The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-10-04
OF One of the Best Days the
Washington Fair Asso-
citation Ever Had
CROWD OF ABOUT 200
WAS ON GP <JNDs
Automobiles Pr minated,
Large Numb ST Barre
Machines There

Washington fair, with its perennial
claim on the affections and attention of
young and old, had its biggest day yes
terday. The secretary of the agriculture
al association which sponsors the last ex-
hlbit of its kind in the Vermont country
side this year is authority for the state
ment that there were more than 200
admission tickets sold, figure which in
dlcates that the total attendance exceed
| ed 1000 Believe it or not but it is the
truth, there was scarcely buggy on the
! grounds. Just as many of the old time
features of the rural exhibit are giving
way to new fashions in fairs, the auto
mobile predominated and barring tho
place OF honor accorded the race horses,
the thoroughbred cattle and pIodding OK
en-, our well known four-fo friends of
all species had only cramped quarters in
the general scheme OF things at Washing
ton yesterday.
The Barre Board of Trade sent up
big delegation in automobiles soon after
the noon hour, but outside patronage was
drawn by no means wholly from this
section. Orange county was pretty well
represented, it must be admitted even
though the Washington county folks
were so thick YOU couldn't see the grass
in places. The Board of Trade members
and their guests were properly tagged
with the same red banners that have pro-
claimed the rehabilitated reiuvenated
spirit of Barre's civic organization on
several better acquaintance tours this
year and they made a fine showing. all
things considered There were easily $50
motor vehicles on the associa tion prem
ises when the days dongs were at their
height.
Floral hall was the cynosure for many
eyes and the exhibits probably exceeded
in size and quality anything that Wash
ington fair has known in years. The
women folks, those of them who were
assigned to committees in charge of tho
several departments, put in busy after
noon in placing the premiums and an.
to the blue-ribbon winners.
The Orange County Farmers association
has been teaching its members how to
choose and use the best seed, how to get
the biggest yields. how to prevent seab
and many other lessons Its mission was
exempliied in a department
presided over by County Agent Z. H.
Loveland. Orange is not the county of
kid glove or roll-top desk farmers for IL
lot of the agriculturists, eminent. promi-
nent or prosperous were numbered among
the exhibitors H. B. Hall, superintend-
nnt of the state nurseries in Burlington,
was in charge of fine department de-
voted entirely to the Vermont forestry
service. In it We're many things that
fair going folk no doubt. had never seen
before p G.. Saunders had cage where
in slept, stalked, nosed and yawned
litter of six young foxes. 1t was a touch
If Orange county at its widest and even
he natives. some of them accustomed to
laving bears. owls and polecats for their
neighbors. looked askance at the
Inimal show, thinking perhaps that Sir
2cynanl's boys were only painted met
of the real thing.
Floral hall had everything but some of
he exhibits that fair patrons of the
ountry fair must perforce dread to scru
inize. There wera no Orange county
rtists to draw their inspiration from u
,arnvard revelry by midnight, and con
the oil painting department,
which represents one of the traditional
of the county fair instinct
5 it has been developed in Vermont was
bsoutelv nil More power to arts ne
alton at Washington fair!
inst before Starter H. A. Riggs stem
orian voice called the drivers together
or the first heat in the 800 minute
lass. there was a meritorous cavalcade
{ cattle Twenty-six steers and oxen
tere linked together in one outfit. Seem
nglv at considerable peril. competent
,oking men stuck mquisitive fingers into
he sleek sides of Jerseys. Stalwarts
ept the thoroughbreds in easy tow with
tronp Ieashes and after all the danger
, the casual Judge was slight. 1t was
splendid showing of cattle, indeed, one
hat would do credit to almost any ex-
ibit of its kind in Vermont. Hens had
heir lav in court down by the floral hall
NJ the poultry wise could say scarcely
louch about the feathered members.
Up i'm the center of the grounds. oxen
wners competed for premium by
atching their charges in a pulling con-
st. with a huge boulder of Washington
ranitc al the long and heavy end of the
I'LL. People who profess to know some
ling about avoirdupois estimated that
,e stone weighed FIVE or six tons, but
10 iudges were content to call It $500
nd so the pulling began. One by one,
two bv two. a. vou will the teams
,ok their turn at the tugging, but the
,lv pair that promised to have the big
,bble ANYTHING near the gate by night
m was owned by W. NJ. Prescott, and
his 500 pound pets went the azure
bbon. A large crowd witnessed the
gging.
Dpring a lul in the racing. in mo-
ont between heats, the Barre Citizens
.nd which furnished exceptionally good
usic throughout the afternoon. divided
tention with a track event that was
!, scheduled. 1t came about when three
the more active performers, ehartering
az cart. started to add to the track
ord for beasts OF burden. For the
,son that no one anticipated the anti
max. an unceremonious dumping.
,ich followed the actual shattering of