The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-12-30
STARK co. AGR'L SOCIETY.
REPORT FOR THE YEAR ENDING 1880.


An E1c lent Showing for Stark Her, industries and
MdnutdctureS The Society Prosperin0 under
Good Aand0emet
The 8lst annual fair Of the Stark Co., Agricul-
tural Society was held September 2S, 20 80, and
October 1st on the Fair Grounds at Canton. The
weather during the fair was cold and the attend.
ance was somewhat diminished on that account
on the first and second days, Nevertheless the
attendance on the third and fourth days was very
large, and with one exception we had very fine
exhibition and was up TO the standard.
The Society had few difficulties to contend
with few weeks before the fair, that threatened
to injure the exhibition greatly. The superin.
endent of Grounds at that time discovered, one
morning, on going to his labor, that the fence had
been torn down and one hundred men with
teams ploWs aud shOv els were tearing up the
earth and destroying the race couIse and evi'
IDENTIFY intending to appropriate right OF way
sufficient to COnstruCl railroad through one side
of the grounds whether the Society consented or
not An lnjunc tion was served upon the officers
of the road aud work stopped but a suit in court
was the next thing to be the cause Of great
amount OF annoyance to the officers, which termi-
mated on the 231 OF September, and verdict OF
VI 500 was awarded for the ground and damages
sustained. This appropriation caused the erection
of nine hundred feet Of fence and the grading Of
new race course to be completed in five days
Our Superintendent proved equal to the under'
taking, and had all things ready for the opening
on September 2Sth, and the Society now hasa raj
road on one side of their grounds, which convey
people to and from the grounds for q small
amount and in that way will prove to be benefit
TO the Society and partly repay for the loss Of one
acre appropriated for that purpose.
The receipts were not equal to that of the year
1879, falling somewhat below, Large expendi-
lures were made for permanent Improvements
among which was the building of new fence,
almost entirely around the grounds and over one
hundred new stalls and the painting and white
washing OF Floral and Dining halls The dec.
OratiOn and exhibition In Floral hall was the only
thing that fell below the standard Our board in.
tend enlarglng their Premium list In Domestic
articles and Textile fabrics aud on the articles
Ilaced on exhibition in the Hall, which will add
o the display and beauty Of our Pail which ,isnow
in very fine condition,
The display in Machinery was never finer, and
manufacturing interests as we'll as In her Agri.
cultural. The number OF railroads centering in
Canton, her County seat, and surrounded as 1t is
with the vast coal fields and other minerals will
bring still more manufacturing industries who
seek the places where cheap fuel and shipping
facilities are to be found. Our mechanical indus
| tries expend millions Of dollars annually In the
production of various machines for facilitating
tightening labor In the Agricultural as well as in
| many other classes of industries, and with these
vast works already In operation and more being
located, the farmer finds ready sale and good
market for all things that he can produce.
The liV3 stock department was never excelled,
! in fact many persons who witnessed the parade
Of Horses and Cattle on the second and third
days Of the Fair, said that they never witnessed
better class OF live stock at any former exhibition
| in our County Stark may well feel proud OF her
| fine thorough bred horses, among which are the
Hombletonian, Norman, PerCheron and Mohawk,
and in her list Of thoroughbred cattle are to be
found the Short Horns, Jerseys, Ayrshiresr Hos'
tines and Durhams. Her hogs consist Of the
Berkshire Poland China and Chester, Our ex.
hibiuon Is confined to our own County except In
Sweepstakes. This may look little selfish, but
as our own County produces as fine stock as is to
be had any where, we deem 1t just to maintain
strictly County institution and all visitors who
come to see the various things on exhibition can
rest assured they are viewing that which is raised
| or produced In eur oun County.
Our membership reached the number Of 46S the
present year against that of 1912 the proceeding
year. brief explanation may be necessary to
account for this falling of. Previous years, on
payment of 81 q card OF membership and six
single admission tickets were given, and as the
single admission was 25 cents, many persons took
advantage and bought memberships and sold
| enough of them and In many cases all of them,
making so per cent. on the investment, and many
succeeded in buying two and more ana would
sell them to perOns who were wanting tickets and
they thus succeeded in making very handsome
profit This year the Board made rule thatonly
four single admission tickets would be given with
the card Of membership, and that checked the
speculation and as q consequence we have not as
many members while the Society gained largely
by making that change,
The principal crops raised In our County are
wheat, corn. oats, hay and potatoes. Never In
the history of our county has the crop Of wheat
been larger and better than it has been the past
season. The crops Of corn and oats were also very
large, while that of poatoer and hay was below
the average Very few Of the crops the past season
suffered with the ravages of the insects, and our
farmers are all feeling we'll satisfied with the
fruits of their labor. The following is table
showing the the number Of entries and awards Of
| nrenniums In the various departments: