The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1885-09-17
MINNESOTA STATE FAIR.
The First Exhibition ON tho New FsiI
GrOuntls-Satisfact IN ct0ry In Most Respects.

MIN NNLkCU1A D1d1L Il Alns
The First Exhibition ON tho New Fail
-Satisfa ctory In Most Respects.
The first fair on the new grounds given te
the state by Ramsey county, midway be
tween st. Paul and Minneapolis, opened
under favorable conditions. The railroad
arrangements were nearly perfect, and left
nothing to he desired in the point OF acces
sibility-trains running from Minneapolis
and st. Paul, and from the grounds tC
these cities every fifteen or rtwenty minutes
and transporting the thousands who at
tended without complaint from every quar-
ter. Trains ran TO the heart ofthe grounds
The grounds elected general praise. They
are admirably fitted for the purpose al
present, and susceptible OF holding any.
thing that will be demanded by the future
growth OF the state and the magnitude oI
any exhibition that may be desired. From
elevated points on the main building and
from the racing stand, most beautiful
and extensive landscape meets the eye in
every direction.
The buildings are OF the best character
The late poor house, almost new, ol
brick, contains a large number oi
rooms for the offices OF the
Society and for storage, etc. The most
striking features are the immense amphi-
theater at the racetrack, the cattle, horses,
and the main exhibit building. These
must be seen to be properly appreciated.
The first object that attracts the atten-
tion OF the visitor, even before reaching the
lair grounds, is the main exhibition build
ing, which is situated on high ridge, max
ing it IA very conspicuous object. The i'm
mense dome, surmounted by a huge flag
can be seen for miles from any direction.
The building is in the shape of a cross.
there being four wings, which lead toward
common center.
The building erected, and at future fairs
to be used as machinery hall, is this year
given over to the railroad exhibits, and is
occupied by the Northern Pacific, St. Paul,
Minneapolis & Manitoba, st. Paul & Du-
luth, and Chicago, Milwaukee & st. Paul
exhibits. The eight large barns for stock.
are commodious and present a fine appear
ance. There are a number of other build
ings for dairy products, poultry and various
other things and handsome buildings, for
machinery, etc.
On the first day most OF the exhibitors
were on the ground. but, as usual, there was
all in place, but machinery and many
other things were not in working
condition, and the attendance was not ex-
cessive. Before evening everything was in
its place and the exhibition fairly opened.
A mere catalogue OF things to be seen in the
main building would fillcolumns. General
ly, they were exhibits of trade from st.
Paul and Minneapolis; embracing every
thing of use and convenience in housekeep-
s,xv vx11,, L
building is hardly as large as it should be,
necessitating the crowding OF some OF the
more important exhibits into small spaces,
the display is a magnificent one rejecting
great credit on the different enterprising
firms contributing to make up the general
effect.
The building for railroad exhibits was
thronged with people. The best display,
and also the largest, is made by the North
ern Pacific road, though the others were
not far behind. All were arranged in the
artistic and elegant style familiar to all
who have attended previous fairs.
One OF the principal features of the fair,
which was a center OF attraction to the ma
iority of visitors, waa the cattle exhibit.
So numerous were the entries in this de-
partment that the managers were forced to
build two additional barns, making six in
all which l--O<~a ~ -siiis part Oh Iue
ItllT. III tul6 ueHaTtlutlU Uuc cAnlDltlOH OI
full-blOod Shorthorns, Devons and Hol-
stems is larger than ever before, and the
feature OF the department is the herd of
fifty head, including Shorthorns, Polled
Angus and grade cattle exhibited byJ. j.
Hill OF st. Paul. The cattle exhibited by Mr..
Hill are not entered for premiums. There
were about four hundred in all, embracing
Shorthorns, Devons, Devonshire, Angus,
Swiss, Herefords, Jerseys, Dutch Fresians,
Holstein Fresians, etc. From morning un-
til eve the stables were thronged with prac-
tical farmers, stock raisers, and those who
eel an interest and admiration for fine an
imals.
The horse department was also made
very attractive by the entries from a num-
Der OF the most prominent stock and breed
ing farms in the west. In addition to
this, the high premiums offered for thor
oughbred horses and mares and draft
horses has added materially to the number
OF entries, and made the exhibit nearly
twice as large as at any previous fair held
in the northwest. Among the breeds were
Clysedales, Normans, Pecherons, English,
French, and blooded animals of all the ia
vorite strains.
The poultry show was not extensive, but
it embraced specimens of all the fine and
common breeds, and attracted much at
tention.
The sheep pens are commodious struc-
lures, adjoining the cattle barns, and con-
tanned several valuable and pure bred ami
mails.
The dairy building, fifty feet wide and so
feet long, had two entrances, was lighted
by windows that extended completely
around the building, and constructed with
especial reference to the needs of those who
occupied it.
In the center was a mammoth refrigerator,
or, more properly a cold storage room,
having plate glass windows on three sides.
Within this refrigerator are the butter ex-
hibits, consisting OF prints jars, firkins and
score OF ornamental examples wherein
fruit, flowers and berries are counterieited
in every essential save color, some of them
most beautifully wrought and fashioned.
The hall devoted to the exhibition oi
horticultural agricultural, pomological and
floral products, while not as imposing as
Others in close proximity, is one Of the
most attractive on the grounds and well
filled. As "a specimen OF this department it
is enough to say there were 376 varieties oi
potatoes.
The horse trotting, as usual, attracted
horsemen and others. The time OF all was
in the thirties, and therefore nothing ia
boast OF.
The second day. Tuesday, was rainy and
Of sunshine and pleasant weather, it was
not n success. The rain came in sheets,
and from the forbidding aspect ofthe clouds,
looked rs il it had come to stay. Races
were postponed, and only two hundred
were in attendance besides those necessary
TO the care of the stock and the grounds
The committees were at work however,
and accomplished a good deal in the way
of determining awards.
The third day, Wednesday,, was bright
and sunny, but the track was muddy and
racing was given up. Not less than seven
thousand people were comfortably seated
in the amphitheater at 2 o'clock, when ii
was announced that there would be no
races, owing to the condition OF the track.
The sights and scenes were fraught with
all the interest that attaches to the general
class OF these events. More genial skies,
and temperature tempered to the con.
ditions OF comfort, were the instruments oI
attracting within the gates q crowd suffi.
cicntly large to give an animated and
picturesque appearance to the grounds.
There was the hum Of machinery and the
sound ot many voices in laughter orspeech.