrics were universally admired, and
but for the known integrity Of their agent,
Mr.. Hartman, Of Staunton, we should have
really doubted whether such cashmeres,
docskin cloths, &C., as they exhibited could
be the product of Virginia factory. =
In the miscellaneous" epartment-em-
bracing stoves, carriages, furniture, &c.-
we are not able to give the official list Of the
premiums for the reason that after an earn
est chase Of twenty-four hours we We're TN
able to come up with it. We learn, how
ever, that Professor Campbell, in the re-
port, speaks in the highest terms Of COM
mendation of the iron ores exhibited .'by
those veterans in the iron business, S. Z. Il
J. W :sJordan,n and also makes favorable
mention Of the iron and manganese ores OF
CAPTAIN w. A. Donald, the porcelain clay
of Major Z. H. Barclay, and the specimens
OF marble, limestone, and fossils, OF Captain
j. L. Gibbs. .,-, !. d 80 I, - - -, 7.
The order to-day, as indeed throughout
the Fair, was worthy of al praise. No po-
licemen were on hand, and but few mar
shalS showed themselves !; and yet, notwith-
standing the presence Of some five hundred
students and cadets let out for q holiday,
and promiscuous gathering of all classes
of people, not the slightest disturbance
malTed the occasion, and nothing occurred
which could make us wish our wives and
children at home. y .' 80 ' ~ sSS ne ro.f
The general character of the exhibition
has been already sufficiently Indicated
q whole it was not equal to- the one last
1year-certainiy nothing like as good as
our county ought, to-, and /, believe 4tpill,
have And yet when we remember that at
our September court it was resolved not to
have an exhibition at all this year, that the
premium list was not published tall tholast
of September, that many of our own people
went TO the Augusta Fair last week, and will
90 to Lynchburg next week, that our county
suffered from the drought as heavily, per-
,haps,s as any other, in the State-and,
above all, that we have no railroad, and have
had scarceiya dozen visitors from outside
of the county-we may pronounce the
Fair by no means failure, but, on the con-
trary,Ta success, and an earnest OF better
things next year. 49, ~ f = - :,
Yotn correspondent found the officers of
the Society; marshals, and committeeman !,
always polite and dating. ~, ~. Il Il
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