The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-10-18
EXPERIMENTATION.
CONTRAST BETWEEy THE FAIRS OF
THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE

q -
CONTRAST BErWEEy THE FAIRS or
THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE
The Exh,b,ts OF rif,y Years Ase that were
80 Cnnssderea Inportnnt or rnterestine-Ths
=" STRIDES OF skill ana IsHenuity suggest
Various Possibilities OF the Future.
Tho contrast between the present exhibi-
ton. which Is the sixtieth. of the American
Institute, and that OF half oentury ago IL in
teresting and instructive. The progress In
agriculture. commerce, manufactures. and arts
has been SO great and tho absence Of articles
that were considered important formerly is
80 noticeable that even an ordinary observer.
aftor few thoughtful moments, can realize
tho immensely OF the strides and appreciate
the excellence Of tho results OF skill and in
genuity in many domestic industries.
The fair OF 1871 was one OF the most fmpor-
tant exhibitions in tho history OF the Institute.
1t was tho fourteenth fair. and tho general in
terest manifested before the opening Indicated
that IL would be the great fair. An net to pro-
mote agriculture had been passed that year.
and the Institute considered itself honored by
being embraced in II and entitled to particle
pate IN Its benefits. In an address to the pub
tic Tho Board OF Managers announced the In
tention Of tho Institute to make the fair tho
biggest OF its kind In order to encourage
agriculture and horticulture by directing pub
llc attention to particular objects. the
Institute offered a gold medal. In addi-
top to tho ordinary premiums. for the
best assortment Of agricultural labor-saving
machines. The particular object was to ex.
cite competition among tho largo dealers in
order that the farmers might have an oppor-
tunity to see oil tho varieties and learn their
purposes. For the most complete assortment
OF horticultural machines It offered gold
n1ednl also. Many new and convenient garden
implements had been produced which were
far from being universally known. It offered
two medals and Il diploma for the best
plouyhs Special efforts were made to excite
competition In the exhibiting OF silk roels.
looms. and twisting and spinning machines.
the culture OF silk being an important subject
under consideration at that time.
As almost every inhabitant was "a CON-
suner OF stockings. although tho value con-
sumed by a single individual was small" It
was doomed wise to oirer gold modal for the
best stocking loom for families. cheap. not
liable to get out OF order. and simple In its
operations" 1t was believed that with perfect
loonas the spare. unproductive female labor OF
the country could produce full supply. 1T
would be q favor to them almost beyond appre-
citation to bring into use loom conforming
to the above description. and 1t would afford
an item Of much consideration to our national
wealth and independence" Butter had this
paragraph: The importance Of this article Is
SO universally acknowledged that no comment
is required. It Is capable by skill In the proc
ess Of making. Of being greatly increased in
value. and Of becoming commodity OF extern
slve commerce and Of adding essentially to
our national resources"
The managers selected two branches Of
nnnuiaetules- ,woollen. and hardwaro-ss
ca ming m ,H and Ss[ea goa 70 u MEDALS
~. 'o.. ~ .ne hianu' ,,:, o. woonees
so Of s the had nd
triumphantly supersodins foreigners. who had
thought desirable to present inducements to
ss'as to the Wow Of ths pas,,e aisplay q the
had reached. The perfection to which very
perfection Of SKIN, which ordinarily is attained
sn5 Sns sas been and 81 e% and I'd
Sur inEsnious lntrymen." Assortments Of
rot ssss ssssSs the
TSe S c UNA steaMships had only ' besun to
run. The Atlantic cable wAa not laid until
1857. Tho Groton aqneduot had not been com
irst steam are eneine n New York Was buiit
that year. Goid was not discovered in Cali.
patented only two years. The ppoduction moi OF
dSguerrotype plates had been announc.
@er o1hY yd 'T oen years. inxentad o s,es hrns
Years. "1 Cutlery had bcen manufactured IN
this Sountry only seven years. Pins with solid
street railroad In New York, from tho city
Hail to Fourteenth street. had been in opera
made IN New YorE only two wears: and @nn
cotton. dynamite. and fhousands OF nrticies
that are familiar NOWADAYS we're unknown: