THE SECOND POULTRY-SHOW IN BOSTON.
On the 2d, 3d, and 4th days of October, in the year of our Lord 1850,
the "grand exhibition" (so the _Report_ termed it), for that year, came
off at the large hall over the Fitchburg Railroad Dépôt, in Boston,
"which proved a most extensive and inviting one" (so continued the
Report), "far exceeding, both in _numbers_ and in the _quality_ of
specimens offered, anything of its kind ever got up in America.
"The birds looked remarkably fine in every respect, and the undertaking
was very successful. A magnificent show of the feathered tribe greeted
the thousands of visitors who called at the hall, and all parties
expressed their satisfaction at the proceedings.
"The Committee awarded to George P. Burnham, of Melrose, the _first_
premiums for fowls and chickens. The prize birds were the '_Royal
Cochin-Chinas_' and their progeny, which have been bred with care from
his imported stock; and which were generally acknowledged at the head
of the list of specimens."
The prices obtained at this exhibition ranged very high, and "full
houses" were constantly in attendance, day and evening, to examine and
select and purchase from the "pure-bred" stock there. "Mr. Burnham, of
Melrose" (continued the Report), "declined an offer of $120 for his
twelve premium Cochin-China chickens, and subsequently refused $20 for
the choice of the pullets."
"The show was much larger than the first one, and the character of the
birds exhibited was altogether finer, though the old fowls were, for the
most part, moulting. A deep interest was manifested in this enterprise,
and it went off with satisfaction to all concerned," added the Report.
In order that the details of this experiment (which _I_ projected and
carried through, myself) may be appreciated and understood, I extract
from the "official" Report the following items regarding this show, the
expenses, the prize-takers, &c.
The "Committee of Judges," consisting of myself, G.P. Burnham, Esq., and
a gentleman of Melrose, made the following statements and
"observations," in the _Report_ above referred to:
"The Exhibition was visited by full ten thousand persons, during the
three days mentioned. The amount of money received for tickets was four
hundred and seventy-three dollars and thirty-eight cents; and the
following disbursements were made:
Cash paid for rent of hall, $175.00
" " amount of premiums and gratuities, 135.00
" " for lumber and use of tables, 17.60
" " for lighting hall, advertising, etc., 70.40
" " tickets, cards and handbills, 18.21
" " carpenters and attendants, 27.50
" " police and door-keepers, 15.00
" " grain, seed, buckets, pans, etc., 25.56
" " coops, cartage and sundries, 7.37
------
Total expenses, $491.64
Amount received, as stated, 473.38
------
Deficit, $18.26"
When the state of the funds was subsequently more particularly inquired
into, however, it was found that the amount of money actually received
at the door was a little rising _nine_ hundred and seventy dollars,
instead of "_four_ hundred and seventy-three," as above quoted. But this
was a trifling matter; since the "Committee of Judges" spoken of above
accounted for this sum, duly, in the final settlement.
The "Committee" aforesaid awarded the following premiums at this show,
after attending to the examination confided to them--namely:
"_First_ premium, for the best six fowls contributed, to _George P.
Burnham_, of Melrose, Mass., $10.
"For the three best Cochin-China Fowls (Royal), to _George P. Burnham_,
Melrose, Mass., $5.
"For the twelve best chickens, of this year's growth (Royal
Cochin-China), to _George P. Burnham_, Melrose, $5."
And there were some _other_ premiums awarded, I believe, there, but by
which I was not particularly benefited; and so I pass by this matter
without further remark, entertaining no doubt whatever that all the
gentlemen who were awarded premiums (and who obtained the amount of the
awards) exhibited at the Fitchburg Hall Show _pure_-bred fowls.
After making these awards, the "Committee of Judges" (consisting, as
aforesaid, of myself, Mr. Burnham, and a fancier from Melrose) state
that "they find great pleasure"--(mark this!)--"they find great pleasure
in alluding again to the splendid contributions" of some of the
gentlemen who had fowls in this show,--and then the Report continues as
follows:
"The magnificent samples of _Cochin-China_ fowls, contributed by G.P.
Burnham, of Melrose, were the theme of much comment and deserved praise.
These birds include his imported fowls and their progeny--of which he
exhibited nineteen splendid specimens. To this stock the Committee
unanimously awarded the _first_ premiums for fowls and chickens; and
finer samples of domestic birds will rarely be found in this country.
They are bred from the Queen's variety, obtained by Mr. Burnham last
winter, at heavy cost, through J. Joseph Nolan, Esq., of Dublin, and are
unquestionably, at this time, the finest thorough-bred Cochin-Chinas in
America."
My early hen-friend the "Doctor"--alluded to in the opening chapter of
this book--exhibited a fowl which the "Committee" thus described in
their report:
"The rare and beautiful imported _Wild India Game_ hen, contributed by
Mr. B.F. Griggs, Columbus, Geo., was a curiosity much admired. This fowl
(lately sold by Dr. J.C. Bennett, of Plymouth, to Mr. Griggs, for $120)
is thorough game, without doubt; and her progeny, exhibited by Dr.
Bennett, were very beautiful specimens. To this bird, and the '_Yankee
Games_' of Dr. Bennett, the Committee awarded a gratuity of $5."
So miserable a _hum_ as this was, I never met with, in all my long
_Shanghae_ experience. It out-bothered the Doctor's famous "Bother'ems,"
and really out-_Cochined_ even my noted Cochin-Chinas! But I was
content, _I_ was one of the "Committee of Judges." I had forgot!
This Committee's Report was thus closed:
"It has been the aim of the Committee to do _justice_ to all who have
taken an interest in the late Fowl Exhibition, and they congratulate
the gentlemen who have sustained this enterprise upon its success."
They did _ample_ justice to this Wild Bengal Injun Hen, that is certain.
The Cochin-China trade received an impulse (after this show concluded)
that astonished even _me_, and I am not easily disturbed in this
traffic. And I have no doubt that the people who paid their money to
witness this never-to-be-forgotten (by me) exhibition, were also
satisfied.
The experiment was perfectly successful, however, throughout. I
forwarded to all my patrons and friends copies of this Report,
beautifully illustrated; and the orders for "_pure_-bred chickens from
the _premium_ stock" rushed in upon me, for the next four or five
months, with renewed vigor and spirit.
This first exhibition at the Fitchburg Dépôt Hall proved to me a
satisfactorily profitable advertisement, as I carried away all the
premiums there that were of any value to anybody. But then it will be
observed that the "Committee of Judges" of this show were my "friends."
And, at that time, the competition had got to be such that all the
dealers acted upon the general democratic principle of going "for the
greatest good of the greatest number." In my case, I considered the
"greatest number" Number _One_!