The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1872-10-25

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lot misnomer to call it the tsLyon |
County Fair as that is precisely
What was intended, and il proves /
10 be. It is true that the Aesceia-
ion, in the name and locality Of the
grounds. appears to be an Emporia
Institution but it is, in the true
sense, q county enterprise, inangur-
sted by liberal citizens of EInporia
for the mutual benefit of city and
county, Even now, at the close OF
Its first exhibition, we are confident /
hat it is common pride, IS we'll |
% q common credit.
The Association was incorporat- |
ed in 1871. Present officers: E. r.
Holderman. President; T. c. Wat
SON, Vice-P President A. r. Ban
croft, Secretary; H. G. Cross, Treas |
urer. Directors: E. r. Holderman.
G. e. ketsey, W. 81, Beverly, James |
Phenis, W. I. Soden, G. Hood, C.
II. North. G. +. Pierce, P. B. Plumb.
Its cal,ii Al is nominally SO, 600, of
which enough has been called In for
the pureh.se OF forty acres OF land
for Fair Grounds, fence it substan-
tally, grade . half mile track, erect
g connections Office and temporary
accomm odations for animals and
articles Oh exhibition. The society,
with this property on hand, entered
upon the experiment of Fair not
more than six weeks before it came
of, out of debt, but with much fear
that IL would not be in thar pleas
ing condition at its close. We were
informed by the officers, before
leaving the grounds on the last day,
that the receipts had been ample to
protect the premiums and pay ell
the expenses incident to the exhibi.
ton. and since learn that q net gain
of five hundred dollars is In hand
to commence another year with.
There were eighty-five entries Of
horses, and some Of them very fine.
As in nearly all sections Of the
country, Lyon county people think
too much Of speed, and too little of
size and strength. Blood will tell
ON the race-trsck, but II takes bone
and muscle to fill the wants Of the
work-horse on the farm. We must
have heavier, more efficient farm
horses, or resort to mules a. work
animals.
Fifty entries of cattle, and all
possessing merit. One thing was
quite noticeable: there were NO
professional exhibitors in this class.
We mean by professional exhibitors
those who purchase aud perfect q
herd by pampered feeding and sta
BILE grooming expressly to draw
premiums. To such perfection has
this practice been brought, that
farmers cannot afford to enter stock
in the normal condition of farm
cattle, in competition with these
blanketed caravans, that travel from
Fair to Fair where large premiums
are offered.
Fifty entries of swine, with but
few worthy animals. Not nearly
SO good q show in this class as an
ticipated. From looking over the
ground, and from careful inquiry,
we are satisfied that swine-breeding
has not held the prominence there
that it has in eastern counties of the
State.
Twenty entries of sheep, all fine
wool save one lone Southdown, and
some of very rare merit. Stein &
Douglas, of Peabody, had flock OF
Merinoes that would fill the eye OF
a Vermont breeder. Unless we are
greatly Ia error mutton, rather than
wool sheep are the requirement Of
the times In Kansas. 1t is almost
impossible to find a good bit OF
mutton in any market In the State.
Early lambs are scarce, and coz
mand almost fabulous prices. We
want Southdown or Cotswold sheep.
We have neither, to any extent.
Thirty-tWo entries of poultry,
one hundred and eighty-eight of
farm products, and about three hun
dred in other departments.
Floral Hall was q credit to any
county Fair, both in number and
variety Of articles, and in arrange
ment. This was due to the enter
prise and taste of the ladies'.
The Justice of our structures upon
the State Fair was more than sus-
tanned by the demonstration at this
one. There were more house plants
and four times the cut flowers in
Emporia that there were In Topeka.
In articles Of ornament and useful
meas, the product Of woman's taste
and skill, it was fully equal to the
State Fairs Above all the good
women of Emporia gave to the
Society cordial and practical sup.
port in their presence and active
assistance in arranging their own
and others contributions.
Mrs. North, Mrs. Helwig, and
many other ladies seemed to reeog-
nize the exhibition as Q public DEM
onstration IN which they had as
lively and important an interest as
the men engaged in It There will
be no tagging of interest in Lyon
county as long Is this unity Of feel
ing and active sympathy exists.
You can no more have q fair with
out woman's aid, than You can have
Summer without sunshine.
A very agreeable incident Of the
Fair was the presence of two do
nestle linen spinning wheels, and
two sprightly girls Of second youth
twirling the distaf and running the
fiaxen fibre into glossy thread, to
the music of wheel and spindle.
One of the wheels bore the manu-
facturer's mark Of 1888; the other,
1926, and the average ages Of Mrs.
T. D. Smith, of Ohio, and Mrs. G.
Denvy, of Emporia, the two ladies
who operated them, were not less
than that of the wheels.
We cannot express q desire that
the world be made to move back.
ward, yet the sight of those wheels
and the busy hands of the spinners
carried us back to the time when
we sat in the 'slittle chair" beside
that now Sainted Mother, watching,
with admiring wonder, the delicate
transit of f1eecy fibre to endless
thread under her skillful hands. and
drank in the pure precepts and Low.
ing words that fell from her lips
upon our young heart; and, right
or wrong, we mentally sighed for Q
return of those good old days when
simplicity and devotion to home,
and its sacred duties, were In suck
amazing contrast with the hearth
stone fashions OF the present day.
In the name Of good morals and
sonRd policy we thank the manag.
ers of the Lyon County Fair for the
expulsion of Intoxicating drinks
and games of chance from the fair
grounds. We saw but Q single
man on the grounds or in the town,
under the influence Of liquor, This
fact speaks volumes for the town
and couAtry surrounding it. We
predict that the present fair, sue
cessful as it was, is but seed soWn
in good ground, that will yield an
hundred fold next year.-Kansas
Farmer, October Is.