The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1885-10-30
THE FIRST HICKORY FAIR,
FHE ..RANNER: COT NTY NOT TO
BE OUTDONE IN THE FAIR LINE.
Considering that But Few Weeks Pre-
paratiOn was Made the Success was Re
maIka bIe.. CataW ba Not behind.

To The ECHRONICLE:-Catawba ba en- Joys the
envlable reputation of being the banner
Democratic county III The State-havlug
been presented with a handsome flag bySen
ator Vance because of lis devotion To Dem
ocratc principles. Its unwayering devo-
ton TO Democracy is known throughout the
State so well that some Catawba people
began to fear that ii was believed III some
quarters that the chief occupation of the
residents of the county was rearing young
Democrats, entirely neglecting the produc-
tion of other vegetables. Such not being
the case, about the first Of September Mr.
ID. W. Rowe and other gentlemen set in
motion a plan To hold in Hickory a Fair
where the products of the soil anG of the
manufactures, for which Hickory Is noted,
might be exhibited.
How the Fair Originated.
To Mr. Rowe, therefore, belongs the
honor of proposing and starting the Hick-
Ory Far. He, with the aid of Mr.. j. e.
Hall as Director and F. A. Clinard as Sec
retary and others, went to work and had
erected on Mr. Rowe's land, just outside
the town of Hickory, the necessary build
ngs \ race track was surveyed and
graded; the grounds put in proper condi
ton and enclosed; the people notified to
brin-- i'll their exhibits, and thus the Fair
was organized and duly opened.
The FAIR opened October l4th and con
tinued through the l 1th. The premiums
offered were not large but the county peo-
pie, and some from the adjoining counties
brought in fine stock, bright tobacco, &c,
until theie was quite a creditable display,
The merchants and business men of Hick
ory gave literally to the premium Est, es
pecially Hall Bros, A. \. ShufOrd X Co.,
Hall Il BOhaunuE and the Piedmont Wag
on Company.
Fine Cattle in CataWba.
The most gratifying thing about the
Fair was that it showed that the people of
Catawba We're tired of keeping poor, 'piney
woods cattle and were paying attention
to improved stock. Some knew this be-
fore because quite a number of the farmers
had Do...:c~ht fine cattle and improved their
stock, but unit! this Fair it was not known
how largely this had been uCAe.
Home Talent in tho Races.
The races were not without interest al
though there We're no imported chiefs of the
turf CLONE talent" in the trotting and
running line furnished the amusement and
pleasure for the lovers cf the race. And
it was remarked that this was good
feature of the Fair because the people
knew the horses and knew their owners
and were interested to see which would
win, more on account of friendship and
neighborly feeling than from any other
cause. There is something is much
in this idea. Fairs are designed pri
marily to aid farmers in improving their
stock and methods of farming What
profit is it that professional jockeys man
age the races and trained horses from a
distance are entered? Farmers realize
that it would require all their time and
attention to make their horses so fleet of
foot, and beyond the passing interest and
excitement and pleasure, no good is ac-
complished Let the farmers bring their
own horses, the horses they drive,-and
let them do the racing and then just
spirit Of emulation will be engendered and
the stock improved.
What the Ladies Exhibited.
Ever hear of anything conducted sue
cessfully 'thOut woman had something
to do with it," is an inquiry which must
ever be answered in the negative. OF
course the women worked for the FaiI
and talked (they can't help wagglng their
precious tonguesD for it, too. That's why
it was as good as it was. And then they
exhibited crochet work and crazy quilts
and rugs and plaques and embroidery and
fancy needle work and most everything
else woman's deft hands can make. But
they didn't stop there. They made cakes
and crackers and pickles and preserves and
jellies and other good things to tempt the
appetite and make a man break the rule
Thou shalt not cOvet."
What Catawba Manufactures.
There was not an exhibit in the mechan-
ical department manufactured outside of
Catawba a-and the exhibit was highly cred
liable. The Piedmont Wagon Company,
one of the biggest and most successful IN
stitutiOns in the State, frad wagons and
carts and wheel-Larrows and drays, etc.
This company, which does as much for the
success of Hickory as any other establish
ment, asked no premium. 1t took IN ac
tive part i'll getting up the Fair and would
take nothing out of the treasury Ten
such enterprises would make Hickory
city.
The Hickory Manufacturing Company
had everything necessary to make a house
SASH blinds. doors, brackets, mould
ings, etc, etc.
Among others the Marshal Foundry
Company ha plows of all kinds; Mr.. r.
ii. IonlinsOn subsOil plow an,. root cut
ter; Smith and Iount fine walnut newell
posts; Newton Cotton Mills showed the va
rious process of spinning cotton: displays
Of harness made at Catawba tanneries by
Alternately Bros Il Hefncr aid Clement
Gather.
Agricultural Products.
No need to mention them, except to say
Catawba raises finest cotton, brightest to-
bacco, best wheat, uneXccllcd clover. etc,
etc and there were exhibits of all these.
Also fruits of a number Of yarities especi
ally fine apples.
Addendum:
Hall Il Bohannan had the Little
Katie" chewing tobacco OF which the
readers of the CHRONICLE know SO much.
They gave a box of their tobacco to Mr..
r. P. Reinilardt as premium for superior
herd of short horn Durham cattle, thor
ough bred ;,nd registered
"A Y. Sigmon had fine roller mills
flour and A. L. RamSour line burr mill
flour Catawba is great county for
wheat and good biscuits.
"A game Of base ball between the IIick-
orv and Newton clubs bid fai- to be inter
csting, but they had a fuss with the UNI
pire (the old story and the game stopped
short never to go again until'-the next
Fair.
The Chief Marshal, Capt. F. B. Alex
ander. did more than such officers usually
do. He delivered an address admirable
it was, SO everybody says-Friday morn
ing.
1t was the general verdict that if more
work had been done the Fair would have
been a great success. AS it was it was
highly creditable to those who had it N
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