The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-09-14
The Berkeley Fair.
September II, 1874,

september IL, 1904.
The third annual fair Of the Berkeley
county Agricultural and Horticular So
cirty commenced on their grounds at
this place on last Tuesday morning, and
continued up to six o'clock this evening.
The managers may well congratulate
themselves upon the success of their
efforts to make the exhibition worthy OF
the immense patronage bestowed upon
them. On the second and third days the
attendance was all that could b" desired.
the receipts of Wednesday amounting to
Sl.l62OO. 1t was estimated that ten
thousand persons were on the ground 1T
one session.
MANY of the merchants of the city
closed their business houses on Thursday
and Friday, III order t. give their clerks
a chance To attend the fair. Excursion
trains over the Cumberland Valley rail
road brought visitors TO the town by the
thousand. and the number arriving by
the other road was not much. les, al
though no excursion trains Were run.
Floral Hall Is the centre OF attraction,
and quite worthy is il So to be. | do not
think ever saw II more beautiful eXlll-
hition of the kind any where. Upon en-
trring from the end toward the entrance
to the ground. the eye is met by Sscenr
that rivals vision of Eden. In the cen
ire of the building is n massive pyramid
of flowers, reaching probably half way I"
the roof, and bearing on its top marble
statue of Cupid. Besides this there ar"
>mallcrpyramindS and numerous boquct>.
The floral show is good, but probably not
the best exhibition in the hall. The
fruit is all fine the fancy work
neat, and the houScheepcrS artl-
clrs excellent without exception.
The display of stock was also fair, and
the entries in this class numerous. The
stock is principally from Jefferson c"un-
ty Indeed, il seems to me that Icttrr-
son should share with Berkeley the
honorS of the latter's splendid fair, for
she seems to contribute almost aS much
towards its success. The finest stock on
the grounds was from near kerneysvl!ie.
The balloon ascension on Thursday,
WAS Just enough of u success to prevent
il being a total tiZZlc. The managers oil
the Society made arrangements with
Davis and Co, of Cincinnati, to whom
they were to pay the sum of three nun
drrd dollars. to send them ono of their
balloons and an aerOnant 10 ascend IN II.
They sent a rotten. scorched old canvass
and Il lady to make the ascent. The
balloon was inflated with hot air and
smoke. and assembled to the height OF
about three hundred feet, when the can
vas burst, and the escape Of the smoke al
lowed the balloon 10 descend, which 1t
did with fearful rapidity, the aeronaut,
Mile. Nictorelli, barely escaping with
her life. As it was, she was pretty well
shocked by the fall, or rather by the sud
den stop, and about rendered bresthlesS
by the rapid descent.
On Tuesday one heat Of the running
race took place, which was finished on
Wednesday, having been interrupted on
Tuesday by severe rain and hail storm.
"Tallyhoe' carried of first honors in the
trotting match of Wednesday.
At different times during the fair there
were six brass bands in attendance The
Washington L. :. Marine Band, the
champions Of the country, gave con-
cert and hop on Tuesday evening, and
remained in the city Wednesday and
Thursday. The others band, were the
Cumberland, Nd, the home band Of
Martinsburg, the ChamberSburg Pa,
West Fairview, W. Va, silver eornet