Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-09-24
FAIR AT SKOWHEGAN.
A Genuine Good Old Fashioned
County Fair.
Good Exhibits Of Stock and Produce
Exciting Sham Battle.
Ed Wilkes and Annie B. Win the Races-HiIl
Close, Today.


yearned for an old fashioned county
fair and is just now having its wishes
fulfilled in Skowhegan. Early in the
spring, President Gould of the Somer-
set Agricultural Society, assembled his
colleagues Of the society and explained
that he was going to hold fair and
this Just suited them all. Plans were
at once made. The exhibition hall was
thoroughly oVerhauled, new floors laid,
the walls sheathed in white pine and
everything put in good order The
races were arranged and the premiums
offered. The long looked for day ar
rived. but an aH-night rainfall which
continued way into the forenoon obliged
the management to postpone their
show from Friday and Saturday until
SATURDAY and Monday.
But this did not discourage the som
erset people in the least. Friday after
noon, many came to find there was no
fair as yet. and Friday night brought
another heavy downpour. Nothing
daunted when Saturday dawned bright
and warm the roads to Skowhegan be-
gan to look like a procession which
came to a halt at the fair grounds.
And still they came. The stables We're
soon full and fences and posts and
trees ana every other conceivable place
was soon the mooring place Of some
horse.
At l o'clock the fair opened with
concert by the Palmyra Band. And
then came a shower of half an hours
duration but every one smiled ana
took things good naturally. especially
the fakir with the load Of mackin-
toshes. 1t was his inning and ne did a
land offlce business.
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III uIue anu lIe DdHu were polh given
royal welcome. Inc people still came
and soon old Sol once more beamed up
on the fair grounds and all We're dry
ana HAPPY asaih' fully looo people
were present m IhlS lliHe ana every
"ile l"uilu S"iIIt lhiIS ~ interest
,IHere We're Jhe elk ana buifaIo from
Merrymeetlng park. the live stock from
all Somerset the hall full of exhibits
and prize pumpkins. the tent shows
and the horse trots and ball games.
Professor Baker was there and made
things lively for the people on the
grand stand seats. The band from
Palmyra was also there and did its
part and 50 was the ball team from
Athens. clad in new uniforms and high
~ confident q winning game. But
they didn't, Of course not. the Skow-
hogan lads beat them by score Of Is
10 y. out II was q good game ana lots
Oh people enjoyed IT,
Inc scores q laklfs frult men,
candy men, the tent shows ana the
small boys with peanuts and those with
countless other attractions We're all
busy and happy time it was. There
was the rustic swain leading by the
hand his fair one. the aged couple and
me small boys. 1es, every one was
there. ana not the least was President
sam Gould. who appeared as much
at home as if in his own law office,
which by IL way IS second to none in
these parts.
The exhibit Of stock was one Of the
pest ever seen here and yet was not
mar as great as it would have been had
the weather been more favorable.
There were big sheep and all kinds Of
sheep but second-class ones. There
were prize pigs and fat pigs. a black
SOW and seven black little pigs, and
other pig families too numerous "a men
49, MI ~
80 "eIe PoiIiVS' co''9, pI"Ou
mares and many others. And cows
without number, There were steers
,,5 ~, 90 ~ -
S1'N JAIL u 81 Sidue9, bIeeuS ana
sizes. There We're prize winners which
were exhibited at Lewiston ana Ban
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