COUNTY AND DISTRICT REPORTS. 301 



of each was noticed in the deep and straight furrows, the birilding of fences and 

 the clearing and breaking up of waste places in old fields, all of which showe'l the 

 faith of the tiller in the soil and season and his hopeful prospects of being ble-sed 

 with abundance. Seeding came and the gentle rains and penetrating rays of the 

 6un soon developed his labors into living green, and the mild and pleasant sum- 

 mer crowned his earnest eflbrts with a golden harvest, and as fall made herself 

 apparent, the people vied with each other in their exhibits at the county fair. 

 Kever was their a finer display since the organization of the county. CompetitioQ 

 brought trade from various parts of the State; so great was the interest that every- 

 place was occupied before the time had expired for making entries. System 

 was fully exemplified and showed the true spirit of the husbandman. 



The stock all showed an increase of interest and was a good index of the steady 

 growth of the wealth and general prosperity of an energetic and thrifty people. 

 The Ladies' Department displayed great taste and skill in the way it was man- 

 aged and work done. Everything was aitistically arranged, and their efforts were 

 crowned with success. 



Among the many other interesting features is an association known a« the 

 "Franklin County Association," this being organized especiilly for emigrants from 

 that county, and its increase in numbers over the past year has a marked signifi- 

 cance on the development of our industrial interests. Our commercial relations 

 and facilities are among the best, having an east and west and a north and south 

 railroad, each leading directly to points of commercial note; these, together with 

 twenty-seven and one-half miles of free gravel roads, and contracts having been let 

 for the construction of several miles more during the coming year. The di-coveriefr 

 in the county have been of a most interesting character; among these relics are the 

 tooth of the ma-stodon and the unveiling of the cemetery of the red man, in which 

 was found the remains of nineteen distinct personages, together with many of his 

 implements of war and pleasure. 



The ensuing year has many promises in store — her winter crops bid fair to 

 yield a large increase; there is energy and activity in all branches of business, not- 

 withstanding the immediate pressure of hard times, and as we lay down the quill 

 for the present we hope to be able to take it up again and graphically portray the 

 present year's progress to the gateway of a garner well filled. 



William Barlow, 



Secretary. 



VIGO COUNTY. 



The past year has been the most successful in nearly every respect which the 

 Vigo Agricultural Society has experienced since its organization. When the 

 Board of Directors for 1884 took chnrge of its aflfairs they found it in debt about 

 twenty-five hundred dollars, in addition to which there were quite a number of 

 small bills remaining unpaid from the fair of 1883. The lease to the fair grounds, 

 granted by the county on September 7, 1867, for a term of twenty years, rent free, 

 had but three more years to run, while the failure of the fair for several years had 



