Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-10-06
AGLANCEBACKWA WARD
DEVELOPMENT or rHa AcRlcuLTU-
RAJ AND MECHANICAL SOCIETY.
The Ola Grounds and the New-Bits Of
Hissory-The First Fair-Many
vic~issItudes.

" OElklnnA " ~
einia State Agricultural Society compare
with the present Exposition-Grounds
about as the first locomotive ever made
compares with the present mogul engine.
Nevertheless. in both cases tho one is the
evolution of the other. and the old Vir-
ginia State Agricultural Society was itself
evolved from an aggregation of the local
agricultural clubs. societies. and cattle
shows which existed throughout the State
prior TO 1852. The first annual meeting
OF the Virginia Agricultural Society was
held in the hall of the House OF
Delegates December I6, 1852. and the first
president of the society was Edmund
Rufin. The organization then numbered
339 members, aud IL had in Its treasury
S268. At this meeting the constitution of
the society, which had been previously
drafted by tho Executive Committee, was
adopted. IL was resolved that a circular
be sent to at least two persons IN each
county asking them TO solicit member
ships, and apetit:on was drawn uppraying
pecuniary assistance from the Legislature.
subsequently, q bill granting S10,0 0 to the
society passed the Senate with only one
dissenting voice. but for some reason was
not acted upon in the House.
THE FIRsr FAIR.
The first fair was held October %, 1859,
in what is now known as Monroe Park, the
city Of Richmond having furnished these
grounds and fitted them up with sheds and
stalis. at a cost of about $4,000, and
tnrned them over 10 the Executive Com
mittee of the society "to be held and Used
by them for the purposes of said fair and
as long as the society may desire to retain
them for that purpose" At the an-
nual meeting of the society held
during this fair the membership was
at least 1000. and the treasurers
report showed some $4,000 in band.
Great interest III the society appears to
have been awakened at TINS gathering.
MANY gentlemen arose and gave III tIelr
names as life members of the society;
some also put down the names OF their
wives, sons, and daughters for life men,
bership, and others pledged their counties
for specific subscriptions to the perma-
nent fund. The individual subscriptions
were numerous, and some of them very
liberal for those days. Warwick 81 Banks
dale contributed $4,000; Philip ~. George
Cooke, a sum equal If not larger; Will
loughbv Newton, $500 John T.. Ballard,
$500, and many others IN proportion 10
their means. The railroad companies
caught the contagion. and made pubic
announcement of the remission OF charges
on animals and articles sent TO ana re.
turned from the exhibition, ana most OF
them also remitted the fare OF the men,
bers of the society. i
Tie old Fair Grounds prope covered
seven and ive-tenths acres, the same area
embraced in Monroe Park, and was bound
ed by what are now Main and rankin
and Belyidere and Laurel streets. The So
ciety, however. rented from nelghbOrlng
property-owners, for q horse lot" the
vacant space on the north side OF
franklin street extending TO Grace and
ct present included in the two
blocks between these two streets and
Laurel and Belvidere. To the grounds
there were two chief entrances, the pTln-
cipal one facing Main street and the other
Franklin, but the gates to the latter re-
NAMED open when fairs were not In pro-
gress, so as TO afford o uublic highway out
towards Aliens farm. now the site of the
Lee monument. In the extension was To-
Gated the race-track.
There were no buildings OF any size on
the grounds except the sheds, the proml-
nent EXHIBITS being made IN tents. as
shown in the cut we PRINT this morning.
The largest of these tents was about the
size of one of the circus canvases of to-
day.
DIFFUSION OF USEFUL KEowLEDGE.
The object Of the society was, however.
not merely TO have an annual exhibit of
agricultural products and stock for say
the Executive Committee IN their report
of October o. 1853.
ne CONSTITUTION VI the hOcltlN ItpulItS
the Executive Committee to invite gentle
men to furnish communications on such
subjects of practical and scientific agrlcul-
ture as they may deem important; to take
charge OF and distribute or preserve all
seeds, plants. books, models, DC, which
NAV be transmitted to the society, and to
take charge Of all communications de-
signed or calculated for publication, and,
as far as they may deem eXpedient, col
lect, arrange. and publish such matter as
they shall deem best calculated to pro-
mote the objects of the society,""
In 1855 the membership of the society
had increased to upwards of 1900, of
which number / 800 were life members. 1t
will be readily seen THAI a body was thus
constituted which was unwieldy and en-
tirely unfit for business, and as a conse-
ouence the constitution was so amended
as "A form for the legislation and govern
ment of the soclety-a Farmers assembly
composed OF representatives OF the men,
bers. In 1860 the Farmers Assembly was
dissolved and Its faculties and duties re-
United 10 the life and qualified annual
members IN general meeting assembled.
TIE FIRST TROUBLE
From 1858 to 1853 the society continued
TO hold Its fairs in Richmond, but in the
last-named year it was decided to give the
next exhibition at Petersburg. This caused
some feeling in Richmond and led 70 tho
organizations of the Virginia Central Agrl-
cultural Society The new organization
purchased sixty-four acres of the Scott
estate. the present Expositlon-GrOunds,
and as a charter was not procurable at the
time, Messrs. w. IL. Mcfarland, James
Lyons, and Sherwin AcKae gave their in
dlvidual bonds tor the amount OF the pur-
chase-money. The Virginia Central Agri-
cultural Society held one independent fair
and one Jointly with The Virginia State
Agricultural Society, the latter being here
IN 1860.
OF course all operations were suspended
during the late civil war. Most of the ro-
cords and papers of the older society were
burned at the evacuation 'of the city Ia
April, 1866, but III October. 1866. its Execr-
tive Committee held a meeting and re-
ported that the society had S59,250 o.
ante-bellum State bonds ana $4,000 of war
issue.
In tho meantime the heirs of the Scott
estate were urging the settlement of the
Mcfarland, McRae, and Lyons bonds. and
in 1868 these gentlemen were relieved by
the Virginia State Agricultural Society's !
purchasing the grounds of the Virginia
Central Agricultural Society. A sufficlency
of the State bonds referred to were sold,
and ST., 1913. 33 paid for the property,
leaving IN the hands of the treasurer
$15.65O of the old State bonds. S6,6l0 of
funded interest bonds, and $500 accrued
interest.
VARIOUS yICIssITCDEs.
The first fair after the war was held in
November, 1869, and after that exhibition
the society passed through various Viclssi-
tudes and financial difficulties. In Jan
uary, 1882, the Executive Committee re-
ported that the property of the society
must be sold to pay its debts unless GER
tain arrangements could be made, and
later IN the year the city of Richmond
loaned the society $50, 900, which was Sc
cured by a deed of trust on ITS property,
and it's debts, amounting to S29, $50. "a.
were paid with the money thus obtained.
In 1885 application was made 10 the
General Assembly for pecunisry and. but
this application was not granted. and in
January, 1888, 1t having been determined to
capitalize the grounds and property of the
society for the purpose of making an ex-
position, the passage of an act of the
Legislature incorporating the Virginia
Agricultural and Mechanical Society was
secured. Immediately thereafter prepare
tons were begun for the first Exposition,
which was held in the fall of 1888. About
SII2 600 WAS sDent in a~rectInc tho prasent