Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-09-19
Leroy Street Fair.

Was a most remarkable aggregation
of the varied products and industries
of the locality. Its display of vege.
tables was very fine and the exhibitors
were quite numerous. @. III. Meredith
of Chester, had splendid display OF
choice garden seeds grown by him at
Chester. He took the first premium
for the largest display, also 32 first
premiums on individual articles and
one second premium. He showed a
hubbard squash that weighed over SO
pounds, and banana melon 2 feet
and inches long.
B9nts & Upton had on exhibition a
quantity of choice vege tables and Sc
lection of choice fruit and were
awarded second premium, the first
going to the Jewell Nursery of Lake
City. The premiums offered were for
the largest display.
L. V. Stillwell had 8 varieties of
apples, varieties of grapes, with
plums and other fruits making as fine
a display, for small one, as was on
exhibition.
The relic department was in charge
of L. j. Bisnop, among which was a
veterinary lance for bleeding horses
used in the army of Napoleon in his
celebrated Russian campaign termi-
mating with his Waterloo. Nicely
framed was copy of the Vicksburg
Citizen of July 2, 1863, ]. NJ. Swords,
proprietor. A large solid silver soup
bowl over 100 years old and2 bed spreds
of like venerable age,a case of relics of
the late war belonging to Mr.. Bishop,
consisting of his army spoon used
while in the service, cap box, rebel
bullet, a genuine confederate bill and
silver watch found on the battle
field. Among the relics was a wooden
army canteen, made of slaves, on it's
head being the figures of the date
1860; evidently burned into the wood
when made.
The ground floor of the opera house
was used as the place for the exhibi-
tion of the needle work and fancy
articles exhibited and the works of
art that were shown. The fancy
needle work largely exceeded what
was shown at our county fair and was
equally as good. The display of
canned goods was large and evidently
good, the paintings numerous and
many of them worthy of exhibition
anywhere. The culinary skill of the
ladies was amply attested in the large
display of bread and cakes on exhibi-
tion.
The live stock exhibit is said to
have been good but a half day on the
grounds was far too short a time to
allow us to see the other exhibits and
that also.
The free street fair as witnessed at
LIE Roy possessed several advantages
over the ordinary county fair. The
exhibits and the people attending are
in the town and among those who
have contributed their money to the
enterprise. Every store and public
place is open for the reception and
welcome of those attending giving
ample opportunity for those who are
fatigued to sit down and be rested
privileges not enjoyed upon the fair
grounds, distant from these conven-
fences. 1t gives the merchants and
business men ample opportunity to
meet and mingle with the people
without being far distant from their
place of business, with an opportunity
to display their goods and wares to as
many as may call at their stores.
Instead of opening up booths and
places to feed the hungry throng far
away from the town they are fed and
entertained by the class which has
subscribed their money or property as
premiums to the contestants, and who
of all Others should derive whatever
OF benefit comes from the attendance.