37 



POLICE. 



To properly police a fair ground is much more of an undertaking than many 

 of you imagine. For two years your superintendent has had charge of this 

 work, but can not say that the work has been at all satisfactory, but he be- 

 lieves that there was an improvement in the service of 1900 over that of 1899. 

 The time is too short to take a body of men, 70 or 80 in number, properly or- 

 ganize them in 24 hours, and have them ready for duty on Monday morning 

 when the fair opens. These men, excepting of course the Chicago police, are 

 inexperienced and unaccustomed to the excitement and crowds incident to a 

 large fair, and can not render as good service to the board as they would un- 

 der other and less exciting circumstances. Your superintendent would recom- 

 mend that in the future, in addition to the Chicago police, police be employed 

 from the several smaller cities throughout the state, and that all police must 

 be uniformed. One uniformed officer is worth five men in plain dress. By so 

 doing you will at least have men of experience to do the work, and a reduced 

 pay-roll. 



You will remember, of course, that your superintendent may know person- 

 ally but few of the men called to act as policemen, as they come from every 

 section of the State, upon the recommendation of members and friends of the 

 board. 



FURNITURE. 



For several years the board has rented a large number of desks and beds 

 for the use of the assistants in the several departments during the week of 

 the fair. Of course this could not be done without considerable expense, to 

 lessen which your superintendent purchased 11 good substantial desks, one 

 for each of the superintendents of departments of the fair, and had made 25 

 beds, sufficient to accommodate 50 policemen or gatemen. These beds were 

 placed in the west rooms of the custodian's dwelling, and were furnished 

 with new ticks, pillows and blankets, making a complete and comfortable 

 barracks. 



GROUNDS. 



No effort should be spared to have additional walks and driveways con- 

 structed throughout the fair grounds. The inclement weather during the 

 last fair demonstrated that with good broad concrete walks, covered with gal- 

 vanized iron roof, a very good fair can be held even if it does rain a day or 

 two. 



No other fair ground in the United States could have accommodated one- 

 half of the people in attendance on the Illinois State fair in such a severe 

 rain storm as prevailed in 1900. At times there were not less than 20,000 or 

 25,000 people in the buildings and gi'and stand. 



INVENTORY. 



With the assistance of Mr. Rotramel, custodian of the grounds, a_ full and 

 complete list of the personal property of the board was made, and is filed in 

 the secretary's office. This property has all been carefully housed for the 

 winter, and is, except where noted, in good condition. 



Respectfully submitted, 



A. J. Lovejoy, 

 Superintendent Buildings and Grounds. 



