Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1911-01-06
9th ANNUAL MEETING.
CONTINUED from Page ~

the dining-hall were moved to the
new ground and the dining-hall
doubled in capacity and a kitchen
built as an annex midway its
length. Colonel llsley enlarged and re-
modelled the dining-hall at his own ex-
pense. The poultry house was re-
modelled on plans submitted by Super
intendent George Farr of Bristol, but
proved entirely inadequate for the i'm
mense exhibit of birds, that was shown.
The poultry exhibit overlooked the en-
tire length of the sheep building. 1t
was fortunate that the hundreds of
pairs or ducks and geese choose the
sheep building as no more genial host
than Mr.. Farnham can be found when
shelter is needed Later the poultry
department made use of the tent that
was seized by the marshall at pre-
vious fair. Two additional barns, which
are numbered and 9 were erected
west of the track for race horses, while
hundreds of new cattle stalls and yards
and new Office for the superintendent
of cattle were erected.
| The selection of Mr.. William Noonan
as superintendent of races and of Mr..
F. A. Upton as starting judge rendered
the race department a success so far
as men could make it so. Mr. Noonan
and the secretary attended the meet
ing of the Green Mountain circuit,
which was made an effective organiza
ton for the first time with a set of
responsible officers. The result of this
cooperation was that each society in
the circuit offered race premiums ag
gregating $4,000 or over, including three
$500 stake races at each fair A field
of hundred horses responded to the
call and on the last day of the fair nine
races aggregrating about 80 heats gave
to the crowds that witnessed them
the largest amount of racing ever wit
messed in one day in New Enrland so
far as we know or have any reason to
believe.
The competition among Oranges
brought forth elaborate and beautiful
agricultural exhibits that showed the
prosperity of Addison County, side by
side with that of the new Ell Dorado of
Idaho. The honey exhibits were nota-
BILE.
The Morgan Horse club, through the
efforts of Henry R. c. Watson, created
special competition in harness for
ancient type Morgans, that was much
enjoyed feature. The society also in
creased its premiums for standard Nor
gans.
Such was the fair, whose coming was
heralded from North Hero and Platts-
burg to Salem and Manchester and from
South Royalton to Colchester. No effort
was spared to notify every inhabitant
of every county within reach of Middle
bury that Middlebury was to have a
fair unaided by State appropriation,
/ equal to anything that any other fair
organized in Vermont could produce.
We have reason to believe that had fair
weather ushered in the first pay days,
Middlebury would have been swamped
by the multitude that would have come
and we believe that some of these null
titudes have only postponed their visit
until another year, as a result of this
years thorough beating of the bushes.
But it rained. Seemingly it would not
stop. If there is a discuraging place
anywhere, it is clay fair grounds dur
ing rain. Yet people came, were en-
tertained and went away satisfied. And
we lived through it and were rewarded
with sunny skies and the greatest last
day in our history. We spent in eX-
pectation of our proverbial good weather.
took chances with the weather and lost
and still added a handsome sum to the
surplus.
One feature of the fair has not been
noticed as it deserved. The musical
festival given in the park by the combin
ed bands under the conductorship of
Walter Lewis of New York, | am salts
fled was the great event of the fair
The fair owes this feature to the efforts
of Mr.. Vittum and take this occasion
to express the gratitude of the board of
managers.
This closes my connection with the
Addison county fair in an official ca
pacity, The service has been pleasant
one and the friendships formed | shall
continue to prize. The work has been
rendered easy by the matchless Coop
Grafton of the most efficient corps of
fellow officials that can be found. |
feel that | know the worth of every
man whose name adorns our annual
hook. My successor will find them SOL
dlers every one.
In conclusion, | would call your at
tention to the fact that all of the fairs
of Vermont are big institutions COM
pared with what they were few years
ago, and that they have become such
for two reasons, the first of which is the
great revival of interest in agriculture
everywhere and the second is the new
~ Sioe has DCCii put iiltO lllc lars VI
Vermont by reason of the example set
by Colonel llsley at Middlebury,
On motion of Col. S. A. Ilsley the
report was accepted. In connection
with the report of the board of mana
gers Secretary Button read letter
from H. R. c. Watson of the Morgan
Horse club which stated that the club
would give the same premiums this
year at the county fair that they offered
and gave last year.
The next business to come before the
society was the election of officers for
the ensuing year. Col Ilsley, being
recognized by the chair, said:
Mr.. President, gentlemen of the Ad-
Olson County Agriculture society: After
much talking and persuasion | have the
! DlaaSura in nominate a mon u,bo Won