Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1872-11-08
oUE Special coEREspoSDEscE
TiaITd Annual Pair Of the Roanoke
aad Tar River Agricultural
Associations.

WELDON, \. C., Oct. so. 1872.
DEAR JOURNAL Il Ee third Annual
Fair of the Roanoke aud Tar River Agri-
cultural Society, commenced al the grounds
near this place yesterday, the 10Th inst.
I attended to-day. -snd | am exceedingly
gratlhed TO be able 10 report the Fair as in
lnaDy respects an undou5ted Suceeas. Il
Is very true that the utmost reliance can
not always be placed upon newspaper rep
resentationE7 nor upon the reports Of CORES
Respondents, as TO these matters Bot
went upon the grounds determined 81 To
tell the truthsand shame The devil" and it
gives ms pleasure TO state that the truth is
entirely consistent with favorable report.
The expectation of horticultural produe-
tions Is not as good as that Of last year, nor
does Floral Hall generally make display
equal to that of twelve months ago. Never
theless, the whole is exceedingly credita-
bic, and some of the embroidery, &c, am
Informed by my lady friends, is hard to be
surpassed. saw many exquisitely beau
tiful specimens, especially some exhibited
by charming young Louisianian, worked
by her while at school in one of the Mary
land Converts, and if the evidences of her
skill to Whch have referred do not carry
off the premium, L will be disposed to doubt
the taste of the Roanoke ladies.
The show of horses is very fine, and of
cattle also, Some fine hogs are on exhi-
bltion, but not many. The mechanic arts
are we'll represented, but not full. AS a
whole, the exhibition is goods a success
but it is not in all respects what it ought
to be. The disastrous failure of several of
the Fairs recently held has doubtless
caused some to withhold both stock and
articles from exhibition.
Two races came off to-day-one a trOt-
ting race and one running race. As to
these cannot give you many particulars.
! 1 do not even know the names of the
! horses. The trotters, from all appearances,
made about the time of Northern scrubs.
! l do not know what the time was I only
judge from the movement as it appeared
to the eya. | am very sure that / would
not walk One-fOurth OF a mile to see the
Henry j. Pope, Esq, Of HaKfax county,
and Craven county horse, were the COM
petitors for the running race. Mr. Pope's
horse iS = last Iunner, and, on The second
heat. led his rival st least one hundred
yards.
In both running ana 1rotliDg races, cs-
peciaily in the latter, the winning horse
should be required 10 make HE distance
within 4 certain specified time, in nItisr TO
be entitled 10 the premium. To give a
premium 10 4 trotting horse who cannot
make his mile III less than three minutes,
or 2:GO, is simply ridiculous. Either abol-
ish racing altogether at Fairs, or require
the distance to be made in ordinarily fast
time.
The success of a Fair must, Of couISe.
depend on the extent Of patronage II can
command. 1t Is in this respect. especially,
that regard this Fair IS successful.
heard various estimates made of the num-
btr OF people present to-day, and | feel
Well satisfied that ] nnN, without cxaS-
gcration, place it bcIwcen Two Thousand
and twrni y-fiYe Iun,llet. Your readers
will mark that this is tlc :c0ud day OF
The Fair. Should he weather nuyc ia, or
able tomorrow, ther: will ~ five thousand
people on tEe slounta.
Tie ladies we've out in very considerable
numbers, aud some " ere there cNquioltfly
beautiful, indeed. Oac. Especially. ap
IcaIel io me "a unite The ulnn5>,
, of manner and person. Hut l will uut ex
patilte on tl:i, topic rs am anxious Ia 81
justice to ali. The third day is the .rca,
"ohuS day" ot the = Enauuko aud Tar
River ladies', aud Will reserve my coin
mcnti uulil to-mnrrono setting rtin.
shall ,lsW aud judge inpaitIaliy rv~
bellies, and should auy excel my beauty ot
to-day, shall yield bc1 willing houiasf
through tllc columns of yeur paper.
The management of the / air is rXcNl
Icul, 1efIcctjU. the very hiSh.o: clciit ct
the distinguished President aud ttiic.rs u
the Society. The Marshal, have hcci
sworn i'll as special police, and the very
best order IS preserved,
should We have pleasant weather To
JnuiioH', tho Fair will Oc great >1Icr>-
indeed. May thn fntea r., riori.ious.
ltHA NDKE.