The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-09-22
A DAMP OPENING.
Ducks Alone Thrived
at the Spencer
Fair.
HON. JOHN |. BATES WAS THERE
Double Days Program Will
Be Crowded Into To-
days Events.
HON. JOHN |. BATES WAS THERE

Spencer, Sept. 21.-With the single ex-
ception of good weather the Spencer
Farmers and Mechanics association to-
day furnished everything to make the
18th annual fair shining success. The
hoodoo which has persistently pursued
the Spencer fair for the past few years
was on hand today, older and stronger
by experience, and he got in his best
work and to such a damaging extent
| that the officers are thinking of holding
an investigation to see if Secretary H.
H. Capen is the hoodoo i'll luck having
started at the time he started in office
as secretary.
1t was a miserable day for the fair,
although it looked early in the morning
as if the weather would be fine, but
| threatening showers before noon kept
the attendance down and sent to their
| homes the enthusiasts. The rain kept
up until O'clock in the afternoon, when
old Jupiter Pluvius decided he had been
working overtime and quit, but not be-
fore he had succeeded in demolishing all
the first days sport.
| 1t was ideal weather for ducks, and
| they were on exhibition in goodly num-
bers, but the ducks were the only liv-
| ing creatures on the grounds that
| looked as if the weather was agreeable.
Tomorrow will be busy day at My
| rick park, for the trotting events sched-
uled for today had to be postponed and
the card for both days will be crowded
in tomorrow. The officials will have
| lots of work to do and they purpose to
get at it early. Aside from the racing
events, the rain did not interfere to
any great extent with the rest of the
program as premiums could be award
ed as well as if the day was perfectly
dry. But it did interfere greatly with
the associations treasury, and no mat
ter how great the crowd is tomorrow,
| it is hard to see how a large sum of
| money will not be lost.
Indications were that this fair would
be a record breaker. This forenoon a
huge crowd gathered at Myrick park
to be scattered like chaff before the
wind by the rain. Under circumstances
as they existed credit is due the asso-
citation and the men in charge for do
| ing as we'll as they did in the face of
such a disappointment.
The exhibits are considered among
the very best in the history of the or
ganization. A fine line of horticultural
and agricultural products was greatly
admired in the big exhibition hall, and
some of the exhibits were models of in
genuity Prominent among these was
lounge fashioned out of flowers and
owned by Mrs. G. H. Wilson of Spen-
GER Fine exhibits of agricultural prod
ucts raised from the Essex fertilizer
were made by Agent H. w. Loring of
Shrewsbury, and Col. Samuel Winslow,
proprietor of the Stone Wall farm of
Leicester.
One special feature attracted much
attention. 1t was some corn shown by
Mr. Loring, which in rs days had grown
125 inches, or l $40 inches a day. The
collections of embroidery and needle
work, as well as fancy work and quilt
ing, were exceptionally good. Speci-
mems of drawing and handiWork from,
the D. P. H. S. elected their share of
admiration, and the fine specimens of
potatoes shown were well nigh wonder
full in view of the fact that the weather
conditions of the early season nearly
proved the ruin of the potato crop.
The exhibition hall was thrown open
| to the public early in the forenoon, and
attention was divided between this and
| the tests which were taking place
Mares and colts, working steers and
working oxen, draught and farr
horses, were made to go through then
PAGES and show their capabilities, and
with satisfactory results. All the cat
tie were, as usual, judged today, and
nearly all the herds were taken away
this evening. The honors were cap
tured by different towns, Barre Plains,
Charlton and Sutton being in the lead.
Sagendorph of Spencer, and Richardson
of West Brookfield shared the honors
in the poultry exhibits.
| Because of the presence of Hon. john
L. Bates, speaker of the house of rer,-
resentatives and candidate for lieu
| tenant-governor, the dinner was the
chief attraction of the day. Speaker
Bates won hearty favor with the crowd
of about 200 people present, but Gen.
| Guild, who speaks tomorrow, will have
| a much better chance to win supporters
in this vicinity. AT the guests table
were seated Austin F. Adams and wife
| of Barre, Walter B. Mellen and wife
of Brookield, George P. Smith of
| Switzerland, state delegate from
| Hampshire county, president of the
| Spencer Farmers and Mechanics $3.50
citation, E. Harris Rowland, G. N.
| Prouty, H. H. Capen, Rev. r. E. Smith.
and wife of Spencer. President How
| land introduced Rev. Mr. Smith, who
said grace, and the president also in
| troGuced speaker Bates, VINO was en-
| Enthusiastically cheered.
| MI. Bates spoke of legislative matters
and Of the bearing agricultural societies
| have on the welfare of the common
wealth. His remarks were compare
| lively short, and were listened to with
| interest.
Perhaps the herd of cattle that at
| tracted the most attention was a fire
line Of pure bred Belted Dutch animals.
| owned by S. F. Marsh of Sutton, which
captured prizes by wholesale.
| Some excellent racing is expected to-
morrow and lots of it, though the Off
Gals are somewhat worried that they
cannot go through all the events. But
| few fakirs were on the grounds, and
| the games allowed were of a harmless
nature. Plans were made to be on the
watch for pckpockets, who have beer
doing a big business at the county fairs
| this month, but Spencer was singuiarly
| free from them.
| In the various tests, prizes were
awarded as follows;--
Glass 1--Plowing with oxen, first, L. w.
| & C. N. Turner, Charlton; second s. f.
Marsh, Sutton; third, S. f. Marsh, Sutton.
Boys blowing with oxen, first L. w. &
IC n. Turner, Charlton; second, H r.
Nichols, Charlton; third, S. f. Marsh,
Sutton.
Glass 2-Plowing with horses, first, F. L.
Batcheller, sutton; second, o. W. Wilson,
| Spencer; third, S. F. Marsh, Sutton.
Glass 3-Working oxen, first, L. w. &
IC. N. Turner. Charlton; second, j. w.
ton; Working oxen, four years old, first,
| j. w. Davis, Charlton second, S. r.
Marsh; Sutton; third, l.. w. & c. N. Tur-
ner, Charlton.