The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-09-30
CHILDREN At THE FAIR
The Interstate Grounds Throng-
ed With Little 0nes-Fine
Machinery Display.
Special to me Jersey CITY Nssss.

TRENTON, Sept. 30, 1S96.-f there were
any children In Trenton that did not re-
port at the Interstate Fair yesterday,
it means that juvenile population of the
place is greater than the census indicates.
President John Taylor and Secretary
Muirheid were disciples of Saint Nicho-
las and were the good patrons of the
children of the county. The gates were
thrown open as wide as they could be,
and all the little ones, good or bad, were
hidden to the great fair without money
and without price. The leaden skies
did not keep any Of them away. They
had explicit confidence IN the weather
man.. that he would not ruin the only
free racket in the school calendar Of
the State. They did not trust in vain,
for there were intervals of clouds and
sunshine until the time when school
children generally turn their face home
ward, and then Jupiter Pluvius chased
the patrons Of Saint Nicholas into re-
tirement and the children scampered for
home, willing to take a wetting.
There Is a very wise head back Of
all this generosity, for while the children
are admitted free, their parents and
friends who look after them settle at
the usual rates with the gatemen, and
there IS a net profit just the same.
The schools are all closed and the par
ents who not provide for the trip to the
fair experieneesa day of juvenile horrors
that Is not easily forgotten. While chill
dren pr~edominated everywhere there were
lots of adults on hand, so that 10000
people furnished excitement for one
another. While the kirs generally
separate the farmer from his cash, the
free buckwheat and the samples
of chewing gum and picture cards fire.
quently separated the child from its par
ents. 1t was then that the patriarchal
old gentleman who presides over the police
court, like a good Santa Claus that he re-
sembles, connected the buckwheat cakes.
mamma. Esquire" John Matheson will
some day get a monument and it will be
erected by the lost children whom he has
returned to parents.
The day was eyentless except that
the judges announced the winners of
the prizes for excellency in penmanship.
In the Woman's Building on the upper
walls, were several hundre specimens
of handwriting which were placed in
competition by the children Of New
Jersey apd Pennsylvania. The prize win
ners were all on hand to get their re-
ward.
The most important event Of the day
49, ILo1a otRdl w III Z
the entry list of hogs was increased by
eight. They were the tiniest little
.squealers'' ever shown on a fair ground.
and as playful as kittens. Her ladyship
was proud of them and was not at all
disturbed by the crowds that continually
called and offered Fluctuations.
Franklin Dye, secretary of the State
Board of Agriculture, with a committee
of that body, were at the fair inspecting
the live stock and other exhibits that
particularly interest the farmers. The
committee was unanimous in their opin-
ion that there Is no exhibition in the
country that excels this for the high
quality of the exhibits in all the depart
ment of live stock. 1t Is ahead of any
thing in the line Of agricultural machines
and there was not even as diversified an
exhibit at the Worlds Fair. Several years
ago the agricultural machinery men en-
tered into a compact not to show at the
country fairs. bur after one years trial
they decided that they missed too good
an advertising opportunity to let the Tren-
ton Fair go by. and the exhibitions were
resumed with more. vigor than before.
The result is that the area taken up with
moving machinery is five times greater
\ It was three years ago. and it is a