The Portland daily press., 1895-09-18


Escapes From Jaal-A Glance Around
the Grounds.
ESPECIAL TO THE PRESS.l
Gray. September 17.-Ihe city people
who come ont into the country to see one
of the prettiest Maine villages, and one
of the best of the town fairs, drive into
Gray on a four horse coach, which IS,
both novel and attractive way to go to
a fair and an app vopriate way, too. 1t
is n drive of three miles from the Maine
Central station wheve you find the coach
waiting you and they are not city miles
either, but those loug country miles,
where you get the full value OF your
money The stage climbs upward 1or
nearly mile but an up lsi1l which IS not
too steep to prevent the four bays Jogging
along at a good trot. At the summit OF
the Hill, the visitor, as the stage swings
around turn in the road hiss spread be-
fore him for miles and miles the valley
of the Royal river, through 'Vhlch 1he
track of the Maine Central wiIns far
away to the east arc the blue hi us when
shut out the view of the sea. Afouho
about on the uplands are the no ines Oh
the farmers of Gray, large houses WIN
larger barns in the midst Of fertile fields
A ride of two miles farther through this
beautiful country naturally leads one TO
expect that the show on the fair groul2os
down in the village will be good oLe,
and in that he will not be mistaken. Tt'e
farmers of Gray who organizRt the Gray
Park Association have been giving ia!rs
for eleven years now and such good fairs
that their fame has spread throughout
Cumberland county so that crowds come
long distances to see the cattle, the bull
exhibits and the racing. The fairs have
evidantly made the society prosperous lot
this ysar it has pu5 up now gfanu
stand. a structure 100 feet in, length, OF
pleasing uesign and capable OF seating
i00O pr0p}e. of whom over 800 may occupy
conlforf:.bie folding chairs with which
the ctntral section of the stand IS 1uf-
nishad lha present officers OF the Gray
Park association are:
Prssidcnt--Wm. z. Haskell.
Vice Presidents--S. l.. Adams, Is. Z.
SkilItngs. g. E. Merrill.
Difec1ors--V. C. Frank, u. 4.
SkiIlings, j. L. Hancock, o. S. Higgins,
A. Il. Merrill.
Secretary and Treaurer-J. W. Stevens.
Division Superintendcnts-G J.
II. Merrill; hail. B. +. Skiilings, g. +.
Csh,b; horses, ]. z. Hancock; cattle, y.
S. Uiggins; tickets, V. Il. Frank.
Th;s Gray fair is farmers festival in
fact as well as in maine. TO it the people
cesna i'll thoir own carriages and the eX-
hia;tcrs bring their stock along with
tha,n. This morning, for instance, one
man drove through the big gate with his
two horse wagon laden with two coops of
hens.an a small boy, the youngster
having in tow reluctant calf. Great
loads of fragrant hay stand BY the cattle
Sheds foe the exhibitors bring the
necessary fodder from their own big
barns. It takes good deal OF hay to
feed.
THE CATTLE
on the grounds, because the exhibit is
large one. Among the exhibitors, Mr.
Geo. e. Merrill OF Gray has whole herd
here. There are 25 head of the beautiful
cattle from Mr. Merrill's Springdale
farm. There are Jerseys, thoroughbred
and grade. Holsteins and Durhanls At
his farm, Atr Merrill has a herd OF 90
cattle. Mrs. c. f. Doughty OF North
Gray has sent a pair of young Jersey
heifers, little beauties they are, too,
which show their breeding in looks and
actions. for they are thorOughbreds. But
it is tie oxen which arc here in force.
W. R. Plummer of Raymond has the
pair which won two blue ribbons at
6orhain last week, one in the class for
oxen seven feet two inches and under,
and one in the small sweepstakes. G. W.
and w. B. Hall of Windham are also here
with their prize winners from the
Gorham show. They have the pair of
three year old steers which took the third
premium there and the big fellows
whicn captured the society's first prize
for oxensover ~ feet and second in the
sweepstakes A Kallock of Windham has
broughf the pair which took second prize
in their class at Gorham. six feet, six
inches ana under. George Hall of East
year old steers, an Ayrshire COW and calf
and full blooded Jersey COW. Charles
Cole of East RAYMOND has large exhibit
for lie has i've yoke of sturdy cattle, SIX
COWS, fifteen sheep and a lot OF pigs on
the grounds. Osman Jordan and u W.
oxen ready for the pulling contests and
John Barstow of North Yarmouth has
pair which attract much attention.
Howard Verrill of Dry Mills is here
with five yoke, Durhams and Helfers,.
H. P Merrill of Dry Mills has several
pairs of Herefords and George L. Mcguire
of North Gray, pair of beef CATTLE S.
W, Foster of Dry Mills draws two .yokes
of Herefords The exhibit OF Messrs.
Morrill, and Verrill while entered by
them individually is really one exhibit
and are exceptionally fine ones.
Gne of the events of the forenoon was
theIexhibitien n OF some of these cattlelWhen
yoked up as town teams, There were
four of these six yoke to team and they
made quite a collection, too. The gray
teams of oxen and steers took the frst
prizes, tho Raymond teams the second
In the GRAY town team of oxen, Messrs
Morrill, and Verrill owned four pairs; /;
and VIM Haskell and Hewett Mcguire
one pair each. The Gray team OF steers
was composed of two pairs owned by j.
G. Benson and three pairs owned by
Morrill, and Verrill. In the Raymond
teams, Osman Jordan, 6. HI. Hall, q. W.
Foss and Vim. Plummer furnished one
pair each of oxen and Charles Cole three
pairs; and Mr.. Cole had two pairs IN the
steer team and Hale Brothers one.
The cattle exhibit had at least one in
tercsted examiner in the person of Agent
Ferry of the society with the long name.
Mr.. Perry was present to see that the
pulling matches during the day were
proplrIy conducted He found every
hing as it should be. An agent of the
soricfv will he present each day of the
IL hal