The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1883-09-26
What Others Say.

Brother Tinkham went to the Loring-
Needhsm show at Manchester. He tells
us that the bluster about the immense
number of cattle entries was all bogus,
that "the entries of cattle were said to be
about six hundred and fifty, but there
present, as we counted. We are confirmed
in this by some talk we had with
Worcester man, in which he set the num-
Der at the same figures, and added that
the least they had at Worcester was seven
hundred, and had had as many as eight
hundred and twenty-five"
Regarding the " side shows" Mr.. Tink-
ham says: "a complaint often Justly
urged against fairs has been the quantity
and Objectionable quality of the side
shows and gambling devices allowed on
the grounds. No such objection can be
urged against this fair. 1t had no side
shows, they were the central attraction.
The great central space was devoted to,
and filled with the various tent shows
which in other fairs have been called
side shows the skeleton man, the liv-
ing mermaid snakes, live Indians, negro
Ministries, big hogs, animal monstrosities,
etc. There were the rings to be thrown
to secure valuable watches and pocket
knives, balls to be thrown to gain cigars
and half dollars, there again were en-
velopes with numbered cards calling for
various sums of money from one to fifty
dollars to be drawn from box contain
ing them with a few hundred others
and the whole Infamous category of
swindles; and of this display we counted
between fifty and sixty exhibits
The Rural New Yorker, referring to
the same article, says: "The only really
desirable spot on the grounds for the ag-
ricultural implement display was, as is
usual with this society, rented out to
snake-charmers, fakirs, auc tioneers, muse.
ums, and, in short, any and all schemes
that the INSCRIPTIONS could invent to
catch the unwary aud unsuspecting. For
the past four years the writer has mr.
gently advised this society to close its
doors against these despicable tramps
and to depend upon the patronage of the
New England people for their support,
rather than to cater to the wishes of
these disreputable people; but the cray
ing for the almighty dollar renders
them deaf to all promptings in favor of
good management, and thus the old ruts
are trodden still deeper year after year."
The discomfort of the fair ground from
dirt and dust is denounced by all. Mr..
Tinkham says: SIN short, for thorough
discomfort from dirt, stubs, the allpen-
etrating dust, it was far in advance of
anything we had ever before seen, and by
three o'clock, with eyes, nose and mouth
and lungs filled with dust and sitting
down the back of our neck, we got away
from the grounds up to the city, to visit
them no more this year, no, not for
money"
The Rural writer says The soil is
sandy and light, and after grubbing out
the roots and trees and burning off the
rubbish, it presented rather an uninviting
appearance for the meeting of this soci.
ETY.. To say that everything and every
body were completely enveloped in dust,
ashes and the black remains of the burnt
earth, would be drawing it very mildly"
These are impartial writers, and from
their description it is evident that, agri.
culturally considered, the show of the
Great Agricultural Commissioner was
both fraud and fzzle.