Connecticut western news., 1897-10-07
THREE BIG DAYS.
The Housatonic Cattle Show and

The Housatonic Cattle Show and Fair. i The Seth annual Cattle Show and Fair of the Housatonic Agricultural So ciety at Great Burlington, Mass. last week Wednesday, Thursday and Fri. day was not only tEe most successful one ever held but was admitted by visitors from a distance, who are we'll posted on the fairs held this fall in other sections of the country, to be the best local fair in the state. The fsms of the Cattle Show at Great Harrington has extended far beyond the limits of Berk- shire county and on all three days there was good attendance of people from Columbia county, N. Y, from various portions of Massachusetts and from Litohfield county, Conn. The society was favored with three beautiful days, and the attendance was as large as ever, The total receipts will amount to some- thing over S7, 900 which is about S700 in excess of the receipts of last years | fair.
 The erection of an addition of so feet to the grand stand was very fortunate piece of business; and ss large as the grand stand now is, it was not large enough to hold all the people that de- sired seats on any one day of the txhibi- ton. In fact some three hundred or more people who bought tickets the second day were obliged to stand after | getting into the inclosure in front of the grand stand. In order to have the transaction honorable and satisfactory to every one it appears to your cores pondent that the best way will be to discontinue the sale of tickets for seats on the grand stand when all are taken, or else notify the crowd and let thom take their chances of obtaining sitting. We have been informed that such no. tice was given on the second day but whether this was done or not we cannot say. -r.. ..-.- ... ....
 The three long lines of booths, tents and wagons for shows, fakirs and ped dlers extended north to Brewers steam saw mill, which is the utmost limit of the societys ground in that direction. The rent for all of these brought in a good sum of money and so aided in in- creasing the grand total of receipts.
 The new judges stand, the upper story of which is for the band, Is fine structure, circular in form with glass windows all around which can be open ed or closed at pleasure.
 1 WEDNESDAY the first day of the fair, called Cattle Show day, was somewhat chilly in the morning but before the middle of the forenoon the sun came out and every one, especially the managers, appeared happy. The entries of domestic ani- mals, including sheep and swine, was somewhat larger than last year. Near ly all the cattle were in good condition and this is no doubt owing to the fre- ! quent rains of the past summer which has produced an amount of grass in pastures far ahead of recent years. Year by year the registered or herd book stock comes more and more into promi- hence and even in the divisions not specifically thoroughbred, the COWS. sheep and swine show a large per cent of Shorthorn, Ayrshire, Holstein or Jersey blood. It is also fact that some of these grade cattle-for instance cows-are finer specimens than the thoroughbreds and often quite as valua- ble for the production of milk or butter and finally of beef. The same may be said in regard to sbeep and swine for producing mutt on and pork.
 About as fine looking lot of COWS as usually seen at cattle shows were the fine dairy cows os Holstein blood from the farm of Alonzo Bradley at Lee.
 Of butter COWS there were thirteen exhibitors; and of mich cows, fourteen.
 There were several yukes of oxen, and of these the most beautiful pair of cat tie it has been our privilege to see was the we'll matched oxen owned by W. Fl. Hawley & Son of Sandisfeld. They are four years old and of course they received a first premium.
 The chief exhibitors of Jersey stock and their near of kin, the Alderneys were: F. G. Teft. F. H. Wright, c. Gilbert, H. J MiRnery, all of Great Burlington; D. W. Bishop. Jr. of Lenex, and J. A. Griffsth of Sheffield
 Of Shorthorn stock the exhibitors were: N. B. Turner, Fred Abbey, Aus tin Holian. W. H. Hubbard, al of Great Burlington,
 The exhibitors of Ayrshire stock were w I. Walker and Theron l. Foote.
 In the department of Holsteins the chief exhibitor was AlonZo Bradley, who few years ago made one or more trips to Holland and imported some of the best of these noble breed of Dutch cat tie.
 Merritt l. Wheeler and his son Frank, who occupy the farm short distance south of the fair grounds, which farm has been in the Wheeler family even before the Revolution, were the only exhibitors of Guernsey stock, compria. ing COWS, bulls and heifers In all they had from 15 to 20 head.
 The only exhibitor of Devonshires was Samuel La Prise of Glendale. His pretty COW and bull attracted a good deal of attention. In concluding this brief mention of the cattle exhibit it is only necessary to say tbat the display was good one and all the exhibitors mentioned above received premiums.
 The afternoon of Wednesday witpess ed two trots-of course not extre mely fast but they were just as good by way of amusement. In the 50 class there were but three starters The race was won by Tommy Dodd" bro g, Maude Greenwood of Great Harrington, in three : straight heats. "Sam Steel' b g, F. NJ Dodge of Pjttsfield, came second. witI ''Yindex" blk s, W. Smith of Otis third. Time 2:40-2 :45-2:35.
 In the 2.35 class the winner was : "Quartercup" b g. H. O. Warner oi New Milford, Conn. in three straight heats. "Rose H" b m, G. N Perry o : Cambridge, N. Y. came second and the four other trotters not necessary to men ton were left some rods in the rear The best time was 2:30
 THE BICYCLE RACES.