The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1900-09-21
THE COUNTY FAIR.
One of Most Successful Exhibits
Ever Held.
A Large Crowd, Large and Excellent
Exhibits, Blue Earth Fruit Re-
ceives a Boom.

The Blue Earth county fair for 1900
is thing of the past and was most
satisfactory one to both people and the
management. Tuesday the outlook for
successful fair was most dismal
one. But Wednesday came clear and
bright, with the long heated spell at
an end and the atmosphere of a genu-
inc Minnesota bracing quality that
put everyone in the best of humor
The fair managers have reasons to
congratulate themselves on it's success
full outcome. They have been unceas-
ing in their efforts to make it an inter
esting and instructive occasion and
nature seemed to be with them in the
work. Never in the history of the
county has there been such excellent
products on the farm in all lines as
there has this year, and the best of
everything was on exhibit.
And best of all the people were in
terested in it and turned out in large
numbers. Friday, good judges es
limited that three thousand people
were on the grounds and the fair off
Gals agreed that this was about right,
from the number of tickets handled.
And all were satisfied There was
plenty of amusement, and all agreed
that the day and fair would be hard to
improve upon. Financially the fair
will be a great success and the officials
were happy over the outcome.
While the fair as a whole was a
most gratifying success, there were
two or three shortcomings which it
would seem, in view of the bountiful
crops in this section should not have
existed. AS we stated yesterday the
vegetable department was not over
burdened with exhibits but what there
were fine beyond description.
Squashes of the mammoth variety, and
big Hubbard's pumpkins, from the lit
tie pie to the mammoth field, water
melons, potatoes, beets, turnips car
rots tomatoes, could not be improved
upon, but it would seem that with the
fruitful season and the premiums
offered, the display in these lines
should have at least been three times
as large.
And the same may be said of the
grain department. What exhibits
there were were of the best, but the
splendid yield of grain and its fine
quality would seem to have warranted
a more generous exhibit.
The dairy was another department
that seems to have been neglected.
There is not another county in the
state where dairy possibilities are
greater than in Blue Earth county,
yet from the exhibit at the fair one
would hardly suspect it. Out of twelve
or fifteen creameries in the county on
ly two were represented, and third
entry was made from outside the
county, coming from Madelia, and
this took the second premium. The
first was taken by the creamery at
Lake Crystal The other creamery re-
presented was Amboy. The creamery
in interests of the county ought to look
up little and not let such an occur
ance happen again. Dairy butter made
a rather better showing, there being
nine entries. For jar butter, Mrs.
O. Moses of Lake Crystal, took the
first premium and Mrs A L. Crane,
of Garden City, second. On rolls and
prints, the same ladies captured the
premiums in the same order as given
above
Floral hall was we'll filed up and
there were many fine pieces of fancy
work on exhibition, much to the de-
light of all the ladies present. Quite a
number of paintings were also ex
hibited, several being from this city.
We also noticed fine Photographic
display by ]. R. Snow, of this city.
The display of plants and cut flow
ers was quite extensive, and among
them we noticed an exhibit by Wind
miller & Co., of this city that was
very fine.
The exhibits in the line of pantry
stores were numerous and looked of a
most toothsome nature, and quite a
number were heard to remark that
they would not refuse to serve as
judges in this department. All through
the hall, blue and red ribbons were
numerous yesterday.
AS remarked last evening, the corn
exhibit was an exceedingly fine one,
and yesterday it was center of at
traction throughout the day. Many
stated that they never saw anything
better in Iowa or Illinois. Of course
this has been an exceptional year in
regard to corn, and we may not have
another such season for years. Yet
far mers present picked out some fine
ears from the exhibit, which they said
could now be matched here any
year, and which would make an ex-
hibit not to be ashamed of anywhere
Blue Earth county has fully establish
ed its reputation as corn raising sec
ton, and for years the crop has not
been what could be called failure.
Poultry raising in Blue Earth coun-
ty is coming to the front. AS has
been heretofore mentioned, the display
at the fair was a fine one. Finer
birds could not be found anywhere
than were shown on the grounds. A
list of exhibitors was given last eve
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