The Portland daily press., 1885-08-27
TIE STATE FAIR.
improvements at the Grounds in
Lewiston.


Yesterday upon the invitation of the man.
ayers of the Maine State Fair party of
newspaper men met in Lewiston and in
spected the improvements made on the
grounds at that place. The party was COM
posed as follows B. f. Briggs, Auburn; 2.
A. Gilbert, Turner; G.. L. McCleery, Boston
Journal; Mr.. Thompson, Horse Breeders
Monthly, Canton; Benjamin Moore, Arson
Advocate; D. Fl. Knowlton, Franklin Jour
nal, Pennington; Geo. H. Watkins, Oxford
Democrat, Paris; A. G. Tenney Brunswick
Telegraph; S. L. Boardman, Home Farm,
Augusta; T. E. Calvert, Lewiston Gazette
Mr.. Staples, Lewiston Journal; F. G. Fassett,
Portland PRESS. Every attention was
shown the party by the officers of the asso-
citation. The list of officers is as follows:
President, Hon. Rufus Prince, South Tur-
ner; Secretary, A. L. Dennison, Portland; ;
Treasurer, Col. H. S. Osgood, Augusta !;
Trustees, Col S. j. Jerard, Levant; Alonzo
Libby, Saccarappa; BENZ. Hilton, North An
son; n. S. Allan, Dennysville.
After dinner at the Dewitt House, the
party was taken to the grounds in a barge
and an hour and half was spent in looking
around the premises and noticing the many
Improvements and additions. The immense
grand stand erected at the side of the track,
where an unequaled view of the races may
be obtained is the first thing that commands
the attention of the visitor. The structure
is built in a substantial manner and rests
upon rock foundation. 1t is 500 feet in
length and forty feet broad, with seating
accommodations for 5000 persons. Chairs
will beIused for one-third of the seats. The
lower story, beneath the seats, is to be used
as large hall for the exhibition of agricul-
tural implements. In the second story will
be bed rooms, each II by IL feet, sufficient in
number to accommodate from 300 to 500 per
sons. There will also be commodious
restaurant and ladies' room in the build
ing, making it one of the best of its class in
the country.
AT the grove, two restaurants have been
moved across the roadway to make room for
the campers and a substantial building % by
40 feet, three stories in height has been
erected for the keeping of forage.
The main exhibition building has been
righted and other injuries inflicted by the re-
cent cyclone, have been repaired. The
building is 40 by $50 feet, three stories in
height and with some $500 square feet of floor
space. An elevator built by Fields and Graz
shaw of Lewiston has been placed in the
centre of the building to be used in carrying
both freight and passengers 1t has lifting
capacity of one and one-half tons and is pro-
vided with Safety apparatus beside being
built in the best possible manner. A forty
five horse power engine will be put in to run
the elevator and furnish power for the
machinery on exhibition. This year the first
foot Of the building is to contain the butter
| and cheese exhibits and the heavy imple-
ments. The second story will be devoted to
the county exhibits, machinery in motion,
and the exhibit from the Aroostook region
which will occupy an entire wing. The
third story is to contain the genealogical,
vegetable and bee exhibits.
The track is in good condition and is daily
used by the twenty-five or thirty horses now
at the grounds getting in trim for the races.
In the inclosure, comfortable seats for 400
persons have been built around the space
reserved for the pulling tests by oxen. This
is a somewhat new feature and one sure to
be appreciated.
The dormitory building for the accom-
mediation Of exhibitors is in readin ess with
quarters for $50 men, and it is proposed to
have the grounds lighted by electricity
Beside the improvements and additions
mentioned above there are great number
of those little things which while too numer-
GUS to be mentioned will all serve in render
ing visitors comfortable and their stay on
the grounds enjoyable. Active preparations
have been begun for the fair and large
force of men is employed in grading the en-
closure and making ready the grounds. All
the buildings and in fact everything about
the premises look neat and attractive. With
it's forty acres of enclosed ground, unex-
celled facilities for the sightseers and the ar
rangements for the care and exhibition of
stock, the grounds are unexceled and are a
credit to the association and its manage
ment Although it is yet early the outlook
for this years fair is bright and the event is
expected to be in every way su ccessful. The
fair will be from Sept 21st to 18th.