Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1897-09-30
WOODSTOCK FAIR.
WINDSOR cOUNTY'S SD ANIMAL
EXHIBIT THE USUAL SUCCESS.

fienty OF Exhibits in Most Departments
Good Weather Brings Out a Big At
tendance.-Exciting Races, Especially
the 2;iO and Free-lor-alI.- IsradIaus h
stock Makes Good Showing.
Not single thing was wanting last
week to make the SD annual fair of the
Windsor County Agricultural association
at woodstock success. That prime req
uisite, good weather, was served in the
best OF form. There is always plenty OF
interest on the part OF exhibitors and the
public and unless rain interferes the at
tendance is always large. Wednesdays
crowd numbered over 5000 and there was
also big turnout Thursday.
This fair is one OF the best conducted in
{ Vermont. The grounds are convenient
and easy OF access to the village, being To-
Gated near the Billings estate. The build.
ings are large, numerous aud well planned
and everything is kept up in the best OF
shape. The society is differed by workers
whose business ability, as well as deep in
terest, are forcibly demonstrated at each
annual recurrence Of the exhibit
Speaking OF the fair as a whole this year
Brother Perkins OF the Rutland Herald.
whose heart still beats warm to the neigh
borhood OF his old Pomfret home, we'll
says:-
aThe show is of the class with which
people have long been familiar genuine
exhibit of the products of the farms In the
vicinity, OF remarkable excellence and com
peteness. Almost every class is filled at
these fairs, from crab apples to ox-yokes
and driving horses, and this is true every
year. As one observer expresses il, The
I - a4.ae. l. f.su =. A. 4.
kind on earth that strikes twelve every
time, and it strikes louder and louder as
the years go by
The first fair was held directly in the
village, with the machinery, fancy work
and odds and ends in the old court house,
while the stock was scattered about the
park. The organization was intended to
include the whole county and the fair was
moved about from year 10 year, but tie
thing constantly gravitated toward Wood
stock, in ten years or so became located
there and finally became the owner OF the
grounds it uses. Here it has had loog-
Continued success which is, perhaps, with
out parallel among things OF the kind.
The fact Is well settled that the Windsor
county fair is certain TO be a handsome
success both as an exhibition aud in re-
speet to attendance, subject only to the
weather. With so many agricultural asso.
Citations coming and going and having all
sorts OF disasters, il is worth while TO ask
why this old institution goes so well. Il
can tell We one thing bout it, said an old
farmer TO whom spoke atout the matter,
I'VE tend 10 bizness ourselves and eallate
to do what's right. What vast Old Abe
said about gov'ment for the people ? !
tell We, this is a fair OF farmers, for farmers
and bv farmers An we don't mean to hev
no gum games, nuther.' II is true that
the thing is managed by farmers. The
clerical officers are usually village men,
hut the substantial management Is ana al
wavs mas been in the hands OF the sub
stantial farmers of this section. The soei-
ety has upon one hand no large town up
on which to draw for attendance, and up
on the other has no city management To
make the farmers suspicious and ieslous.
And the society's bailigick has come TO
be the Quechee valley instead OF he wnole
OF Windsor county. The fair is MAIN
tanned chiefly by Woodstock, Pomfrtt,
Hartford and Bridgewster, with somethi
from Plymouth, Reading, Hartland and
barnard Oae thing which has tended
strongly to keep the fairs up is the socie'
TVS habit OF meeting all obligations
promptly For instance, when bad wealth.
or left the fair accounts with the balance
on the wrong side OF the ledger years ago
some OF the leading men in the society put
their hands in their own pockets and palu
ali obligations, waiting Tor suecesslul
years to get their money back. Anothef
Thing is the careful observance OF law ana
order. The crowds at the fairs observe the
most a absolute decorum and disorder OF any
SORT is ninDed in the bud in the most Wig
orous manner possible. There is always
genuine purpose to enforce the proniblto-
~ law on the ground, and the liquor trai.
6e there never gets beyond a very smah
and surreptitious hip pocket business;
Petty gambling hells, such as dlsgraceu
the Rutland fair, are absolutely unkhoMn WI
here. They would not be tolerated py the
Community for an instant, and II the socl.
etv management went into cahoots WIN
gang Of pamb biers and took part OF the
6Iunder il would be everlastingly damheu
and almost mobted.
With all the rest there should De liSn lS
toned the social side OF the fair mere, 4 ne ne
people who attend ii may hea,iy 49,.
reckoned in one community, Win noo
stock as the center, and to all these iarhl
ers the fair makes the one great holloay OF
the year with the opportunity 70 meet
lois ~ ola friends. The custom OF orlng-
inc lunch has grown up in recent yesr
almost everybody brings lunch-ane
noon Of the second day there i p.sia,ais
= 80 H., make a man stare. lndividuals
aat innch alone. families with hall uoAen
children sit on the grass and eat toge'neI,
whole neig ighborboods JOIN IN IoISes az az
are iolly, and pie and endless gooo queer
is everywhere" ii =, ,-osaic
words what can be seen at ialt S IA
WoodstocK's, where so much OF the p5991,. Pc !.
nct OF mind and hand, factory ana neiu .
Floral hall was packed with exhibits ann
s,ili further packed with people eip9mi5,g
each other to get sight st then, H ,,Sr,1
every one as remembered hy preins,u.' ls..,.
~ so,,ae sort. ..iust to pay 'em for orlng
Ing in the stun" But i was nearly Tse ya;sl sil
s,-6rsbv and nobody complained; Inc n.s els-
NoI.ns -,,ss ..a,,sirsI instrumsnts by q. X. Bey-
ply p.ss ~ ~ iebanon attracted much atteni9n' %
specially bis sspSsS@s 9Ss sBs FgoMsli glaRGlii' s smith
NJ heAss As.s',,ssst6ck showed handsome furs. =.
a spesT's display Of parlor and cham 1s ao,,. D1l
furniture also moved much favorso'e oo'"'
'iiTgs Tbe horse exhibit was perhaps , not ~
70 me usual standard, but those prssyb1's Ipsorsb's
we're well worth seeing. ". =, ~ sisiiions
p-adlangh took first premium oa sss,.sad s.s,,.Ss5
1';ss Diss,~ .oI5s for the sixth time. Msteoeo
,sa;rs ~ drivers. E. F. Fsles, Isl ,i5-
~ 90