The daily Argus., 1875-10-05
ALEDo CORRESPONDENCE.
Close of the Mercer County Fair.
ALEDO, Oct. 4, 1876.


ALsDo, Oct. 4, 1875.
With the exception Of ofThursday, we had
a full week of the finest kind Of splendid
autumn weather, and the interest in our
fair continued unabated until the approach
Of darkness on Saturday evening, when
everything collapsed in blaze of glory.
In the matter Of finance, the Mercer coun-
ty agricultural society has been somewhat
behind hand. This deficiency was consid-
erably swelled in amount by many new
buildings, with multitude Of improve
ments. The officers of the society deter
mined, if indefatigable energy could &C.
complish the purpose, to make the fair .
success this season, counting on no draw
backs but those of the weather.
With heavy debt hanging over them
like hideous nightmare, you can well im-
agine the feelings of the officers when they
awoke on Thursday morning to find it
raining quite hard, with every prospect of
q continuance of wet weather for the bal
ance of the week. / say awoke, Such
was their anxiety for the morrow that not
one of them ever closed an eye in sleep
Wednesday night or Thursday morning
A more detected, downhearted, dispirited
and gloomy looking set of men never was
witnessed. You could pick them out from
among thousands by their general air of
depression and elongated visages. They
spent the day in making financial arrange
ments by which the premiums should be
paid in full. There was no thought of re-
pudiation-on the contrary there was q
determination to sacrifice private fortune,
rather than that the society should suffer
the ignominy of defalcation, mention this
in particular because such acts are desery-
ing Of the highest commentator, and be-
cause of general interest to everybody,
This was the outlook up until Thursday
night At that time the outlook was fore
boding. On Friday morning the roads
were heavy and muddy, and for what ap-
peared to be a long time, the sun kept dal.
lying with ominous looking clouds, leaving
everyone in doubt as to how the weather
would prove for the day. Finally, as if
ashamed of playing thus with the tears and
hopes Of the people, old Sol came out re-
splendently, and with a genial warmth
that reflected the sunshine in the people s
faces. The farming community began to
come, and come thicker and faster, an un.
ceasing stream of vehicles poured through
the town on their way to the fair grounds,
and all loaded to their fullest capacity with
people intent on seeing the.sights. By moor
the grounds were dense mass cf surgng
humanity, all smilingly good natured and
determined on having grand holiday
1t is estimated that there were fully six
thousand people on the ground, Where
now the dejectedi visages of the officers
A happy smile suffuses the countenance
of each. What a sudden and pleasing
transformation. The able and obliging Sec
retary, Doct. David, can scarcely contain
himself, and looks as happy as "a big sun
flower" The President, j. E. Harroun
shows the ecstacy of his feelings like boun
cing schoolboy, and like the Irishman. hi
heart felt like shaking hands with every
body. The Vice President, A. j. Street
or, was as lively as a cricket, and his bi
heart, if possible, was great deal bigger
The Treasurer, Robert Candor, usual
quiet and undemonstrative, was changed s
much that his wife would scracely hav
recognized him.
On Saturday the weather was simpl
grand-not too warm, nor too cold, and th
crowd almost as large as on the day befor,
Although have not the exact amount {
money received at the entrance gates, an
by the renting Of stands, suffice to say ths
it was more than anticipated by the mos
sanguine and has placed the Society or
good solid financial foundation for Ii
future.
On Friday there was some very fine ra
ing for horses than never beat three mil
utes. On Saturday the trotting was sti
better, enlivened by running race. tt
exhibition of blooded cattle was fine, ar
the premiums about equally divided b
tween Col. Hathaway and James Feat
er.
Notwithstanding the large crowd in a
tendance throughout the fair, with consi,
cradle drinking, the occasion was n
marred by single fight or other disturb
ance. We also escaped the theiviDg gam
that visited the Rock Island and Dave
port fairs.
The contest on Saturday for IL
base ball championship of Il
county with handsome silv
mounted bat and ball, excited muC
interest. 1t was pretty generally conce
ed to Keithburg before hand and on th
day all Keithburg turned out to give e.
couragement to their boys with words
cheer. They wtnt home happy.
The ladies Of che Baptist and Methodi
Churches had eating births on the ia
grounds and did large business in tn
line, netting in the neighborhood of thr,
hundred dollars each. The Methodists al
building parsonage and the Baptists
new church. One year ago the Baptls
had no organization, now they have fir
church nearly completed, and property
the value of $4,000.
Your correspondent got himself in
o sweet scrape by acting as one of ii
judges on preserves. jellies, &c. He N
only had proper realizatiC
Of the exalted dignity of Il
position, but highly appreciated the enjo
ment of tasting the many good thing
spread out before the committee. Th
enjoyment was considerably heigh
ened by the company, on Il
committee, of two accomplisht
and very entertaining ladies who e
livened the occasion by sallies of wit, al
by insisting on his tasting every article f
inspection.
ALEDo