The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1871-09-28
mECHANICsVILLE FAIR.
second Annual Fair of the Union
Agricultural Society, held at
Mechanicsvill Tile, Sept.
10th to 22d, 1871.

1t is not within the scope OF anything
which may find space here to nearly do
justice to the exhibition; but tina, the
already abridged room be not further
curtailed by apologies, we will proceed
at once to glance at the
GENERAL FEATURES OF THE FAIR.
The "Union Agricultural Society of
Cedar, Jones, Linn and johnson coun-
ties' was organized in 1870 as Stock
Association, and located at Mechanics
vile. The capital stock was limited to
$4,000, in shares of $25 each and found
ready takers, SO that the Society was
able to ut once proceed to the selection,
purchase and improvement of its really
excellent grounds directly adjoining the
village of Mechanicsvi'e. Each share
of stock is entitled to one vote. The
regular annual meeting of the Society
occurs on the third Monday in October,
at which time are elected the officers for
the ensuing year.
The offices of the Society are es fol-
lows, the names of the present incum-
bents being given in connection with
each office:
President, Alex Moftett; Vice Presi-
dents, James Smith, Moses Bunker, A.
K. Miller, J. 2. McCune; Treasurer,
w. II. Sharp; Secretary, Samuel T..
Buell.; Directors, ID. Brink, G. w.
Miller, Joseph Downing, J. G. Parsons,
Jno. Turner, o. B. Judd, o. +. Gillen,
M. Springsteed, B. Sargent.
The first Fair of the Society, held last
year, was eminent!y successful; and its
second, which is the subject of t.. is pa
per, no less SO. Much of this success is
due to active and efficient labor and ill.,
dicious management by the officers of
the Society, lnuch is due 10 the very
great interest taken by all classes in the
enterprising town where it is located,
and the rest may he credited to the char
acter of the territory from which it
draws its articles and animals to exhibit
and which it represents-a farming
country than which no better lies out
doors, already far advanced in the sci
entific breeding OF fine stock and the
intelligent cultivation of the best fruit
and field crops.
The number of entries which were
made in the various classes was very
large, falling little short of eleven hun.
dred. They were still coming in so fast
at the time set for closing the entry
books, 10 O'Clock Wednesday morning,
that the opportunity was extended "a
hours, and to the last moment was EN-
ployed by anxious exhibitors. We give
the exact number of entries in some OF
the leading classes, as follows: Horses.
III; cattle, 81; swine, 60; poultry, 81
agricultural implements, Sc; farm pros
duets, los; fruit, 50; flowers, As; pantry
stores, 127 domestic manufactures, 81
fancy articles, paintings, &C., 155.
The attendance was something re-
markable considering the extreme wind
and dust which rendered existence on
tie Fair Ground kind of torture some
Of the time. Other than this, the
weather was propitious, and this seems
to have made no difference, since on
Thursday the receipts at the gate Were
81 l76, and on Frtay nearly as much.
In making the circuit of the grounds,
one naturally gravitated toward
TIE CATTLE,
which were stalled along the fence i'm,
mediately to the right of the entrance
gate. Here one found what is not al
ways seen at an Iowa Fair, a fine herd
of Herefords. They belonged to j. H.
Burleigh, from near Mechanicsville,
and of course took the premiums in their
class. Devons were shown by Claudius
| Ferguson a; and fine thoroughbred Dur
hams by r. Stevens, I. Peet, NJ Spring,
steed, Hoffman of Linn Co., G. w.
Miller of Jones, NJ. Bunker, VIM. w.
Aldrich, w. l.. McCroskey and J..
McClelland. The latter took the $500
sweepstakes premium on the same bull
shown at the Cedar Co. Fair, and which
he is anxious to sell. Three of the ex-
hibitors of Durhams, Messrs. Bunker,
Aldrich and McCroskey, showed herds.
In addition to these thoroughbreds, was
a large show of fine grade cattle, and al
together, the display of cattle, particu-
larly as to quality, was deserving more
than this brief attention. Nearly the
entire south side of the enclosure was
occupied by the horse stalls. which were
all full, many of item containing
FAST AND NOTED HORSES.
Among the trotters, Gallagher's old
Tom Hyer and Dan Webster, Starts
Sexton, Geo. Gonnor's Parepa Rosa
Milo Lathrop's Whalebone, DR.. Towns
Brown George & mate, Bryant's Robby
Golddust, Moscow Bell, owned by Vos
burg of Clinton; Camden, owned By
Geo. Bryant of Clinton; 10 Narber,
owned by Guynn of Cedar Rapids, and
others. Running horses such as VIM.
Simpsons Scythian, which also took
first premium in thoroughbreds Billy
WEIGH, owned by WEIGH of Comanche
WOODBURY., the celebrated Lexington
race horse now owned by Holderman of
West Liberty; Rambler. a half-miler
also owned by Holderman Ragged
Kate, an Illinois flyer; Rather, from
Monticello; Bally and Red Bird, quar-
ter nags, owned respectively in Keokuk
and Poweshik counties Horses Just as
well, or better, worth mention, are
Aldrich's fine thoroughbred stallion,
Ansel; the Norman horses and colts
owned by Ford, LaSalle Co., ILL.,, and
Drury Bros, of New Boston; two or
three generations Of Golddusts Of all