The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1875-09-14
Blue GRASS LETTER.
bourbon County Fnir-The Fine
stock Raised Thcrc-POpuiarity
md success of the Meetings Hospi-
taIity of the People Beautiful
Women and Good whisky.

w no hash heard Oi BOURBON county
1t, fine whisky and pretty girls, the blu,
grass and splendid stock, and the wcaltI
and hospitality Of its farmers? Probably
every one. | had ut least, and being il
the pretty little city of Coviugton, abou
eighty miles away during fair week, with
plenty of time on my hands | dccldcC
upon satisfying my curiosity by making
- trip into the heart of "Od keutuck
TO ascertain what percentage OF tact was
contained in the pleasant reports | hal
So often heard, and communicate Ito the
REGISTER, to publish it or not us 1t saw
tit
Passengers for Paris, the county seal
of Bourbon and about 50 miles from tn.
ONO river take the Kentucky Central
Railroad, which has lis northern termlnu,
At Covington and it, southern at Lex
iugtun, the oldest town in the State and
the home of Henry Clay. This road is one
/ hundred miles long and is rs well man
aged and as fine built and equipped road
Of its SIZE us | know Of 1t paSse,
through ~ pretty a country rs the eye
could wish To- look upon. First penetrat-
ing the hills which border the Ohio, it
soon leaves them behIndand strikes Pen
dl.,ou county, the greatest tobacco grow
inc county in the State, which is dcversi-
tied by very modest hills and daic,. Ilar-
ri,on county adjoius on tn" South,
and before YOU reach the
centre Of this noted dis
trict for corn and di,tilicricS You are
i'm the heart Of an undulatiug country,
,h.' would DO our West Virginia gran
ger, who till the rougher and higher hills
ola mountain State, good to gaze upon.
The slopes are lust gradual enough 10
drain well and work easily. Here it is that
that rich blue grass region begins, and
bv the time YOU have reached the south
crn border OF Harrison and are on the
edge of Bourbon county you observe the
rich fields of pasture and the fine herds
of pure bluudcd stock grazing thcreOn,ln
all directions. The grass just
now Is not looking II fresh and blue
as il naturally does, on account OF the
intense heat and long dry spell which
ha, prevailed. Yet one can see enough
t. convince him that for tnttening pur-
poses it is uueNcellcd. l. long slcud T
fbrcs shoot up thick and luNurIously.
The tender spears careen over and inter-
lock each other in one dense mass Of net
work. thus protecting the young under
growth alike from heat and cold. 1t l.
in tbs way that late in tho fall anu dur
ins a., of mild winter, stock thrivvs on
the buc grass pastures.
The three and a half hours consumed
bv the eighty miles ride pass away with
out iatisU,, and you are warned
Of your arrival at Paris, Il
city Of about six thousand inhabitants,
py the shri' scream of the brakcsmar.
There IS not ming remarkable about the
place to ,!.ronicle except the mere men
ton of lis tine Court House and equally
fine Bourb,-. whisky. Here you get the
simon-pure, copper distilled article on
the affirmation Of the best citizens, and
icing uuwillitgly ~ prevailed upon to
personally tc,. the quality OF some sour
mash Bourbon, distilled rs long ago as
~Gs" was of tire opinion it passed the
thorax singulurly smooth, and produced
an exhilerating sensation down IN my
toes and up in my thar that was alto
eether pleasant and novel, and which, no
doubt, once experienced, was the
rrir.r cause of such demand
for the article But OH how many thou
sands throughout the country are decely-
cd, who buy Bourbon whisky for the
genuine stuff because it is so branded, Is
beyond human ken. | was informed
that the supply was hardly equal to the
demand in Kentucky alone.
Passing on TO the fair grounds, two
miles south of the city, | was struck
with its arrangement. In the centre OF
the Enclosure is covered amphthcatrc
of wood, substantially built, extending
entirely around an arena, between two
and three times the size of
an ordinary circus ring. The
.csts for visitors are sufficient 80 ac-
commoda,e 5000 persons comfortably.
In the centre of the ring Is an octagonai
stand for the use ofthc Judges and music.
During each day o. the exhibition, in
their proper order, the class OF stock to
he shown is called and admitted
through n passage way under the amphi-
theatre Intathe enclosure or arena. The
number OF animals entered for any
ono premium constitute ring.
When the ring was completed, Il
beautiful sight it was To- see them IN charge
otthrir owners or grooms prancIng, walk
iug or trotting around the arena sum
GENTLY close to all the spectators for
thorough inspection and admiration OF
their excellent points The quality OF
the stock raised in the county ha>a ma
tiona! reputation. and to take the first
prcmium at the Paris fair Is in itself
treat Gcsiicya'uDl, besides It enhances
the value of4n animal many fold.
In referring to the class Of stock II Is
sufficient to say that everything EXHIBIT
ed /. thoroughbred and pure blood. No
one ever thinks Of presenting anything
else. In the competition Tor the hr,t
premium for a herd consisting Of bull
and four females there were twelve en-
trie, or 60 head Of cattle, the value OF
which was estimated at 100000. a
sucking colt which took the first preml-
um could not be purchased for less
than $50. make these
citations to show the superior excellence
Of the strains.
One noticeable feature about the Bour-
ION County Fair is the entire absence OF
horse racing. Though they are wrapped
up and carried away on the question OF
horses and cattle, they have no race
course on the fair grounds. This proba-
bly, accounts for the entire absence OF
that sbomination so often witnessed ut
fairs in our own State, and for that mat
ter in other States where the race pre-
,.nils -. rnmlNisrl urL ,rL;.k Is .llnh