The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-08-28
.THE EIGHTH State FAIR.
The Annual Exhibition Opens
on the Island Grounds.
THE RACES TO OPEN TODAY.
Attractive aud Novel Features OF
Displays this Year-Thc Cattle,
Horses, Swine aud Sheep.
Additional Exhibits.

Yesterday was the opening day of the
eighth annual fair of the West Virginia
Exposition and State Fair Association,
and like all opening days OF previous
fairs it was one more OF final preparation
than anything else. This morning, how
ever, will sec about all the exhibits in
place and the fair as whole will be
found complete and interesting. lna
majority Of the departments the exhib-
its are more numerous and varied than
heretofore, and in none is the showing
made at all inferior to what the people
have been accustomed to seeing in the
past.
Exhibits OF all kinds were arriving on
the grounds almost constantly yesterday,
from early morning till after dusk, and
the superintendent were kept on the
steady jump finding places for all that
came in. Fully one-half OF the exhibits
in nearly all the departments were de-
layed in arriving by the damage that
was done to the railroads and highways
by the recent storm, and this made the
opening day somewhat more chaotic
than usual and necessitated the doing OF
some extra work last night. The show
ers that prevailed in the morning also
served rs somewhat OF drawback, but
everyone kept up good spirits, and when
the sun came out in the afternoon and
the grounds commenced drying out fast,
everyone accepted it as an omen OF good
weather for the balance OF the week.
The indications are for favorable wealth
err, and that is all that isneeded to make
this years fair the best the Association
has ever given.
THE LIVE STOCK.
As has always been the case here the
greatest demand for space has been in
the live stock departments II was
thought last year when additional stalls
and pens were put up that enough nc
commodations had been provided to
suffice for the exhibits liable to be shown
here for several years TO come, but this
year the crowdingis just about us great
and it has been found necessary to put
the carpenters ut work to provide quar-
tiers for the animals. The horse show
this year is Just about double whatsit has
been in the past. Every one OF the sta
bles is filled and about fifty cat
tie stalls have had to be
boarded up and transformed into
stables. By this morning there will
probably be over 200 head Of horses,
counting those in both speed and class
departments. There are some splendid
specimens in this collection, and horse
lovers will find in it enough to interest
them all the time they are at the fair.
There are TO be found handsome road
sters, sleek animals for carriage and gen.
eral work, splendid Clydesdale and other
draft breeds and the ponderous Per-
Cheron and Norman draft. Then there
are the racers-trotters, PAGERS and the
lean mettlesome runners, looked after by
their owners and the grooms and drivers
as carefully as though they were babies.
The stables arc always one OF the most
attractive points and they are especially
so at the fair this year. i.
GiG HOGS AND LITTLE PIGS.
The swine department is another de-
partment Of live stock that shows an in
crease over previous exhibits, and with
the increase in number there is u
noticeable improvement in the breeds.
All the swine pens have been filled, and
those intended for sheep encroached
upon. Usually swine do not possess
much interest for any except farmers,
but this year there are nearl y dozen
filters OF little pigs that are MS cute and
lively us those OF more clcanly quad
rupeds. They play like SO many kit
tens, and afford amusement for all who
watch them.
The indications are that the sheep
pens will be as well filled us ever by this
morning. Yesterday the showing was
little slim, but late last night there
were a number OF arrivals in this de.
partment. American Merinos are in the
majority, rs usual, but there is fairly
good representation from the improved
Black Tops, Delaine Merinos, South
downs and other classes. The wool ex-
hibit is small and disappointing. In a
section OF country like this it should be
large and attractive.
The cattle department will not be as
large as it has been formerly, but what
there is, is fully up to the high standard
OF excellence that has always been main
tanned in the cattle department Of the
West Virginia State Fairs. 1t may be
that there will be arrivals to-day that
will make this part OF the show as large
as formerly. The Holsteins and Alder
neys are the best represented, but there
can be found some fine Devons, short
horns and other breeds.
SPECIAL FEATURES.
The judging OF the various classes is
announced to begin in all the live stock
departments at . o'clock this morning,
and will probably continue till some
time Thursday. The showing and judy
ing OF the animals in their respective
rings is always an interesting part of the
fair. On Thursday and Friday, "City
Day" and school Day" there will be
grand cavalcades Of all the class horses
and cattle at 1890 o'clock each day.
The State exhibit by counties is not up
to what it was expected to be. The rea-
son for this is that nearly all the exhib-
its were blockaded on the railroads
somewhere by the damage done to the
roads by the flood. They are expected
on every train, and before the end of
the week this part OF the show will, it is
hoped, be one OF the most attractive on
the grounds. In machinery hall there
is varied assortment OF machinery,
which, when put in motion, will be Il
popular place Tor sightseers. The U. S.
experimental agricultural station is
about all set up, and it is boundt TO prove
a pleasing and novel feature, especially
for the farmers and their families.
CATS AND DOGS.
The poultry department, with its dog
and cat annex, will be good attraction
from the start to the finish. The ARR.
walls of cats and dogs yesterday were
.....n...... n..n.,..l. L. ..,nl... Al.nL ....L