The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1875-10-22
THE STATE FAIR.

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For weeks before its commencement
preparations had been going forward in
hundreds of homes, and anticipations Of
the pleasures of the great gala week
were INDUCED in by thousands of per-
sons; for months nimble fingers had
been busily fashioning numberless
nothings wherewith to decorate the
walls of the grand pavilion, each article
wanting in the estimation of the artisan
but tiny piece of blue ribbon attached
to complete its beauty.
October, as if conscious that the sue
eessful carrying out of the grand pro-
gramme depended, to a great extent,
upon her smiles, graciously marshaled
each day into existence with rosy
sunrise, and closed with a gorgeous
sunset, while the balmy breezes dis
pensed, both day and night, would
have been a credit to her predecessor
mild and queenly September.
The canvas city, swarming with life
and bright with the ruddy glow of
thousand camp-fires, whose rude humOr
painted many a motley group with the
extremes of brilliant light and softly
swaying shadow, nesting in grotesque
irregularity among the dwarf oaks Of
the fair grounds, presented suggestive
picture, as the train which bore us from
the metropolis, heralded by the shrill
scream of the engine, and loudly pro-
claiming its near approach by the
warning tones of its bell, stopped at the
fair grounds on Tuesday evening and
discharged its eager mass of living
freight.
A brisk walk of a few minutes
brought us to the headquarters of the
NEW NORTHWEST household, a eozy
little shanty, renovated each year by
carpet and beds of freshest, cleanest
straw, and affording a delightful nook
wherein to rest and dress and sleep.
After hurried greetings with those
who had preceded US, we proceeded to
pay our respects, as of yore, to the sour
krout, ham and vegetables dispensed at
the Aurora Restaurant, and this pre-
liminary being over, took our first
glance around the grounds.
Blatant showmen on every hand
made the evening air hideous with
noisy proclamation of the wonders that
were hidden from the gaze by dingy
domes of canvas, the magic portals of
| xuhioh tho o1riouc vuara alIou,od fo no 90
upon presenting credentials labeled
''fifty cents" The usual number of
booths, candy stands, cheap John stores,
soda fountains, mammoth swings, etc.,
etc., drew the attention and dimes of
the multitude; the circus tent occupied
huge space within the enclosure, while
outside, near the south gate, Brother
Hammonds revival songs rose from be-
meath the white wings of the Gospel
tent" and stole softly and sweetly out
upon the air of evening. Large letters
of gorgeous hue announced that "Reed's
Panorama" was again on exhibition;
and, by the way, this is the third sue
cessive year that this magnificent dis
play of Oregon scenery on canvas has
drawn large and admiring audiences at
the State Fair.
An inventory of these sufficed for this
evening, and on the following morning,
rested and refreshed, we repaired to the
pavilion. Entering by the south door
and glancing upon the right and left,
| mn haba old the fpaof dicplou Of r1rocarvad
fruits that has ever been made in the
State. These fruits are preserved by the
Alden process, one lot at Salem and the
other at Oregon City, those of the latter
place taking the special premium of.
fered by the society for the finest vari.
ETY. of fruits and vegetables so preserved
The arrangement of the Clackama'
county fruits displayed exquisite taste
and was performed mainly by Mrs
, McCue, a we'll known resident of Ore.
, gon City. Conspicuous above the fruit
displayed by this company was a pla
card announcing that the "work wal
done exclusively by white labor, en-
/ ploying sixty women and girls" In
terrogating the gentlemanly superin
tendent, Mr.. Frank Pyle, (who patiently
answered the dozens of questions tha
were propounded by as many individ
uals in the space of few minutes), a
to whether this class of operatives wert
| employed in preference to men anC
boys, because they could be hired a
I lower rates, he replied that they wer'
t paid according to the labor performed
that work that other establishment
; were paying Cinnamon so cents pc
day for performing, they paid 81 20 pc
: day.
: The Salem company claim that thei
fruit is of as good quality as was dis
/ played by the Clackamas company, bu
: not being arranged in an as attractive
: a manner, it failed to take the specia
premium.
The floral display, though perhaps no
equal to what it had been some forme
years, was not meager, while the man
e moth fruits and vegetables were i'm
e mense. 1t is impossible to give even
q partial synopsis of the great variety dis
played In this department in the spac
at our disposal. We pass on and ente
n the department set apart for fancy work