The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-09-22
The Mortified Fair.

The twenty-fifth annual fair OF the Dog
River Valley Association, held three days
of last week on the grounds at Northheld,
was the most successful and largest attend
ed of any in the history OF the association.
Wednesday, the second day, was a record
breaker, when more than 5000 people were
on the grounds. The weather was all that
could have been desired, and the MANAGE
ment had reason to wear smiling faces.
During the quarter OF century, the life
OF lis association, the style Of the fair has
changed in many ways. In the early days
a fair without q long winded Grafton was an
unheard OF thing, and some local, state or
national celebrity was engaged as orator for
at least q year ahead, The tendency OF Ia
ter years has been toward the race track,
and the interest in this department has
been at the expense OF agricultural and
stock exhibits, and the farm products gave
way to the racing stable. The pendulum is
now swinging the other way, as Is proved
by the splendid exhibit in every depart
ment this year at Northfeld. While the
race track attracted its share OF attention,
it was the cattle sheds. the sheep and swine
pens, the poultry department and floral hall
that drew the largest crowds, and the labor
OF the exhibitors was not in vain.
1t is not the province OF this article to tell
who took the premiums That is seconda-
~ in importance. The fair as whole was
an exhibition in which universal distri-
button OF premiums would have precious
few undeserving exhibits.
The attendance the first day was light
The time was devoted to making entries,
and to the assignment OF stock and pro-
ducts. AT ten o'clock on Wednesday q
grand cavalcade Of all horses, colts, oxen
and steers entered for premiums took place.
During the forenoon brood mares, colts and
working oxen were examined. There were
three Interesting races Wednesday after
noon. Following is the summary:
FaUR-YEAR-oLD RACE.
Klondyks, CHI; 6. F. g. Little. y Montpelier, I I /
su%Ns es ssS B Dr. RsnfUrsh
Mary 8, b.. NJ, N. N. Robinson, Warren, =
Tom Thumb, g..N. P. Wheeler, White River =,
John N. Wilkes, gr. g., W. C. Danforth, Bar -.
Belle Hendee, Oh. M, F. A, slayton, Barre, 5
2:4e RACE
Protest Golden, b. s., a. $; Colby, Barre, . 2 2
Robert re, e. g. g. George Town'hend' Plain .
Towns Patent b. M, F. H. Town, Montpelier,
Gold Mont, b. g., MP. Wheeler, White River .
Ever Glide, b. M, A. Page, South Royalton, 6 S
At half past nine Thursday morning an
exhibition of matched horses, gents drivers
and town teams took place in front Of the
Judges stand The summary OF the races
Thursday afternoon follows:
2:@ RACE.
Richard X, blk. g., A. Paige, South Royalton, j
Green Horn blk. g, +. A. Slayton. Barre, 2
Robert l., or. g., George Townshend, Plain
DANDY D. NJ " Roberts ebert. W Rs,a,Ssld Il
PSiIis B. g., a, F. waterman waterman south Royal
HfSs s;Si 6 II%s y;s;g' H S Colby Barre
sSssaSs S'sSj En- Afis $sss g. RSysisSa
Fase Gss$ Mad st. h m T. f's' fS@n
hB Bsss t ASso! ss & m' H. s. Colby Barre
FREE FOR ALL.
Tom Thumb. b, g.. N. P. Wheeler. White
CTpspgiss,i sh. g:sH; s. Colby Barre, : .
One large shed was devoted entirely to
the feathered tribe. G. G. Paine Of South
Randolph had an exhibit of which he might
well be proud. He showed nearly one hum
bred coops of geese, turkeys, buff-bearded
Polish fowls, with game and white Polish
Spanish fowls, Blue fan tail pigeons, light
Brahmas, game cocks, pigeons and ban
tams. Other exhibitors were A. X. John
son, Northfeld, Leghorns and Plymouth
Rocks; Frank Hazelton, Northfeld, geese;
~. ~. hotu, IlyHOubD hOChb
and Brown Leghorns; w. w. Kibbce, Will
Jamestown, geese, white Wyandots, ban
tams, Langshams and Brahmas.
SHEEP.
The sheep pens came in for a good share
of attention and the fine animals on exhibit
ton gave evidence that wool and mutton
growing is not a lost art in the Green
Mountain State. e. E. Bowman of Rox-
bury showed splendid Shropshires; Henry
Webster of Roxbury, grades; ii. j. Farms
worth Of Braintree, grades; G. A. Clough
of Braintree, grades; Peck & Horner, Rox-
bury, Shropshires; Lewis Stevens, Rox-
bury, shropshires; W. NJ. Pervier, North
Northfield, gades; N. w. Peake, Roxbury,
eve lambs, grades; Frederick Ruiz, Rox-
bury, eve lambs; j. w. Stone & Co., Will
Jamestown, yearling Shropshire grades;
Frank Dibble, Brookfield, eve lambs; H.
lambs; w. o. Shaw, Northfield, Span ish
Merino buck, lambs and ewes.
CATTLE.
The show Of cattle surprised even those
who expected to see first-class exhibit.
The WATCHMAN reporter has visited several
fairs this season, including the State fair at
Burlington, and is free to say that nowhere
has he seen such fine specimens of dairy
herds and working cattle as was shown in
Mortified. W. w. Holden of Mortified
exhibited some twenty-five full blood and
grade Jerseys, and W. j. Plastridge of
Mortified, Holsteins and Jerseys that were
worth going many miles to see. Other ex-
hibitors were f. p. Lamson of Brookfeld,
yearling hefersi Lsmuel Chandler OF Ber-
lin, three-year-old Jersey bull; James
Seaver, Williamstown, beef cattle; III. II.
Martin, Williamstown, a splendid pair OF
working oxen, weighing $500 pounds;
George Il. Martin, Williamstown, working
oxen; Isiah Benson, Woodstock three yoke
of working oxen, one pair weighing 4,4OO
pounds; K. j. Benson, Woodstock, working
oxen; Joseph Baker, Mortified, two-year.
old Jersey bull Emerson Stock farm, Ber-
lin, Ayershire bull; e. T. McCarty, Waits
field, Durham and Ayershre cows and
grade Durhams; d. Fl. Skinner, Waitsfeld,
yearling and grade Guernseys, and four.
year-old Guernsey bull; Aanson Luce,
Montpelier. bull calves and heifers; W. g.
Clark, Brookfield, grade Jersey cows M
Derby, Northfield, Jerseys; M. L. Thomp-
son, Northfield, two-year-old bull; W. ID.
Plastridge, Nothfeld, Jersey bull; g. M.
Erskine, Williamstown, steer calves. The
cattle pens would not accommodate all the
animals exhibited, and, as many were quar-
tered outside the pens, doubtless other
exhibitors cards were not seen by the re-
porter.
SWINE.
Henry Averill of Mortified showed a
white Chester boar; ii. 8. Gldden OF North
IL