Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1872-11-08
OUR SPECIAL CORBE3P0NDENCE
DariinSiod Agricultural and We
cbaRteaI Eair-Tho GronndS. the
Ladies' the Addresses. Ac.- S.~eu
Thousand Visitors.

N6wNSSUa %tSAteTS-
Dear JoUrn1L The Fair IF the Oar
lip9tcn Agricultural and Mechanical So
ciety commenced on the Fair Grounds,
near Darlington G. Il, s. G., OH The Goth
ult., and contiluod three days.
The Fair Grounds are located about two
thirds Of a mile north of the village, the
Society having purchased a small planta-
ton Of 500 acres for the very moderate sum
of s., 200. The Cleraw and Darlington
Railroad cuts it ia two, and they sold out
all Oh the land on the west side Of the rail-
road for enough TO pay for the buildings
erected, and have thus secured to them a
permanent location, extending from the
main county road on the east through to
the railroad on the west, containing about
200 acres. The trOtting circle is one-tifth
of mile long and is hid out in d grove of
grand IL Uaks, " .lci were so thinned
out as TO leave the track thirty-five feet
wide, and tu give a clear view from
Floral Hall and almost all other parts OF
the ground Of the entire track. The stand
for one of the bands (for there were two in
attendance) was in the centre of the track,
whilst the other was stationed in the end
of the piazza which extends the length Of
the Floral Hall. The ground slopes grad
ually down fem the Floral Hall to the
track snd the grove extends around and
past the Hall on each side to tie rear.
The Hall itself is an immense building; al
its right was the refreshment saloon of the
Darlington Monumental Association; ad-
joining it, in the rear, We're the sheds for
the exhibition Of poultry and cotton; then
came various outbildiDgs for the different
purposes of the display, and then the stalls
for cattle, horses, hogs, &c, running at
right angles to the main building.
We were not in time to see the opening
ceremonies, which were properly conducted
BY the President, j. l.. Coker, Esq, as
sisted by the Viee-President, Col. r. T.
Iide, rhe Secretary, Mr.. W. F.. James, and
the Directors Of the Society.
The morning hours Of the first day were
given to the exhibition Of stock Of var" Is
kinds. and The Interchange Of cordial and
friendly greetings among old acquaintanrrs,
until O'Clock. at which time Mr.. j.. r.
Stackhouse, of Marion, 5. g., delivered
the annual Oration. We regret That the
attention 10 This sound and able address
was not such as its merits demand. Just
here would II not he We'll 10 fhinll ovei his
matter of animal addresses MoSt per.
sons ali tend these fairs for the pleasure of
tbs occasion. Pleasure is the CHEF Object
with the mass. y ia" there are who 90 10
get ideas, TO Improve themselves 20 learn
new modes Of ayTirrl urr, 0l UcH manip-
ulations of stock. rf nrW seeds, ncm MA
nllers, new implements. TO this iditcr class
the address is 4 source Of Instruction, hHt
these are not One-ScCcrtht # tllo multitude.
Is it lust 10 an orator, Just 80 lie SOric y.
Just 10 the pUhliC. even, ~ Introduce III
Grafton In Tie midst Of the Joyous Gnciiu.
OF the sine an.! pace We think there is
room for thought iIi5t l.rrc, AMI hope nia.I-
,,fI II, X-,,-if
an!inr the matter carefully. Tho al
dresses could bc delivered al soIlr pau1.r
tine durin" tue fair brin;r the SUeirry. AT, i
such prronHs as wished ~ b. II attcl,,a:4,,..
AMI tilcv ,.ntjli l.avr ia" desired ct'a..
~ usual, in Ill our Snullc:n i;;3.. ~
latir: were ait.'n:l, a:id Ii,lll IL Il 49, rhG
ciIicf centre 1T attraction. "" r4n to ',.Ii
littl.' In"re tilau .,cb"ia}z., aud tb.i,i;,,c
SlIalt not aticmlf details. Ia itr'. - ~
mixing fpr about an h1nT ip t'Ir Srlr-ira
tide pl silk, 24tilIs, inu.llts. ,iiUrc>, cal
ic."o aud 2,one'>Pnn, t~uuctS. iia... i''--:5.
feathers, pliIiner oil3" !. vols: lust chc,i,>
pale ctccks. trccklcd cbeek>; IIs~l eye,
hlne oyc>. c1cy cyc~, cbcsuut eyes. ,i:,'i nj
otlct kinds Il oHcc; Lair grey, aIhnru, rcj.
Sciticu, hlafk and every o'har haiI color.
natural and unnsiurdi, - tit5 ~HeFi
round llIe Hall. tangirg sriI natargllns,
mixing and ,1uuIiXius, bur al CAV and -Jod
hunnr>el and full IF tho spirit # h" occ8-
sion Our head e.. terribly conn1stt), au4
p-v Co,lli not even u:o thc paper ani
lencil which wc had carrfIliy Tru'i.2.d fer
. the purpose Of taking notcs. NC c2.g -
halt once III front Of a1 exhibition @!
draEin1r and painting, and succeeding IL
n,akinga note az 1olioRs ''Heautlfui draw
: ine-, ny Miss Sallic McKa~, Of ChcraU- ::
! :: Two admirable paintings. by Miss Carrie
! Saunders, cf Sumter, girl II year clj.
! These we're Gil paintlnse, and show Il mark
| ct talent, Painting by Hiss Fannie
McKaip, = girl II years olJ,' also 0cll cz-
ecuted.
! We got go far with cur notes. and
were swept away from the place, and the
! next halt brought Us in front cf long
/ table Of canned fruite, the most beautiful
we ever saw-we did not get taste. We
found the name of Mrs. Spain, Of Darling
ton, on these, and were swept away agaiI
round 10 embrodcries Of all kinds, linen
cotton, silks, velvets and cloths, in al
kinds of garments and fancy work. We
| brought up against a gallant Cap ain from
| North Caro- ina, who was gazing at an EN-
| bioidered garment about six inches long il
the waist, and over four feet long i'll tL,
skirts, with very short sleeves, and one hun
dred and fOrty-seven tucks. We aske(
what it was ? But ne did not know, @
said he didn't, and SO we concluded he wa
bachelor. The next landing brought l.
to quilts, wrought in all imaginable pat
terms and colors, one with seventeen thou
sand pieces in it one by lady 70 year
old, with six thousand pieces in it, an
hen We saw nower frames made by lit
boy, sweet gum hat stand, fancy article
of a thousand varieties and patterns, a
beautiful.
At last Col. Law, Director of the ''Fiel
Crops" Department, saw our predicamen
and eXtricated us by an invitation to &c
behind the railing and examine his De
partlnent. AS twas to be expected, th
Department was exceedingly fine. We d
, not remember ever to have seen fine
turnips and potatoes anywhere-they wer
{ simply enormous. The cabEages woul
have done credit to any Northern STATE
whilst beets, tomatoes, beans, peanuts
egg-plants, corn, cotton, peas, rye, whea
and oats all appeared qgortyy of eEhibttio1
We would like to moralize little owe
! hat last expression-leto our readers revie'
n their minds the exhibitions they hay
: seen in which very contemplate article
have been admitted, and they may arriy
q 1t cur idea On the subject. We abandone
the Hall with feeling Of regret, that "
: could not do justice TO the labor and SKI
which had been expended TO make it
!. pleasant 1alr.
The exhibition Of hogs was not as goo
as that of last scar, but there were son
very good ones. The sheep were IE
though net many. Fine harness a,.i -,
die horses were in abundance, .lu.. II
It finest display al colts 1hti ~e ever sas
:. One Morgan filly, two and 4 half years OIL
t, standing fifteen han,ls high, struck Us as
y bfanty. she was entered BY Mr.. }.
) IfuWL., Of Darlington county. We IL