Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-10-13
letter from California.
SACRAMENTO, CAL, Sept. 2

Fair of California on Wednesday and
Thursday of the past week. The grounds
of the Agricultural Society, otherwise
called Agricultural Park, are situated
about one mile eastwardly from the bust
ness portion of the city, and comprise some
70 or 80 acres of land, quite level. well
arranged, and having race course of one
mile. with an interior enclosure for teams,
carriages, etc. The grounds are laid out
in the form of parallelosrsm, and are
well supplied with stalls and water for
animals. On the left from the entrance
is range for Offices, restaurants, etc, 3OO
feet in length, surnounted by several tiers
of seats, arranged in the usual form,
through the whole length, for the accom-
mediation of visitors, which ars gained by
several stairways. Over the whole is an
extensive awning sufficient to protect all
the seats. Ia front Of this is oonven-
lent and substantial stand for officers OF
the society, speakers and others, accom-
modated with a signal bell. At eleven
o'clock on Wednesday the procession
moved around the course, one mile in cir
cult, exhibiting a numerous display of
fine horses and carriages. An hour later,
trotting match to sulky was announced
to come off, Regulator and Shoe Fly being
the principal contestants, and Regulator
being the winner, making the best three
in five. Best time 2 80 2-5, as indicated
by the bulletin board. The noted horses
Norfolk and Lodi, reared in Kentucky,
were on the grond and are fine animals,
the latter taking the sweepstakes of $3.50,
over all competitors. Not having par
ticular penchant for horse racing, I took
leave of this feature of the exhibition.
The show Of neat cattle was quite linn
tied, though the style and quality of the
animals on the grounds was very fine, aud
they were also in excellent condition.
They were chiefly of the Durham and
Dsvoushire stock, with a few Ayrshires
and graded cattle.
The exhibition Of sheep, though supe-
rior in size and quality, was by no means
numerous. Thoroughbred Spanish Mori-
nos and graded, cross breeds of Spanish
and French, aud Southdowns and Cots
wolds were the only breed represented.
Peter SAKE, Egg, of Troy, N. Y, "a
brother of the poet had on exhibition 60
very fine Cotswolds, from some of the best
fl ,ck+ in Kentucky, several of which were
reported to weigh over 300 POUNDS each,
OF the premiums on Spanish Meriuos,
Thomas Mcconnell, former rtaid4It OF
Rutland, received $105, besides silver
goblet valued at $50, for sweepstakes for
best buck If any aye or breed.
Another feature of the show that at
tracted MUCH attention was the presence
of a mum her of Cashmere Goat-, AL ami
nal that il being proprgated and Is said
TO thrive yell i'll this State The writer
did not note the presence of any working
cattle on the 9rouuds and was informed
that no premiums were offered for that
lass of stock Oxen are used for team
work iu different parts Of the State, yet
horses aud mules perform far the greatest
amount OF labor, especillly in the grain
growing districts.
Finally, the grand feature Of this part
of the exhibition appeared to be the trial
of speed among horses, and 1 am aPpre-
hensive that intert SIS of this kind are be-
coming too generally prevalent at our
F ,irs throughout the country to the ex-
olusion of others Of equal if not paramount
Importance.
Gen. w. T. Sherman favored the exhi-
bilion by his presence on Wednesday, and
of course was the observed Of all ohserv-
els" He was the guest of Edgar Mills,
E,q, ducing his gisi5 70 this city.
THE Pavilion
is spacious brick building 100 by 400
feet, situated on the corner Of Sixth and
NJ streets in the city, one mile from the
Agricultural Park, and is well adapted to
the purposes for which II vas constructed.
It il furnished with steam engino l2cat-
ed outside the building and arranged TOR.
operating the machinery within. On the
floor Of the basement were to be seen an
,rray Of fine carriages qpd COACHES, in
,lua,~Y. ele2. a bearse, highly dScoIated
and vslred 1t $4,000, the whole OF the
most exopisite ~0rkRaEship. Also,
group OF statuary and III VI 'sFA'4fs Srougn'
from California marble also, @sF'eai'Ffs'
implements, such as reapers, Il. "weFs'
threshers, grain mills, separators, gang
plows and cultivators. In this department
we also saw a mammoth squash, weighing
1875 lbs, sugar beet weighing 80 lbs, al
cucumber two, feet in length, and corn
thirteen feet in height
On the second floor were five tables run
ming parallel, each 60 feet in length, fur
nished throughout with plates filled with
apples, pears, peaches, grapes and other
fruits of size and quality such as only
California can produce. This tempting ex-
hibition was protected from unruly fingers
by wire screens and was altogether a most
OOouSiAui uioPldJ' IAeFS tSG were me
flower beds, fifteen kinds of roses in blos-
som, with other floral decorations, also an
enclosure filled with household furniture
of the most elaborate acknowledgement
boxes of silk cocoons, IA large case of reeled
silk in skeins, numerous specimens of Cal
ifornia wines, large collection of photo
graphs, pictures and paintings. Grand
and square pianos with cases of California
Laurel, manufactured by J Zeeh of San
Francisco, but will particularize no far
Their. 1t may be sufficient to say that
there were over two hundred entries on
the second floor alone.
Gen. Sherman graced the occasion by
his presence on Wednesday evening and
was greeted with piece of spirited music
by Willis Band from San Francisco.
An able and practical address was de-
livered before the Society during the even