The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1872-09-21

than made Up. There were not less than one
hundred thousand people here on Thursday
morning. Every train came packed to the full
with people, and buggies, wagons. and every 9TH
er vehicle brought "dead loads of persons.
The accommodations of tie city to entertain
this vast ;hrory were thoroughly tried. but
stoo! the test very well.
Fridays Attendance was somewhat less, but
still very large, and as we write the town is full
of people
The arrangements for feeding the people were
happily ample. The Dining Hall on the ground
was run" to perfection, and though 1t nearly
gave out at times, il fed thousands aud thous
ands, and gave good satisfactor, fare. Gilson's
Hotel, also, did splendid business. and was
great accommodation.
IL the way of conveyances. We believe there
has not been a whisper of complaint. Fares to
the fair ground from the city in no case were
over 25cts., and in most cases but l5cts. Doubt.
less an effective check on anything like extor.
tlon in this line was the railroad track to the
fair ground, which, with its ample train every
20 minutes aud 25cts for the round trip, al.
ways gave q sure and ready escape from any at
tempt at extortion By hack o. omnibus men.
Yet, it must be said TO the honor of eur omni
bus men, hack men and vehicle men generally,
that not word of complaint on that score has
come to our ears from any quarter.
The 20 or 30 gentlemen who tremblingly
signed II bond to the Burlington Railroad com.
pany guaranteeing them $500 receipts if they
would lay down track to the tair ground,
doubtless feel relieved by this time Up to last
evening the receipts must already have exceeded
$2ooo, and by the close promise to go over
S3OOO. The bondsmen deserve credit for sharp.
ness, however. in STIMULATING that if the receipts
exceeded $1,000, the excess should go to the
County Society. The latter institution prom.
ises to have its exhausted treasury slightly re.
plenished by that wise precaution.
The Burlington can afford to stand it. The
monster trains Of passengers che daily brought
paid her we'll in any event. To give some idea
of the crowds the railroads carried, we need only
mention, that the ~ o'clock p. m. train on the
Fox River road filed out OF the depot on
Thursday evening with 81 coaches. averaging
100 to coach. This was one of ten trains dur.
ing the day.
AS to the general results of the fair, OF course,
as there are nearly two days to account for as
we write, we can only give guess. But this
we can say with safety. The entries have ex.
ceeded any previous fair by 30 per cent, the
crowd in attendance has heen equally large in
excess of any previous state fair and the receipts
which will reach $50, 1000, are elgh, or ten thous
and dollars in excess of any previous State Fair
Ottawa hss no boast OF make Ut splendid pre-
partitions. She met the requirements Of the S..
ciety lhough eDcounterng imnense difficultie-.
But this she can boas, Of At ieast, that she drew
the largest exhibition the state society has ever
had, the largest attendance, .he kept order on
the grounds and in the city, aud fed, slept and
entertained the crowd in y manner that drew
from them at least complaint.
We shall in our next, when the fair i. fully
over and We can systematise the details, ende.v.
or to 90 over the ground in way thst ,h~! be
more satisfactory than this very h.sty and dis.
Jointed sketch.