Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-09-11
OUR COUNTY lI''i.ly FAIR.
An Appeal TO vsapello County

An Appeal to Wapello County
sa People. gag
Without my knowledge or desire
the Directors Of the Agricultural So
ciety elected me its President at its
last annual meeting. ] do not, how
ever, intend on that account to Leo
ture our horny handed agriculturists,
mechanics, and artisans as to their
hon ored callings, which they must,oI
course, understand better that l do.
Our annual Fair will be held on
the Oath to the 9th of this month and
everything has been done by your
officers and Directors 10 their power,
to make II successful. 1t now re-
mains for the people of town and
county alike to say whether our Fair
shall be one commemorate with our
resources and growing importance,
or be an inglorieus flzzle which shall
bring the blush OF shame to every
Wape,lo county man and woman
who visits it.
OF late years bad weather and
poor crops, sided to some extent by 4
foolish feeling between town and
country, have initiated against the
success Of our annual exhibitions, and
they have been notoriously discrcd-
table. They have been in fact fourth
rate shows, in q first class county.
This should not be 90. We ought ei-
Their to come together harmoniouely
and make . creditAble showing Of
the products Of our farms, shops, fac
tories, stores, mises and households,
or else we should 60 ont Of the busi-
ness altogether, hide our heads in
shame, and say that we are ines pable
Of doing what our neighbors al
about us do handsomely and profita-
bly, without having the same natural
and artificial advantages which we
enjoy. I do not want to insult the
intelligence Of the people Of Wapel-
10 county by repeating to them
the automatic fact that wherever
County and State Fairs are maintain
ed with the most unfagging interest,
and flourish best, there you will find
the best stock, grain and all the va
ried products Of mans husbandry
and handicraft and that there you will
also, invariably find the thriftiest and
happiest people and the best returns
for all kinds of labor. You all know
that this 10 90. 1t 10 no excuse to
complain and hold back because the
management IL not always satisfacto-
~, for that is In the hands Of one di-
rector from each township, and II
they are not good and intelligent
Representatives Of your interests, II is
your own fault for not pitching in
and helping to select better men.
The times are suspicious. Provi-
dence has At length blessed your Ia
bors with bounteous crops. Every
man, woman and child in Wapello
county 10 more or less interested in
the success of our fair. The produ-
Ger 10 greatly interested in having the
consumer and manufacturer at his
door, and the manufacturer is equally
interested In locating his capital
among : thrifty and productive class
Of people.
The stereotype remark, for the past
three or fonr years, has been, among
tho disgusted spectators, "Oh, I could
"have> brought something better
" than that, if I had thought Of it."
Let us hear no more of this. Pre-
pare yourselves at once TO bring your
best stock, grain, fruit, manufactured
articles, pantry stores, works of art,
and in fact everything else which
common sense indicates to you would
add to the attractions of the exhibi-
ton, and bring them in abundance,
and if you should not succeed in
drawing the desired prize, you will
have the satisfaction of knowing that
you had aided in getting up an ex-
hibition worthy Of your county, and
one which will ut least indirectly
benefit you all.
Family tickets have been reduced
to 81 for family during the fair.
Arrangements have been made for
camping on the grounds. An album
dance of feed at cost prices will be
furnished. Reduced hack rates
from the city to the grounds have
been arranged. Great caro- will
be taken by the Directors in having
fair and impartial awarding commit
tees appointed. The marshals and po-
lice officers will be in sufficient force
to maintain good order. No improp-
er or illegal exhibitions will be allow
ed and no intoxicating liquors will be
sold on the premises. Each day will
have . fne trotting or pacing race,
for which such liberal premiums are
offered a. will bring many noted
horses to the contest.
And now men and brethren, we
have done al In our power to make
tho forthcoming meeting success.
The rest depends upon you. Will
you como together with your prod
Iucts and let us have general rivalry
for the prize?
| Won't you come out and enjoy
three or four days in resting your
selves, exhibiting your products and
exchanging ideas?
We shall see.
j. M. HEDRIcK,
President Wapell0 Co. Agriculture