Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1876-09-30
Kansas City Fair-Narrow Gauge
r. R., &c.

to see the closing day of the Kansas City
fair. There were but half a dozen passen
= gers when the train left LeXington, bul
every town on the road added to the list
4 We found the passenger car very nice and
comfortable. with single seats on one sid
e and double seats on the other, all nicely
2 cushioned. The road from Lexington to
Wellington is not very solid, and the cars
rocked considerably. and the time between
} these points is slow bot from Wellington
to Kansas City the road Is much better, aud
pretty good time is made.
At Wellington the passenger list was more
than doubled, all destined for Kansas City.
From Wellington to Napoleon the country
is rather uneven, but the soil is fine, and
the land is covered with a heavy growth of
valuable timber. On farms which had been
cleared in the timber we saw the best crops
to be seen on the line. These farms are
especially adapted to raising tobacco and
hemp.
At Napoleon we took on several passen-
gers. Near this place is an open prairie,
and the view is quite pretty. OF to the
north are rolling mounds, which present
the appearance of mineral districts, and we
should not be surprised to hear of valuabIe
minerals being discovered In these round
hills. 10 the west and south Is a beautiful
prairie, dotted with houses, while large
numbers of fine smooth cattle could be seen
In every direction.
Buckner is the next place beyond Napo-
leon. There are about twenty-five or thirty
houses, all new, and some of them quite
| ,rnT1Stall1 H., rt III $500
a neat building at this place, and was pre-
pairing to move into it, when, on the night
Of September 21st. 1t was destroyed by fire.
1t cost $1,000, and was insured for 81, 200.
Beyond Buckner, we came to Lake City, q
small place, with but small prospects. A
lake on the prairie, near by, perhaps gave
The town its h~ish-soundinS name. The
country Is not thickly settled IN this vicini-
ty, but the crops on the road side were good.
Independence was the next stopping place.
1t has the name of being the prettIest town
in the state. 1t does not look as though it
had grown any lately but we could see but
little Of the place from the car window. |
Here a large number of passengers got on
board, completely filling the passenger cars,
and some were crowded into the baggage
car. at this place we met Il train going
east, and the passenger cars and one or two
flats were rowde with human freight.
At half past ten we reached tn at rushing.
pushing, enterprising place, Kansas City.
The depot OF the Narrow Gauge is at the
Missouri Pacific depot, only three or four
squares from the court house. Here we
found ahundred hacks, wagons, &C., and the
drivers were all yelling, ''this way to the
fair grounds, only % cents" We went up
into the city, and there seemed to be more
people on the streets than usual. Atu
O'Clock we reached the fair ground, which, |
from the number of tents, at a short dis
lance looked like the encampment of an
army. Fine Art Hall Was the first place |
visited, and we could have spent the whole |
OF our time very pleasantly in this building.
We cannot describe what we saw. would |
require columns to attempt it. Tn display
of everything, especially oil paintings, was
very nice.
Floral Hall could not be satisfactorily visit
ed in less than half a day. 1t was filled with |
beautiful AMI curious articles. The display |
OF was large, but not as pretty US we
expected to find it. All the industries of the
city were well represented in this Hall. We
noticed hat Messrs. Alternately, North 4
Orrison, who advertise their stock in the
lntelllsencer, made about the most ~attrac-
tive snow of any. This is a large and reIia-
BILE firm, and worthy of all success.
There was some half dozen side
shows on the ground, and not less than a
hundred refreshment stands, and the pro-
prictors OF these places made a fearful noise,
all talking at once, inviting strangers to
come and patronize them.
The show In the amphitheater was. in
many classes. very superior. We noticed
q nerd OF thirteen ShortIOrns, said to he
long to a lady in Indiana, which took the
premium, and was considered the finest
herd ever shown west OF st. Louis. There
was qaite n number of trotting and running
races, some of which were very exciting,
the Spectators, men, women and children
rising to their feet and cheering their favor
ties. The baby show was a grand feature.
there being Twenty-Five entries. The pre-
mum. a nice baby carriage, valued at SlOe.
was awarded John Baker Whitaker, and
twenty-eight mothers left the ring in dis
gust. Not a colored infant was shown
FROM tue seats to the ring where the babies
were shown was so far that the crowd could
not form any opinion Of the merits of auy
OF the babies. The judges took more time
10 make their decisions than the crowd
thouSht proper, and we may add that we
thouSht they were longer in calling time
III most cases than was necessary. The
crowd was not as great AS on the two pre-
cedlng days, but the seats and promenade
were all full. The fair was Il great success
IN every particular, and the people Of Kan
sas City are justly proud of 1t.
Quite Il large number of citizens of this
county visited the fair on Thursday and
Friday, but most OF them returned before
Saturday. The I~ntclligencer reporter met
BIZ. Ireland. }. ID. Conner, George Zeiler.
oc. Wilson,, Jos. Barnett, Frank Bowman
u. NJ. MountJoy, Frank TrIgg. Tom. WILEY.
VIM. aud Ed. Campbell, Charley Fox, Tom.
Green, John w. Waddell, Misses Fannie and
Alice Waddeil, Fannie Porter, Annie
MountJoy, Lille Letton, Mrs. a. W..smith,
Mrs. John Leiler, Mrs. VIM. Jordan, Miss
Matte Grant, Miss Medora Chaney. Miss
Davis, and several others. Rev. T.. S. Du-
I'm, who seemed 10 be In splendid health.
ON the ground, shaking hands with nu-
nerous friends. Geo. Keller was a member
Of the band, and we understand, also pIayed
1T the Opera House at night.
AT five O'Clock we were compelled 10 .
start for home. At the depot the trai in WAS
ready, and passengers We're coming from all
When the train left some TWEEN
ty-hve or thirty passengers were not able to
nhu room, and had to wait till the next
rain. AT Independence the frat train mt
o1 about forty persons, and waited till the ,
'frl'al oil the second train, which again {
llled up all the seats. At every stoppinp
place passengers got off, but the cars sill
full ILL Wellington was reached. ,
when Il large number got OF. The train ar. ,
lived at Lexington at $50, and the tired and t
hungry crowd soon reached home, All who I
mentioned 1t speak in praise OF the fair. {
IL would be u good plan for the parties !
VINO intend building q street railroad. tn !
hurry up and build it. and make it the same
'auSe rs the Narrow Gauge road, so loaded
can be transferred to the Pacific depo,
o be unioaded and the contents re-sbipned
" nave about given all hope of the present