The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-09-17
THE STATE FAIR.

The State Board OF Agriculture does well
to celebrate the fftieth annual State fair
by special efforts to attract and please the
people. From the first fair to the present
they have been an index and an aid to the
agricultural progress Of the State, and
while there may be some repetition in the
annual exhibits there is always much that
is new. especially for those who are chiefly
interested In them. That the fairs have
kept pace with the growth of the State is
shown by the fact that the premiums have
increased from about 1900 in 1852 to about
$4,000 last year, the expenditures from
s4.9n to $50. 4s3. and the receipts from $,SS
to SIS, 273. The attendance varies from $1,000
to 10000 a year, according to weather and
other conditions, but it is always large
enough to show that the fairs interest a
very large number of persons. No other
annual event in the State excites as much
interest or has better results in a social,
economic and educational a
In 1856. when the fifth annua State fair
was held in this city, the Marion County
Agricultural Society also held it's annual
meeting. On this occasion Hon. Div II.
Smith. who had been prominent in State
politics and a representative and United
States senator. was invited to address the
society. In the course of his address he
said:
Well do 1 remember when there were but
two families settled west of the Whitewater
valley-one on FlatrOck, above where Rush
vile now stands, and the other on Brandy
wine, near where Greenfield was afterwards
located. When / first visited the ground on
which indianapolis now stands the whole
country east to Whitewater and west to
the Wabash was a dense. unbroken forest.
There were no public roads. no bridges
over any of the streams. The traveller
had literally to swim his way. No Guilt
waited farms, no houses, no shelter or feed
for the weary traveller or his jaded horse,
The courts, years afterward, were held In
log huts, and the juries sat under the shade
of forest trees. 1 was circuit prosecuting
attorney at the time or the trials at the
falls of Fall creek, near where Pendleton
eo% steh' Of murder G and three of them
were hung for killing an Indian. The court
was held in a double log cabin, the grand
jury sat upon a log in the woods, and the
foreman signed the bills Of indictment
which 1 had prepared upon his knee. There
was not a petit juror that had shoes on
all wore moccasins, and were belted around
the waist and carried side knives used by
the hunter. . 1 stood but as yester.
day on the site of Indianapolis when there
was scarcely a tree missing from the dense
forest around it. How stands the matter
now? Cast your eyes to the east of this
stand and see the beautiful city OF Indi'
annapolis, with her 10000 inhabitants. See
the spires of her churches shooting up to-
wards the clouds. See the numerous tow
ering station buildings of our railroads. See
those beautiful buildings erected by the
different associated benevolent orders. OBJ
serve our numerous first-class hotels. See
the solid blocks of splendid wholesale and
retail stores fitted with the choicest mer-
chandise from every cline.
This rather glowing picture of the Indi
annapolis of 1856 reads almost as IL th'
speaker thought the city had reached the
climax of its growth and greatness, but in
reality it had scarcely begun. Mr.. Smith
died In 1859, before the Indianapolis Of to.
day was even foreshadowed. The growth
of the city has been a good index Of that
| of the State, and at every stage of it.
progress agriculture has been a potentia
factor and the State fairs a constantly con
tributing cause. Ii looks now as IL the pres
ent fair would be the most successful one
ever held, and 1t is hoped they may con
tinue to increase in interest and usefulness