Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1907-08-21
The THIRD ANNUAL FAIR, 1873.
A Gala Occasion Of "a Years Ago Re-
Called. An Old Premium List,

Called. An Old Premium List,
We have before us@a copy of the
premium list of the "Third Annual
Fair of the Western North Caro-.
lima Agricultural and Mechanical
Fair Association" held in Sails
bury October 7th, 9Th, 9th, and
10th, 1878. We have since then
had several county fairs, but now
that we are to have a fair embrace
ing the adjoining counties, some
thing of similarity and also inter-
est in the one of the seventies and
the one close at hand is found
The old fair certainly brought in
the crowds and was success as
fairs went in those days. Whether
it was in 1878 or later that we
had the pleasure of attending the
fair, we shall never forget the i'm
preston made there. The whole
world was then new to us, but
fairs in particular. Everybody
seemed to be doing something,
everybody was happy and big
he arted. the candy was the best
ever, the red lemonade was plen-
tiful and everything was grand
with the bands playing, the bunt-
ing flying, the races going and
the crowds ssurging an ideal gala
occasion was presented, the mem
ory of which can never be effaced.
May the new fair touch the heart
and create unbounded joy as did
the one of old.
Among the premiums given, in
1878, the highest paid was $1OO
"for the fastest trotter, best three
out of five, half-mile heats" 1868
were given on horses and mules.
$S3 on cattle, $35 on sheep, $55 on
swine, $500 Oh races, $46 on poul-
try, agricultural products raised
by the exhibitor SIG, on growing
crops 500, horticulture $55, do
mestic articles $76, mechanical
implements 1929, manufactured
articles $196, miscellaneous arti-
cles displayed in Floral Hall
$125.5O, making the total paid in
premiums, 81, ,S46 SO.
The officers for that year we're:
Samuel H. Wiley, president; M.
L. Holmes, vice-president; P. P.
Meroney, End vice-president; L..
Blackmer and S. R. Harrison,
finance committee, and B. F.
Rogers secretary and treasurer.
W. B. Mears, superintendent of
trials of speed; J. G. Miller, Su-
perintendent of live stock depart
ment; M. J.. Holmes, superln-
tendent of agricultural and horti-
cultural department.; P. A.
Frercks, superintendent of me-
chanical implements; P. P. Me-
roney, superintendent of manu-
factured articles; J. W. Hall,
superintendent OF floral hall, and
J. K Burke was superintendent of
the poultry department. There is
much in this old Volume that gees
to show how Time gets in his
work Oh the minds and physique
of man. Only three of the above
officers are living today-Messrs.
Meroney, Harrison and Frercks
In the horse, mule and cattle lists
no special breeds are required
Just best and second best, etc
The poultry named las ~ hite-
faced blask Spanish chickeus," "
"brama putras, +" cochin china, "
''white darkins," and "game
Chickens" which gives an idea of
what was then considered the
finest breeds of chickens. In the
domestic and miscellaneous de-
partments the lists call for such
things as corn, beef, cheese, wines,
sweet cider, apple vinegar, home
made soap, bolt osnaburgs, piece
carpeting, harness, boots, shoes,
household furniture, leather, cot.
ton jeans, quilts, jellies, cakes.
dried fruits, knit, woven and GRO.
ohet counterpanes, the coed old
home knit socks and stockings
(some of the latter most likely Of
the cross stripped variety) and SC
on down the line, many of which
are now of the past, gladly and
foolishly discarded for the cheap
gaudy makeshifts of today, poor
substitutes indeed for the things
and joys of the days of the trun'
die bed and homemade living.
To fnrthar show the chanpes