Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1886-09-09
THE STATE FAIR,
The Magnificent Showing Of Iowa
Productions.



morning made things look little gloomy for a
time, but that soon cleared away and the rush
was only greater during the afternoon. The
streets leading to the grounds were crowded
all day long with wagons of all descriptions
loaded down with articles for exhibition.
Many Of them we're from foreign exhibitors,
though these were mostly shipped by rail,
freight trains running to the grounds con-
stantly through the day.
The Exposition building was found in the
hands of swarm Of workers and the bare
walls were rapidly poisoning into beauty
under the artistic eye Of its overseer. A large
number of the exhibits for this department
were on the ground early, and it was evident
that q lively competition was quietly in pro.
gress between the aspiring exhibitors as to
who should have tie best showing. Rich as
has been the display in these lines before, it
will all be outdone by this, the firms and artists
already represented warranting this asser-
ton.
The Floral Hall was rapidly filling up with
floral treasures from all parts of Iowa, many
of them being Of unusual beauty and variety.
The Agricultural building was found to be
rather behind the others in preparation, but
the directing eye Of the old Superintendent,
who had left his sick bed in orfer to sec that
his department was not left ir The rush.
But 1t was in the machinery department that
the busiest scene of the day was found. When
the ground was laid of, it was thought enough
was set apart to answer this department for
years, but few days after work was COM
menced sufilced to show that their calculations
were entirely at fault. Addition after addition
has been made, and still the demand for more
room continues, and the buildings have al
ready encroached upon that portion Of the
ground set apart for the poultry.
The stock show will also be fully up to any
ever given before, and in many features will
exceed all previous showings. Enough stock
was entered yesterday to insure a splendid
exhibition, aud the speed entries were all that
could be asked.
SECOND DAY.
Dies MONIES, Sept Avery incoming
train during the entire day brought its load
of visitors and their exhibits and train after
train loaded down with stock and various
articles both curious and valuable rolled out
to the grounds. In addition to these the
local exhibitors kept every conveyance that
could be engaged busy with their goods, and
they formed long procession stretching from
the grounds to the city on all roads and lasting
from early morning till late hour Of the night.
They gave to the entire scene an air Of ANNA.
ton that was greatly enhanced by the
rapid moving army of exhibitors who had
taken possession of the fair. As direct con-
sequence the lists OF entries had swollen last
| evening 10 nearly 1000, the most by far that
had ever been made for corresponding time
| for fair In Iowa.
The Exposition halls, under the skillful
hands of artistic exhibitors, rapidly assumed a
beauty that would hardly have seemed possible
| from the broad expanse Of bare walls that so
| shortly before had stared in the face Of the
visitor. In none of these was the change more
apparent than in the main exposition building
where every available spot was being filled
with choice treasures. Last year, on the old
grounds the society was taxed to its utmost
for stabling for the immense number of
horses, cattle, etc., that was placed on
exhibition, so, when the plans were
made for the new ground, what was thought
| to be ample accommodations for the horses,
ETC., was made. In order to take care OF the
| horses ten barns were erected with a capacity
of 800 horses-not including the speed stables
and last evening every stall had been taken
| At the cattle stables-with $50 stalls-the same
| reply was given, and the Superintendent of the
| Swine department informed us that more than
| LOCO animals had been given quarters and
more were arriving every hour. The sheep
and poultry entries were larger than for any
former year up to the hour Of closing the gates
last night, and no doubt they will be largely
increased before the closing of the entries.
THIRD DAY.
Dies MONIES, Sept. 5.--The Sunday services
on the fair grounds were threatened by the
| gloomy appearance in the morning, but the
rain which fell only put the grounds in better
condition. The clouds soon cleared away and
the day turned out to be splendid one.
| Nothing happened to mar the day, and 1t was
| not until late that the crowd dispersed we'll
| pleased with their visit to the State Fair Of
| Iowa at its new home. The attendance was
the largest ever known at the Sunday services
| and could not have fallen far short of 10000.
! The beautiful grove Immediately in the rear of
the Agricultural Hall had been fitted up for
| the religious exercises Of the day. spacious
stand being erected and seats furnished for all
who would attend. Here promptly at o'clock
gathered one of the largest audiences that
ever greeted a speaker in Des Moines to
welcome the eloquent DIR. Fawcett and enjoy
| his address upon that occasion.
FOURTH DAY.
Dies MONIES, Sept. 6.-The weather was all
that could have been desired. The excellent
prospect for fine weather had an immediate
influence uponIthe crowd and they commenced
| to pour in from the surrounding towns on the
earliest trains. Many of them were loaded
down with these visitors and all had their full
quota so that the streets of the city presented
lively appearance from almost daylight A
great many had come in during Saturday and
Sunday and they soon helped to swell the
crowd so that the city began to assume fair
like appearance. Monday is always regarded
as the regular formal opening of the Fair as
an exposition and many Of the visitors were
especially anxious to be on the grounds at
that time, consequently the trains were filed
and the attendance was large from an early
hour in the day. No time had been lost from
the Saturday before and it took but few
minutes to discover that wonderful improve.
ment had been made everywhere. The halls
we're filled and their exhibitions all in place,
the stock was arranged and ready for the
sight seers, the machinery ready to roll in
short the fair was ready to begin.
| Precisely at o'clock in the afternoon the
judges appeared in the stand and called up the
chariot race, which was the first on the pro-
gramme Mr.. Mcdonald who furnishes Roman
chariot races always has fine horses and the
trial Of speed was a good one and won by Mrs.
McDonald-time 102.
The first trotting event was for horses that
had never beaten GAS, In this class there
were four entries and four starters-Black
Jim, William K, Perlcles and Senator N.
Black Jim won the first heat in 1891; the
second In 2:451S and the third in 2:4414.
The second trotting event on the programme
was the three-year-old cold stakes, and the
stakes closed with seven entries-Mascotte,
Annt aI~1sIx -