STATE AGRICULTURAL ROOMS, MADISON, February
2, 1875.
In accordance with the requirements of the by-laws, the extensive
board of the Wisconsin State Agricultural Society
met in their rooms in the Capitol, at 7½ P.M., to
revise the premium-list, locate the annual state fair for 1875,
and the transaction of such other business as should come before
the them.
Present - President Eli STILSON, Vice-Presidents T. C. DOUSEMAN,
George E. BRYANT, John L. MITCHELL,
Satterlee CLARK, R. D. TORREY, and additional members of
the executive board, Messrs. Dr. C. L. MARTIN, N. S. GREENE,
A. A. BOYCE, N. D. PRATT, E. J. COOPER, N. W. DEAN, Treasurer
F. J. BLAIR, and Secretary W. W. FIELD.
President STILSON in the chair.
On motion, the board proceeded to revise the "general
regulations," "rules of entry," "rules of
inspection," & c.
Subdivision 8, under "rules of entry," was amended
so that horses entered for premiums in the general exhibition
may
also compete in all trials of speed.
Subdivision 3, under "general rules," was amended
so as read as follows:
"3. Judges will report the animals and articles entitled
to premiums, and are also directed to make special mention of
each animal and article entered, not on the premium list,
as in their judgment are meritorious, and recommend such premium
as they deem proper."
Subdivision 9 stricken out, and the following was inserted:
"No exhibitor can be a judge in any class in which he exhibits,
nor can two exhibitors be judges on each others animals or
articles."
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OFFICIAL LIST OF PREMIUMS.
Classes 8 and 9 were stricken out and the following
inserted:
Class 9. - Horses for speed.
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WEDNESDAY, September 8.
Premium $500.
For horses that never trotted better than three minutes.
$300 to first, $125 to second, and $75 to third. Also premium
of $200 for all runners, mile and repeat, $150 to first and
$50 to second.
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THURSDAY, September 9.
Premium $700.
Free for all trotters. $400 to first, $200 to second, and
$100 to third. Also premium $300 for all runners, mile heat,
best three in five, $200 to first and $100 to second.
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FRIDAY, September 10.
Premium $600.
For all horses that have never trotted better than 2:35.
$300 to first, $200 to second and $100 to third.
Also premium of $500 for all horses that have never trotted
better than 2:50. $300 to first, $125 to second, and $75
to third.
Entrance, ten per cent, of all purses.
Entries to be made under seal to the secretary, and to close
at 9 P.M. Monday, the 6th of September. All races to be
mile heats, best three in five, unless otherwise stated,
four to enter and three to start.
Trotting will be conducted under the rules of the National
Trotting Association, and running under those of the American
Jockey Club. Races will commence promptly at 2½ o'clock
each afternoon. All betting and pool-selling strictly prohibited.
On the substitution of this class, several members of the
board being opposed to offering such large premiums for races,
N. W. DEAN moved to strike out the premium of $200 for the
running race of Wednesday, the 8th of September. Those voting
in the affirmative were Messrs. STILSON, FRATT, COOPER, DEAN
and FIELD. Those voting in the negative were Messrs. DOUSEMAN,
BRYANT, MITCHELL, CLARK, TORREY, MARTIN, GREENE and BOYCE. The
motion was lost. Secretary FIELD moved that the premium of $300
for the running race on Thursday, the 9th, be stricken out. Those
voting in the affirmative were Messrs. STILSON, FRATT, COOPER,
DEAN and FIELD. Those voting in the negative were Messrs. DOUSEMAN,
BRYANT, MITCHELL, CLARK, TORREY, MARTIN, GREENE and BOYCE. the
motion was lost. N. W. DEAN moved that the $500 premium for trotting
on Friday, the 10th, be stricken out, which was lost by the following
vote: Those voting in the affirmative were Messrs. STILSON, DEAN
and FIELD. Those voting in the negative were Messrs. DOUSEMAN,
BRYANT, MITCHELL, CLARK, TORREY, MARTIN, GREENE, BOYCE, FRATT
and COOPER.
Adjourned to 9 A.M. Wednesday.
WEDNESDAY, 9 O'CLOCK A.M., February 3,
1875.
Board met.
Quorum present.
President STILSON in the chair.
Revision of premium list continued.
Class 16. - Grade cattle and working oxen. Amended
by adding additional premiums to the list.
Class 19. - Second herd premiums, open to all breeds
except short horns, was amended by substituting Devons,
Ayershires and Jerseys in place of "all breeds except
short horns."
Class 20. - American merinos, was revised by adding
the following premiums:
Best exhibition sheep - Diploma.
Best buck's fleece, to be cleaned under direction
of the superintendent of sheep-department - $15.00
Second best - $10.00
Class 23. - Fat sheep. Stricken out.
Class 24. - Swine. Was classed as large breeds, including
Poland Chinas, Chester-whites and others.
Middle breeds, including Berkshire. Small breeds, including
Essex, Suffolks and others.
Adjourned to 2 P.M.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
Mr. C. H. GREENMAN, member of the State Horticultural Society,
appeared before the board, and on behalf of said
society asked the usual appropriation of $800 to pay premiums
in the horticultural department of the state fair, and $100 to
defray expenses in sending samples of fruit to the meeting of
the National Pomological Society, which meets in Chicago in September,
1875. These propositions were discussed at some length, and pending
final action thereon, President STICKNEY, of the Horticultural
Society, desired to make a brief statement of the financial condition
of their society, which was unanimously granted. He said the
financial condition of the society was not hopeful. That their
only source of income was from life-membership fees, and that
this was small; that their necessary expenses had decreased the
amount of funds in their treasury each year for some three years;
that the society was desirous of making a creditable show of
fruit at the exhibition of the National Pomological Society at
Chicago in 1875, and that it could not do so without incurring
an expenditure beyond their means to defray, and meet at the
same time other incidental expenses, and he hoped that the agricultural
board would appropriate to them the amount asked.
On motion of Secretary FIELD, the sum of $800 was appropriated
to the State Horticultural Society, the same to be
offered as premiums by the society in the horticultural department,
and any amount of said $800 was not awarded in premiums to be
paid to said society in money.
Bill of Filer, STOWELL & Co., of Milwaukee, was presented
by Secretary FIELD, amounting to $130.67, for pulleys,
& c. Said bill was disallowed and the secretary requested
to state to the firm that the pulleys could be removed by them
at any time, as they had never claimed them or considered that
they were the property of the society.
Adjourned to 9 A.M., Thursday.
THURSDAY, February 4, 9 A.M.
Board met.
President STILSON in the chair.
Telegram was received from ex-President B. R. HINKLEY, stating
that the Wisconsin State Dairymen's Association
was in session in Fort Atkinson, and desired to send a committee
to confer with our board relative to holding a "Dairy Fair"
in connection with the State Fair, and desiring us to withhold
a revision of the dairy products until such conference could
be had. That they were snow-bound and could not be present that
day.
On motion, a dispatch was sent to the association that the
board would grant them a conference with pleasure if they
could arrive before the adjournment of the board, and otherwise
the matter would be considered as placed in the hands of the
president and secretary for future conference, and for such arrangements
with the dairy association named, as should seem to be for the
best interest of all concerned. The application of Frank McVEAN,
of Waukesha county, for a premium of $200, offered by the society
for the best 5 acres of wheat raised on the same ground for the
successive years 1872, 1873 and 1874, yield not less than 30
bushels per acre each year, was taken up and considered. Two
of the statements made were found not to comply with the conditions
imposed, therefore the premium was not awarded.
Class 25 - "Poultry," was divided into several
subdivisions, as follows: Asiatic, Game, Dorking, Spanish, Hamburg,
Polish, Bantam and Water-Fowl classes, and the list of premiums
largely increased.
Class 27 - "Garden and Vegetable Produce,"
was largely increased in the number of products for which premiums
are
offered.
Adjourned to 2 P.M.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
Vice-President CLARK offered the following resolution:
"Resolved, That the state fair of 1875 be held
at the city of Milwaukee, conditioned that the grounds be furnished
to the
society in as good condition as in 1874." Adopted unanimously.
On motion, the time of the next annual fair was fixed for
September 6th to 10th, inclusive.
Secretary FIELD laid before the board a communication relative
to the purchase of a three-cornered piece or lot of
land belonging to the society and detached from the fair-ground
by railroad.
Referred to Messrs. FIELD, BRYANT and DEAN.
On motion of Vice-President BRYANT, it was ordered that helpers
and dinner-tickets should be distributed only to
members of the board and superintendents of departments,
and on account kept with each by the president's clerk, who disposes
them.
On motion of Secretary FIELD, an auditing committee, consisting
of Messrs. MITCHELL, CLARK, and FRATT was
elected.
Superintendents of the several departments were appointed
as follows:
Department A.
- Horses, etc. - Messrs. MITCHELL and GREENE.
Department B.
- Cattle - Geo. E. BRYANT.
Department C and D.
- Sheep and swine - T. C. DOUSEMAN.
Department E.
- Poultry - A. A. BOYCE.
Department F.
- Agriculture - Dr. C. L. MARTIN.
Department H.
- Machinery - E. J. COOPER.
Department I.
- Manufacturers - Messrs. CLARKE and DEAN.
Department J.
- Fine Arts - J. H. WARREN.
Department K.
- Natural History - I. A. LAPHAM.
Marshal - Ex-President
B. R. HINKLEY.
Superintendent of Forage - T. C. DOUSEMAN.
Gate-keeper
- N. D. FRATT.
Ticket Accountant
- R. D. TORREY.
Bills for the attendance of members were presented, audited,
and ordered drawn therefor.
No further business coming before the board, on motion, adjourned
sine die.