Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-09-18
AS Good a Fair as the Best, They All Say
NO SUCH HALL EXHIBIT TO BE SEEN IN THE
STATE, AND THIS WAS NOT ALL.
hfoas the Grounds and Oar Annual Oxford County Festival q
ons ct the Greatest In the History

Not war nor rumors of var. nor FRA,
Ing frosts nor other calamity. can pre
WON'T the success OF the old Oxford Coun
y fair. The only thing We fear 10 tn,
weather, and for . dozen years or NOR,
We have been favored with an unbrokel
series OF good weeks for the great even
of the year.
Last week the weather clerk continue.
his kindness to IA, after be had froseu
about everything Monday night and VIVA
was LETT Tuesday night. Tuesday was
cold day, but Wednesday and Thursday
were as fine autumn days a. fair man
agement could ask for.
In point OF attendance the fair wa
nearly II not quite up to the record
Inc receipts indicate that there were ,
thousand moro people on the groundi
wednesday than on the second day Of
the fair last year. You can figure tha
out for yourself. n there were 20,OO(
people here last year land there doubt
less were), this year there were 81 600
II there were %, 900 last year (which Il
doubtless q liberal estimate), there wers
$1,000 this year. Anyway, 1t was Z
tremendous crowd.
On Tuesday and Thursda. the crowds
we're about the usual first and third day
crowds, 10 spite of the cold of Tuesday
One thing Is certain, there were more
automobiles-than ever before. A fail
estimate of the number of cars on the
grounds Wednesday would be 1900, and
there were something like two-thirds az
many parked outside the grounds within
half or three-quarters of mile.
And there was something for the PEG.
pie to see. While there are always
some features for entertainment, this
fair is primarily and principally an
agricultural exhibition, and 1t seems to
serve its purpose better with each sue
ceeding year.
"Never had 80 good an exhibit In the
bal, said G. W. Bowker, superintendent
of that department, and he was justified
In the declaration. Another man who
has been around considerable SAYS, "I've
been to many OF the New England fairs,
including Rochester and Brockton, and
tell you this beats them all. These
grange exhibits are the greatest thing ]
ever saw"
All available space in the building,
with Its addition put on last year, was
taken long before the fair opened.
THE ORANGES.
Days of hard work put in by willing
men and women made the six grange
exhibits, which are the conspicuous feat
ure In the upper hall, of transcendent
beauty and attractiveness, a. we'll as
representative Of the industries and
products of the farm and the household.
Paris Grange exhibit, holding its usual
space, was decorated on . white back
ground with 6r tips illuminated with
punches Of snow berries. There was
nothing In the exhibit for purely deco
rative purposes. Except for . bronze
figure OF cow standing guard over the
case OF dairy products, there was not an
article in the exhibit that was not pro-
duced on the farm or In the home.
West Paris Grange used for it's decors-
lions evergreen illuminated with punches
Of high bush cranberries. The comment
made as to Paris Grange applies with
equal force to this. Possibly we may
except mounted ten-point bucks head,
but everything else was from the farm,
and most of It produced this year. A
feature Of this was large quantity Of
women's work, ranging from wool In the
roll to the finest and daintiest of fancy
work.
Norway Grange contented itself with
borders of plain green, but made effective
use Of grains and grasses and ears of
yellow corn for decorations. A massed
pyramid of flowers made . brilliant
corner in the space, and the fancy work
on the wall was arranged with an eye to
the decorative value of white space.
Frederick Robbie Grange of Otisfield
used decorations of cedar, draped the
posts in ri-colored bunting, and had q
flag at either end Of its space. Grains
and grasses and canned goods were con-
spicuous In the exhibit, and 1t contained
one thing which was not noted In any of
the other exhibits, q bunch of real old
fashioned dried apple, quartered and
strung.
Twigs and burs of chestnut bordered
the space occupied by Hebron Grange,
and Q use of grains and grasses Was made
on the background which was particu-
larry effective. Instead of the cooked
food case occupying corner a. In most
Of the exhibits, 1t was here made the
centerpiece, and the toothsomeness OF
its contents by no means detracted from
the general effect of the show.
For grange which 10 q dozen miles
away, the showing made by Pleasant
Pond Grange Of West Sumner was al
most surprising. The exhibit occupied
the space for some years used by the N.
Dayton Bolster Co., and its attractive
ness impressed the beholder at the first
glance. Tri-colored bunting and flags
were used for decorations, and the name
of the grange was In the three colors.
All the space was closely filed With
products of farm and home, and . dozen
deer heads and mounted animals served
40 decorative features.
VEGETABLES AND FRUIT.
In the vegetable department the place
OF honor was given a. usual to w. 81.
Porter Of Norway, who is the oldest man
in Norway and doubtless the Oldest
exhibitor 1t the fair. Although he cele-
brsted his 95th birthday last May, he
made an exhibit of field crops and gar.
den vegetables which would do credit to
many . younger man, and he did the
work Of producing them himself. 1t ID
for many years that he has not failed to
make his exhibit at this fair.
Another large exhibit Of crops and
vegetables was made by j. B. Field Of
Norway Up. o. South Paris), who has fol
some time been . regular exhibitor here.
A large exhibit was also made BY
Hortense Gates of Norway, which wal
appropriately inscribed, "When woman
tills the SOIL"
The largest collection In this line wal
shown by j. r. Moody & Son Of Hebron,
who also made numerous exhibits Of
single specimens in the different Glasses
of vegetable products.
In the class for boys under Is, where
there have been number OF exhibitors
| in some past years, this year there was
only Warren Knightly Of Norway, Il
years Of age. who made very creditabls
exhibit.
Considering the nature Of the season
there was very good showing in al
lines of vegetables.
Although this Ii not prolific year FOL
fruit, - IL we'll known, the showing OF
the fruit shelves was almost surpris