St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1890-09-25

and the large fund was used for put
ting up the new buildings which are
ample in size and models for exhibi-
ton purposes, and also for building
the new Axtell track which is the
only one east of Buffalo and which
experienced horsemen predict to be
the fastest in the country. With
such enterprise and inducements
nearly everybody expected a large
display in all lines of exhibition and
a crowd to see and enjoy the fair.
The display was all that was expect
ed and the crowd much larger thai
was anticipated owing to the most
unfavorable conditions of weather.
Preparation day, Tuesday, was a
fine day which WAS most fortunate
for the exhibitors and the public as
well, as it would have been inpossi-
BILE to have arranged and placed in
their proper places the large amount
of stock, machinery, vegetables, etc,
in a rainy day. But nearly every
thing was in order Wednesday morn
ing, and the fair opened under the
most suspicious circumstances, but
L u
down in torrents and each succeed
ing day was rainy. Yet notwith
standing the rainy weather the
crowd numbered from six to eight
thousand each day The plucky Yer
mont farmers were bound to see the
fair, and they found that the exhibit
ton as a whole was one of the best
and probably the best, both in abun
dance and quality which was ever
held in Vermont, and had the weather
been propitious, the fair would have
been a phenomenal success financial
ly. AS it is with the most unfavor-
able weather, it will pay all bills and
have small balance in the treasury"
From the Farmers comments on
the show of horses we take the fol-
lowing:
1.-The show of horses was excellent
but with less of the pure Morgan
types than have been shown at the
state fairs on the west side of the
state. This may be accounted for
from the fact that for many years
the most noted horses of this popular
breed have been owned in that sec
ton, while on the east side for some
unaccountabler reason the most noted
breeding stock has come from the
Hambletonian and Clay strains. BY
this we do not wish to be understood
that there is not first class Morgan
blood on the east side, for there is
plenty of it, but it needs develop
ment Much of it is being crossed
h al
bers of the Wilkes family with the
best results. The most noted Nor
gan representatives from the west
side were Aristos and his promising
son Tamberlane, owned by Lester
Fish of Rutland, and some fine repre-
sentatives of Ben Franklin stock
M ost of the colts of all breeds on ex-
hibition were in fine condition and
were greatly admired by all whether
lovers of horses or not. Mr.. Billings
of Woodstock showed Kentucky
Belle, 2 %, and Star Wilkes, highly
bred and promising colt two years
old. The children, and in fact the
older ones too, enjoyed the four-in
hand pony team from the Billings
farm and the spotted pony team.
While the rain seriously interfered
with the races the second day and
made the track heavy the succeeding
days they were quite satisfactory to
the people and several of them were
very exciting. There seemed to be
more honest driving for all the horse
was worth than is usually seen
when noted trotting horses are
brought to state fairs. Whether this
was due to the new AXtell track or
to a general disposition of fairness
horsemen, or to both of these
causes, or something foreign to them
we have no means of knowing, but
by the public. At first
thought it seemed as if the new bal
loon shaped track would not be so
popular as the common round half
mile track because the people can not
watch the work of the horse as close
ly without the aid of a glass, but
after becoming a little accustomed
to it one rather likes the straight
track in starting and finishing a race
and the loop seems admirably adapt
ed to scoring and pulling up at the
close. The track is very popular
among horsemen. Among the noted
horses at the fair we might mention
Solicitor, Westmont, Bay Wilkes,
Low Hamilton, Mack, and a score
Of others who are getting gamey
stock for those who know how to
patronize good stock horses"
The Farmer pronounces the show
Of cattle 1.-The finest ever seen in the
state"