The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-12-04
The Proposed TrI.Stato Fair nj StCnhen'
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Inc EEupbNbN
willie.
The Steubcnville people are anxious to
have atri.State fair next fall ,-thatis, a fair
to represent the neighbo ring regions OF
Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio
and they arc OF the opinion that consid.
cradle business bonanza to the city could
be made out Of it. They are, however, as
much puzzled apparently to find q sulta'
BE location for it within convenient dis
lance to the city, as New York is to find a
location COR her proposed Worlds Fair in
1883. New York cannot make up her
mind 10 use Central Park as fair ground,
an d she has no other good place so likely
TO make tho fair a success. SteubenviIIe
has several locations, convenient enough,
that might answer, but the owners either
want to sell or lease them at such rates as
rather demoralize the movers in the fair
business. There is talk Of locating it at
Mingo, but the question is whether fair
at Mingo would be Steubenville fair or a
Mingo fair. There is to be an adjourned
meeting of citizens on the 18th, to come
to a final decision on all the points in
volved.
We have as vet seen no details as to
what the fair is expected to be, but oil
course fast horses are to be its leading Feat
ures. Even tri State fair would not draw
worth cent without the presence OF fast
goers. The presence Of Maud S. and St.
Julien would draw more people to steu-
benville, orany place else, than any purely
agricultural and mechanical exhibition
that could be got up. In fact, the truth is
that purely agricultural and mechanical
fairs have been voted a bore ever since
the Centennial. The people saw it all
all at one time-all that there could be-
that time, and there were not enough peo'
pie left who did not gee that exhibition to
get up an interest in any vest pocket edit
ion oft. But fairs that are understood to
mean last horses arc perennial attraction
to the American people. They are like
circuses, they never wear out. Therefore
il our Steubenville friends expect to make
q success out OF their fair they must pre-
sent the public with bill OF particulars
that ahall have about ninety-nine parts OF
Maud S. and St. Julien in 1t. This will
draw for fifty miles around, Hnd will COM
mand for three days large crowd.
We do not wish to be understood as adj
vising our Steubenville friends TO go into
the business Of opening up race track.
This is not our object. Horse racing is de-
moralizing. There is no question about 1t,
but nevertheless it is the only feature OF q
modern fair that draws. Fine wool, ex.
traordinary pigs, wonderful fowls, new
tangled corn shelters, patent churns, the
uniailing washing machine, and thin
skinned potato peeIers, are all well enough
in their way, and SO are abnormally de-
veloped vegetables, but somehow the
American people have been there too often
aud got fully satiated, and only that por-
ton OF tho country folks who have court
ing and love making business on hand can
be counted on for a reliable attendance
Unfortunately they are not numerous
enough, and also not flush enough in the
matter OF funds, to make an old fashioned
fair pay expenses any longer. Hence the
passion OF the people for excitement has
to be appealed to, and nothing arouses
this feeling like the names Of tho great
thorough breds Of the turf.
We therefore advise our steubenville
neighbors that as long as they are striking
out for bonanza in the way of fair,
that the only chance they nave for a great
success is to make sure Of great display
in the way OF the very best horse flesh.