The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1875-10-08
A "PAIR" GRowL.

The ninth annual fair of Washington
county, which took place at Hillsboro
last week, drew thither large numbers
of our citizens. Not to be outdone, we,
on Thursday morning, arose betimes,
read proof on the paper that that day
went to press, and ran up Fourth street
to Stark to await the coming of the ac-
commOdation train. 1t soon halted at
the appointed place; the single coach
attached being already crowded, the
waiting throng slowed themselves as
best they might in the aisles and on the
sides of seats, and away we sped for
Hillsboro. Just here we would like to
inquire why another coach is not pro-
vided for these occasions. Stock hud-
died together in the cattle pens could
not present more crowded and uncom-
Portable appearance than did the luck
less passengers that patronized the ac-
commodation trains on the west-side
road to and from Hillsboro last week.
One coach additional would have made
things tolerable, and two passably COM
| Portable.
Arriving at the fair grounds, we
found the sprinkler doing effective ser
vice in keeping down the dust and cool
ing the sultry atmosphere. Women
who were 80 untidy, and exhibited such
shocking bad taste and want of econ
omy, as to sweep the grounds with their
best skirts, presented a somewhat drag
gled appearance, as they made mops of
themselves in the attempt to look pretty;
but sensible people enjoyed the COM
forts that followed in the wake of the
sprinkler, caring little for the discom-
forts of the mops aforesaid.
It takes but a short time to convince
one that the motive that prompts most
people to visit fairs bears not the slight
est resemblance to interest in agricuItu-
raj display or development
The annual address delivered this
1 year by recently-hedged granger-cor-
respondingly proud of his plumage-
was a curiosity in its way, savoring
more strongly of splenetic political in
vective than of agricultural interest,
while as usual the side-shows, races,
gambling contrivances, revolving
swings, etc., etc., effectually eclipsed
the big beets, mammoth cabbages, over
grown pumpkins, dainty embroidery,
infinitesimal patchwork, substantial
rag carpeting, and the like, which were
displayed in the pavilion.
Almost the first thing that attracted
our attention upon entering the pavilion
was the inevitable patchwork quilt,
without which no agricultural fail
would be considered entitled to respect.
able mention. 1t hung in state, its
T thousand and one infinitesimal pieces,
that had been cut and joinedwith care
full, pains-taking industry worthy of q
better object, forming tedious conglom-
Grafton of calicoes, and an inharmonious
mixing of colors that could not by any
stretch of the Imagination be called
beautiful. We almost shuddered as We
gazed upon it, thinking of the bent fig
ure of the shallow-faced woman, or the
dropping form of the young girl, whom
the work had robbed for weeks of thu
rightful heritage of every child of Goo
f His pure air and bright sunshine. Al
we'll offer a premium for compressed
lungs, wasted vitality, pale cheeks
+ curved spines, and dim eyes, as for sucf
labor as this. The ghost of murdered
time would surely haunt such mistaken
artisans, did they but look up from tn,
interminable patchwork long enough
= to catch glimpse of the mournfu
/ specter.
q The amusements, if they deserve tn
, name, which are offered to visitors a
these places, are of tendency that i
n anything but elevating to morals. Pan
dering to the lowest form of curiosity
o covering by specious pretext and subtl
n artifice various games of chance, tn
= associations of one week may und
o. the effects of the careful training G
: years in the minds of children an
4 youth. The relevancy that these thing
q hold to agriculture or agricultural dis
y play, we have always been too obtuse
1 discover, and are quite confident tina
: the loss to morals is out of all proportio
II to the gain to agriculture and mechan
y les by fairs as now conducted. TIL
number of visitors at the grounds wa!
9 we learn, greater than for several year
s before, consequently, the fair is regarde
9 as a success financially and popularly