Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1871-11-01
State Fair at Sc: JOhnsbury.

ate State Fair at St. JObnsbury, being
with the Superintendent, Mr..
Shedd, as committee in locating it at said
place, | feel that justice has not been done
il ih the various representations that have
been given it by the press some Of the
papers having spoken disparagiugly Of it,
making it more insignificant than most Of
the county fairs. The Free Press, am
told, insinuated that it was small affair
and that Burlington was the place to make
money aud St. Johusbury to spend it, at
these annual gatherings. The truth is, if
l am correctly inform ed, we made more
money at the late fair than we ever did
any one year at Burlington, Rutland or
Brattleboro, and that, too, under the same
arguments that we have always had at the
above named places. To be sure, the far
mers and merchants in Caledonia County,
did not seem to realize that they we're a
part of the State Of Vermont, and hence
neglected to bring in their stock aud fan
cy articles supposing, | was tod, that
they could not compete with the celebri-
ties from other counties. who had for many
years been successful as stock growers,
and we're sure to take the majority of the
premiums. Then there was some little
misunderstanding about the manner of
conducting the fair, but no more than We
have always experienced the FIRST year in
new place. Many wanted tickets that
they could run in and out of the fair with
which in years past VIC found to our sor-
row was a bad arrangement, as men of re-
spectabiity, so called, were guilty of pat
ting their tickets through the cracks in
the fence TO let in others; one man boast
ing that his ticket had worked in dozen
during the four days. The ladies in that,
who refused to exhibit in Floral Hall. Lad
at their county fairs been admitted, free,
but we had 20 such arrangement.
We did not suppose any one would ask
us to pay them for exhibiting, for 1t would
amount to that if we admitted them free,
giving them premium, if the article
was meritorious, and charging nothing, as
we always did, for the exhibition their
fancy goods. 1t is, we think, something
of privilege to be admitted to fair, and
enjoy "sight seeing" shaking hands with
old friends, from all parts of the state. at
the cheap expense of twenty-five cents a
day, and stand good chance of drawing
a premium, of one, three or FIVE dollars,
according to the value and rarity Of the
article exhibited. ri-
All that was lacking to have made the
fair successful in point of exhibition, was
little more attention to Floral Hall, a
few more of the best horses from different
parts of the State especially those from
the Stock Farm of Shelburne, Cochran's
famous castle and horses from Canada;
that we had reason to expect would be
present. and who have no doubt could
be induced to exhibit another year, if the
Society should see fit to 60 there again.
Wishing to learn President Roots opin-
ion of the fair, | made inquiry of him by
letter relative to it, and among other good
! things he said in reply was the following
1.-The fair, in my opinion, taken as whole
was a success in some departments il
was rather meagre. but what the main
things lacken in quantity was made up in
quality. The attendance was large to the
last, and very orderly, and all seemed tc
vie with each other in having good soca
9 time, which was the best sight of all tc
. me. l think the people in that part o
: the State are an intelligent, orderly, SO
Der and social body of men womer, ant
: children, and it is apparent that the more
demoralizing elements of the larger place
: have not crept in upon them. The countr.
: people seemed to have erroneous view o
: State fair, by never having one in thci
: midst before. but if they should have i
: there again, We could rectify what mis-
takes were made, and have mutual bet
> ter understa nding.' gk
To those who have been led to belicy
that the show was about equal to com
!. mon County Fair, let me state that tbcr
were present over 70 pens of sheep, tn
best display we have had for number Q
years, fine herds Of cattle of the Shor
J Horns, Ayershire, Devons, Alderny an
! Dutch--a Mechanics Hall better file
10 with useful machinery than we have see
!; it for long time, with other things tha
9 a county show could not begin to equa)
= Should we go to St. Johnsbury in 1877
by that time the Montpelier and We'll
,r River r. r. and the Lamoille road wi
be. for good distance, in running order
D. and we shall have more stock, and NOR
:. people that will attend the fair In my opiI