Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1900-09-11
MARATHON co. FAIR
A GRAND SUCCESS.

The county fair of last week was a
/ the closest to perfect ideal county fair
of any ever previously given in the
county, and there is no one who hesi-
tates to endorse this assertion. 1t is
thirty-one years ago since the first fair
was held on the grounds, and annually
since that time fair has been given.
True, it has been up hilDwork at times
to get together enough farm produce,
stock, ETC., and sufficient attractions to
to have good fair, but the people of
the county have had an opportunity to
visit home fair every year up to the
present time, if they cared to do so.
There has been a steady improvement
in our fairs for good many years. and
gradually have been added new and
convenient buildings, among which are
large wing to agricultural hall, and
three fine barns; one has twenty stalls,
another thirty-two stalls, and the new
one, built the past season, is little
ahead of anything in this section of the
country. 1t is about thirty feet wide
and eighty feet long and has eighteen
stalls on each side and a wide, aisle
down the center.
The writer, as one of the directors of
the society, opposed the building of
the new stable, thinking that the society
could get along for another year or
two, but President Quaw and Secretary
Wright insisted that it was needed and
a majority of the executive board and
officers thought so, too. When the plan
Of the barn that was in Sam Quaw's
head began to take shape, and was
finally completed, we all wondered how
the fair was ever run without it, and
now we are in favor of adding just such
a stable each year until the old sheds
are all done away with. Besides the
stables, there are eighty stall sheds, be-
sides there are: dining pavilion, poultry
house, covered sheep sheds, pens for
swine, and barn room to accommodate
all the race horses that may attend our
fairs or race meets. We also have the
fastest half mile track in the state, and
grand stand that is beauty. All
buildings are painted red and kept in
good condition, and it is the opinion of
every visitor that our grounds are the
handsomest in Wisconsin. This year
there has been so much rain that they
are especially attractive, and the great
pine trees were the source of much fav-
orable comment The judges, who
came from the University Experiment
Station, made mo bones" in saying
that they had not attended fair in
Wisconsin that had the accommoda-
tions that we have here. The great
success this year is owing to the untir-
ing efforts of President S. Nj. Quaw
and Secretary L. K Wright, and for
which they deserve great credit
AS a whole, the weather was Just
what it ought to have been. There was
little rain, but it come early in the
mornings and seemed to be timed to
lay the dust and give fresh appear
ance to the trees, grass and shrubbery.
Every afternoon was warm and full of
sunshine. The sightseers went over
early and from 8 A. NJ. until p. NJ the
grounds were filled with people, and
they did not bother with lunches, but
partook of noon-day meal at the
dining pavilion, which was in charge
of the ladies of st. Elizabeth Society.
Here meals were served fit for kings,
and how they ever made anything at %
cents per plate is conundrum.
The first day, Tuesday, was given up
to entries and no admission fee was
charged. Wednesday, Thursday and
Friday, the attendance was the largest
ever known, excepting for couple of
years when from 50, 900 to $1,000 were
hung up for the speed program. 1t will
place the society in good condition
financially, though much had been
spent the past year, and it was not
expected to more than come out even,
if they did that,