The Republican journal., 1882-10-12


| Nothing succeeds like success. we are told ::
| but our Monroe friends reached point this
| year where success was embarrassing. With an
established reputation for making good dis
| play of stock and agricultural products and
for furnishing spirited trotting races, the Wal
| do and Penobscot Society has attracted each
| year an increasing number of visitors. They
were favored last week by exceptionally fine
| weather, and the result was a crowd which over
| taxed the resources of the managers and MARI
| ed the enjoyment of all. The races were de-
| laved, and serious accidents occurred in conse-
quence of people crowding upon the track
| This must be rectified in future if Monroe
| hopes for a continuance of the liberal patron
| age she has received on these occasions OF
course everybody ought to know that in getting
| on the track they are placing their lives in
| jeopardy. as well as violating the rules: but
| the fact is that there were not accommodations
| sufficient for half of those present to see the
races comfortably, if at all. The grand stand
| should be extended TO three times its present
| seating capacity, and although it is usual else
| where to charge for seats we think it would be
| wise move to make the seats free, rescryng
certain portion of the stand for ladies and
their escorts If provided with seats there
would not be 50 many people TO rush to and
fro the track, and there should be 3ffi-
Gent police force to put stop to the practice
altogether. Then there would be no difficulty
III starting the races promptly aud no accidents
to report. The society also needs more room
for exhibits The small bu;lJintrs
used for the purpose are wholly inadequatc
1t was almost impossible to get into thcm and
once in, the crowd was so great that nothing
could be seen. The present structures might
be utilized wings to Il new main building of
two stories in height. 50 arranged rs to show
the products of the farm, garden and house
hold to the best advantage. If the society was
poor and in debt We should not make these
suggestions. which are offered in a friendly
spirit. That the future prosperity of the ~ocie-
ty depends upon improvements in the direct
ions indicated, we are fully assured
Our own fair held in this city last week also
calls for comments. In certain directions it was
a success. The exhibit of stock was unusually
good. Indeed, we are assured by competent
Judges that all our exhibits were superior to
| those shown at Monroe, and that the lrottng
| races Were far more interesting than those our
citizens drove thirteen miles to witness last
Friday. But when We compare the attendance
and receipts of the Monroe and Belfast fairs
there is a marked difference Everybody under
stands that the Waldo society is handicapped
by the errors of the past and has to encounter 4
good deal Of prejudice which the present mana
gers had no part in creating. It must live that
down and enlist the sympathe> and secure the
| cooperation of the people generally before if
can be really successful. This year ii made Il
bic mistake in not properly advertising he baby
show. The money expended on posters and
hand-bs is practically thrown away Several
hundred people who would have visited the hall
did not know the day OF hour for he baby show
and 50 remained at home. There is no reason
why the announcement should not have been
made week, beforehand. The gentleman who
oiiiclatcd as manager was not aware that Ms
services We're needed until he SAW his name on
4 poster. Had he been notified in season he
could have filled the platform with babies and
the hall with people, and the result would have
been large increase in the rex enue> Of the So
ciety.
1t should not be a difficult matter to get-up a
| creiitable hail exhibit. our local manu,actur-
! er> should be waited upon. Matthews Bros.
might furnish specimens Of the fine work they
turn out for costly buildings at Bar Harbor and
elsewhere The shoe factory. the axe factory.
The foundry. the marble and granite works. and
| many other industries might be represented.
making an exhibition which would be a. inter-
esting to most of our citizens as to strangers.
The local artists should be given n place. 4 de-
partment might be allotted to cllrioS. our Nor
chants would no doubt he glad To exhibit sam
pies of their goods. The attractiyeness Of such
an exhibition would depend largely upon The
arrangement of the articles and this should be
| entrusted TO competent hands. The fair this
year was sufficiently successful to encourage
the society to make further EFF rts, and next
year we hope to be able TO report a big show
and large crowd in attendance.