Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-11-03
JACKSON.
West Tennessee Agricultural and Me-
chanical Association Fair.

| The City OF OfJacksOn-The Fair Grounds
What Energy and Enterprise Have
| AccOmplished-AB Brilliant Display.
] To the Editors of the Union and American:
] JACKSON, Oct. 81, 1S71.-The people ol
Jackson never do anything by halves
! Whether in laying out town, in building
fair grounds, in dispensing hospitality, in
encouraging learning or in fghtingthe battles
of their country, they always go on grand
scale and never fail to impress a stranger
| with the breadth of their designs if not
/ with the fullnes of their execution. Of the
| city of jackson we may say that it is as
large as New York city, only it is not built
| up yet. Indeed it would be hard to tell
/ where the city begun or ended. 1t is city
| of magnificent distances. We believe, how
ever, that the corporate limits extend one
mile in every direction from the
| courthouse. The residences in the suburbs
and within the city are tasteful in high
degree, being beautifed and adorned with
many rare exotics that bespeak the taste
and refinement of the citizens. Each house
has large front yard and ample space is
| given to breathe, and to receive the cheer
ing sunlight and balmy air. The surround
ing country is level and well adapted to the
| growth of cotton. This last article is the
staple and we regret to learn that often
times the farmers are compelled to send be-
| yond the limits of the county for corn.
But this is not of the fair. About
six weeks ago the President and Directors
having secured stock to the amount of ten
thousand dollars, let out the contracts for
erecting the necessary buildings, and there
have been put up within that short time a
Floral Hall, an Agricultural Hall, Secreta-
| ry's Office, an amphitheatre with capacity
fer sheltering twenty-five hundred people
and stables enough to accommodate all the
stock that viii probably be exhibited at any
| one fair.
The grounds enclosed comprise about
thirty acres and belong to the State, but the
officers rely upon the generosity of the Leg
islature to permit them to use them just as
they were used when a Division Fair
was held in Jackson. No better APP
preparation could be made OF the
grounds by the State, and we feel
sure the Legislature viii never interfere
with its present management, contributing
as it does, so much, to develop aud encour-
age agriculture and the mechanic arts in
| West Tennessee.
FLORAL HALL
| is frame building conveniently situated
and amirably arranged. L. j. Caruthers
has charge of it and has so contriyed the
arrangement of the articles that they may
all be seen by once walking around; the
building. A central space is planked off in
| which appear the flowers and evergreens
arrayed upon shelves so as to form pyra-
mids. The central pyramid has a minia-
ture fountain playing, and dashing its
spray upon the moses and fuchias and
orange trees and calediums below it.
The pyramids at each end of
the enclosed space are overlooked, one by a
statue of Mary de Medici, and the other by
a statue of Flora. The impression pro-
duced by this arrangement is exceedingly
pleasing, while its fragrance ofgeraniums and
Oleanders united to the beauty of the lily
of the Nile, Jerusalem cherry, primrose
and wax vine, ,'regales the senses and height
ems the impression.
Z. J. Caruthers has an assortment of
hardware that is worthy of mention. Among
other things we observed the dial scale and
coal fender that are new inventions. The
first will indicate weight within quarter
of an ounce, and the last is made of silver
wire which, rejecting the rays of heat,
keeps cool and guards etfectually ladies and
children's dresses from the danger of tax
ing fire.
The specimens of honey on exhibit
ton were very fine, and almost
as transparent as water. The quilts and
cOunterpanes on exhibition showed cOnside-
rable ingenuity and skill. One of the latter
made of silk of the bird trap pattern, had
1O,2OO pieces in it, a monument to the
patience and industry of the maker. A
hanging basket made of beads, attracted
by its beauty, considerable attention.
Another display Of hardware was elegant
and arranged so as TO produce a splendid
effect. But of all the articles in this depart
ment We unhesitatiGgly accord the honor to
Miss Mary Alberti Binford, an afflicted
child of genius, who, though but sixteen
years of age and confined to her bed from
painful affliction, has some ten or twelve
works of art on exhibition and all of them
showing considerable merit. She has
painted in oil portraits of StOnewall Jack
son and DR.. Chester, fruit scenes, a picture
Of the Immaculate Conception in which the
red drapery of the Blessed Virgin
and the innocence of her face
ar well represented. Another piece
representing Indulgence sitting in disconso-
late position, with wealth of raven hair,
and red shawl drawn up around her
crouching form, to shield her from the bitter
blasts of winter. An Indian woman sitting
on the banks of a stream near a fire, be-
wailing her dead, and in the back ground
the moon breaking through rifted clouds, is
painting of striking interest, and presages
something better of the young artist hereaf-
ter. There were many other pieces of paint
ing by her, but we are compelled to pass on,
and say a word about the beaded slipper
and the hair flowers that she also wrought.
They were perfect of their kind and showed
a wonderful amount of skill, industry, ge-
MUS, patience and perseverance.
Leaving the floral hall, and passing on to
the agricultural hall, we pass by
HAYNES PATENT BRACE FENCE,
a most valuable improvement, and one that
will commend itself to all thinking farmers.
No posts are needed in the building of this
fence, and the following are some of the ad-
vantages claimed for it:
l. Any timber can be used in the con-
struction of this fence that is suitable for
being sawed or rived.
2. 1t requires only about one half of the
amount of lumber to make this fence that
is used to make any other fence of sawed
material, and less than one-fifth the amount
required for rail fence.
3. 1t is very strong, being constructed
upon the principle of brace bridges. 1t also
derives great strength from the short dis
tance between the bearings of the pickets
against each other, and any force brought
to bear upon any small picket is resisted by
all the pickets in the panel. 1t will with
stand the strongest winds.
4. 1t is durable.
5. 1t is more easily moved than any
other fence known, an advantage specially
valuable.
6. 1t can be opened at any point as
gate, and when it is desired to hang gate
upon post, length of fence, with both
standards short, picketed upon both sides,
makes a strong and durable gate, having
fifty braces instead of one or two, as upon
ordinary gates; and the gate thus made can
not sag until these fifty braces are broken.
1t may be built at less than one-fifth the ex-
penSe of a common gate.
Z. 1t can be made by any common laborer
under cover in stormy weather, or at any
time when other labors are not pressing
frame work only being necessary with pins
to govern the distance between the pickets.
No teEons, mortices or bracings are needed.
The several pannels are joined together by
pins, and fence that any man would
desire is secured. We have seen nothing
equal to it at any of the Fairs. Let the
farmers see it, and after seeing it they viii
oil ffc i,