The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-11-25
AMERICAN INSTITUTE FAIR.

CLOSE OF THE ANNUAL NEW YORK ExHIp1-
TIoN-A BRILLIANT PECUNIARY AND PoPU-
LAB sucCEss-THE PRIZES AND THEIR DIS
TRIBUTIoN.
Had II not been for the rain. which began drzzng
down alter dusk, the vast building Of the Amcri
can Institute Far would have undoubtedly been
crowded last evening, when the exhibition
OF 1877 was formally closed. Tho fair was
opened on September IL and. according 10
the estimates OF Mr.. Charles ". Hull,
superintendent the attendance been about I'VE
thousand day. This figure probably Includes nitcen
hundred "compmentarcs," Us . large number OF
tickets are always issued TO the many persons In
tcrested tho air Mr. Hull stated that this attend
anco been tho best since 1871, Tor In 1872 tho
epizooy intcriered with tho OF the fair and
in the four suosequent the deterrent elects Of
pane ielt The present success " this years.
fair Is thus another proof that the .hard tmcsn are
at disappearing IN this city. The American Insu
tutc Fair, which has become permanent and agrco
able feature OF New York. started In 1928 when
the 1rs, exhibition was held but in the present ednce
the annual exhibitions only held 1862
Mr. Hull made the gratifying announcement that the
present lar had been 50 pecunariy successful - 70
net = surplus OF probably SID, 000
rHR CLOSING ExKRCIsEs
Although greatly tnInned by the rain large audi.
encc never heIess surged through mmsn 50 build
ing attend the closing exercises and to earn the dis
whom there were less than niteen hundred-werc
themselves on tho uptos OF expectation. Il could
easily be seen tina. svery one expected E The
prizes, and that the majority must undoubtedly
DO keeniy disappointed Until eight O'CLOCK
In the evening tue changing OF machines, tho buZzing
OF show aud the general mum aud din attending
great air like this broken only by the strains OF
the Thirteenth Regiment Band, OF Brooklyn. AT that
hour a little cessation OF the general turmoil was
effected with some difficulty, aud the thousands OF
v,stors crowded around the music stand hear tho
lew words winch Mr.. Abraham Lent. the chairman Of
tho Board Of Managers, was to address 10
them. Mr. Lent discharged that duty very
briefly and was, doubt, wise In doing so,
for In the vast crowd round him there but lew
who could hear his words Mr.. Lent alluded In terms
OF sincere gratiucation To the success which had
tended this iar and to the splendid progress which
marked IN the industries manufactures ana agrcui-
cnly applauded, and alter a shoft pause the long
expected event tho distribution OF prices took place.
In former years these announcements were made
verbally, winch no doubt enhanced their dramatic IN
teres but oil late = has been the custom 10 simply
distribute to the exhibitors OF each group the printed
list OF the prizes awarded to that group
THE PRIZES.
Seven hundred and twenty-thrce prizes then
announced to the 900 exhibitors the building.
There seven departments IN the fair, divided
IN seven groups The departments we're rs foiows:-
Fine arts and education; households dress aud audi-
craft chemistry and minernlogy engines ana machn-
cry and agriculture hortl-
culture To OF these forty groups Jury OF
| three was detailed to make the award. The great
modal not awarded al all, probably
cause this beng the very highest przo would set
ali the exhibitors by the ears, and Is remarkable
fact that the managers oi the lar have taken into
such prudent account the terrinc amount OF disap-
poirimcnt and recriminaton which would dow from
It's bestowal that has AS yet never been conferred At
all Of the second prizc, tho "medal OF progress"
MEDAL I'VE; OF the iourln, The ''mcdal OF
perior,ty,n us; Of me hnh, me mccall
OF maintained superiority" tgvcn tor such articles
Ind already obtained prizes al previous iar) four
Of the seventh, tho 'diploma OF continued excel.
lcncc,' three; Of tho eighth the SIMPLE "dploma,"
2ss; and finally, OF money awards Tor pershable
products suea as flowers &c, whose display entails
necessary loss on the exn.bor, lJ2, tho amount Of
thai these money awards were all small, varying from
| 30 TO So
mcnl ana rsncor aed he building after the prizes
had thus been communicated TO the eager throng Of
are disappointed, anu the res. 40 mol OBTAIN as
hgn prizes as they expected, considerable
selmony mus e 90 mae SSs, ana Tso 'r,s
ception OF the awards WAS novcrthcss as good ma
turcd as u could have been expected, and when tho
EXEMPTION wss declared formally closed no demon
STATIONS OF li-wi could he disccrncd. Amer The
formal close the TAR the exhibition continued open
ti halt past ten, when tho Jsnitors closed u
more efficient manor 0y Slowly turning The lights
OUT
In reviewing the attractions Of the fair, which bias
been not only pecuniary, but also great popular
ana artistic success Is no injustice other sx
served feature was The exhibition and test ii the
breaking telephone. telephone wire connected
various rooms aa islands w the sd,ass
between these different points many Of the
visitors had tho pleasure Of testing this won.
OF the lady operators Songs we're sun, at one eud OF
building and heard a. the other, aud all Of
OF Ts s ns
established to = downtown office near the City HaiI
the operator al the latter point favored the visitors
with snatches OF melodies VA humorous Uits OF dls.
losue