Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-09-25
Our County Fair.


issue that the County Fair was a fail
ure under the present management.
We have nothing to retract, but are
going TO answer the slurs we received
from the hands of the Tribune editor;
also make ourselves more clearly un-
derstood in reference to the matter
As County Fair it is proving to be a
failure. In the first place it may be
necessary to quote from Webster, and
inform the Tribune scribe what a fair
Is Webster says: ga gathering of
\ buyers and sellers, assembled with
their merchandise at stated or reg
ular season, or by special appointment,
for the exhibition of wares and the
conduct of business" Our readers
will see by the above definition that
our fair which took place last week
was nothing more nor less, than what
is known as trotting park association.
The officers paid no special attention
to any other department of the fair
than horse racing, that is we are to
Judge so from appearances. The
educational department was failure;
all the vegetables, corn, potatoes,
pumpkins, etc., in the agricultural
department could have been hauled
away in good sized wagon box; take
all the other departments, the same
meagrs aspect was presented. There
was no speaker, no base ball game,
no match team exhibit, no display of
manufactures, stock or wares; a num-
Der of head of cattle and this was all.
1t was evident on the face of things,
that the officers had their attention
taken up with the horse races as they
offered 81, 900 in purses ranging from
$50 up to $3.50. The fact that they
took in 81, 1927 is no reason to offer.
that as fair, it was success, especi-
ally if they pay out in premiums and
purses more than they took in. You
might just as well tell us that a gam
ing table is success because gamblers
make money; or a house of ill-fame is
success because its inmates accumu-
late money. The financial success Of
the association is no evident reason
that as fair it was a success. IF
the intention is to make a trotting
park association of it, why then let's
have it so, and then truly, it will be a
success and the people will not be mig
lead as they are when you call it an
Agricultural & Mechanical fair. We
have large number of citizens. espec-
tally among the ladies that wouldn't
cross the street to see a horse race,
yet while you call it fair they are
mislead by the name.
Wo don't desire to detract one iota
from the honor the officers have OBJ
tanned in bringing the County Fair to
successful issue as trotting associa-
ton, but yet, those who love better
things are entitled to hearing. If
the president and treasurer take of
tense and feel hurt from what we have
said and do say this time, all we have
to offer, is that it is not provoked
from any personal feeling We have
against them, but that it comes from
knowledge obtained from men and
women in conversation while on the
| fair grounds and the facts in the case.
To read the insults we recei We from
the Tribune, from time to time,
strangers might think we were guilty
of the grossest crimes and had no
right to find fault with any public as
ISOLATION, or officer in trust, especially
if we thought he was neglecting his
trust as an officer of that association.
The truth of the matter is, the TTib-
asne editor would allow anything to
transpire or take place, in our midst.
without finding a word of fault, for
fear he might lose few paltry dol
lars. Thank God, we don't live alone
to worship the Golden Calf" but to
do good, if possible.
A. L. FONTAINE.