MICHIGAN STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 349 



the Michigan State Agricultural Society one of the bond holders to 

 the extent of fifteen thousand dollars. It was found when we acquired 

 the fifty acres additional land that it would be necessary for the 

 Grand Trunk side track to enter the grounds at the extreme south 

 side and we were compelled to contract for a small parcel of land 

 south of Barnum avenue thus saving a large portion of our own 

 ground for show purposes. The contract price was five hundred and 

 seventy-five dollars of which seventy-five dollars has been paid, leaving 

 a balance of five hundred dollars for a term of years if so desired by 

 this society. 



On April 18, 1905, a deed was delivered to the Michigan State 

 Agricultural Society by the Detroit State Land Co., and work was 

 started at once witli a view of building a half-mile track and erecting 

 buildings. It then became evident to the Detroit citizens' committee 

 that we should have more land and after a conference jointly of your 

 business committee with the Detroit citizens' committee, it was agreed 

 that the Detroit citizens' committee would buy fifty acres adjoining 

 the ninety-six acres on the north for twenty thousand dollars, the 

 society paying ten thousand dollars, and the citizens' committee the 

 balance. Thus we were enabled to build a mile track. The chairman 

 of your business committee immediately telephoned President Fifield 

 and outlined the proposition briefly. The president made a prompt 

 call for a meeting on the 24th of May when another deed for fifty 

 acres was turned over to the society by the Detroit citizens' com- 

 mittee. Then work began in earnest. From that date we had ninety- 

 eight days including Sundays to arrange for the fair. During this 

 period your committee met with much to discourage them, one of the 

 important items was forty days of rain, but they kept up courage, 

 remembering their promise to you, that we would hold a fair on the 

 new fair grounds in Detroit in 190.5 if we were obliged to do so under 

 canvas. The result you all know. I do not think there ever was a 

 fair gi'ound put in condition to hold a fair in the same length of time 

 in the United States, especially of such magnitude. The Michigan 

 State Agricultural Society should congratulate itself on having a per- 

 manent location in the most beautiful city in the United States. There 

 is but one Belle Isle in the world and last but not least, the only 

 W^oodward avenue in the world. At one time during the fair there 

 were ten thousand people in transit between the city hall and the state 

 fair grounds. 



I wish to thank the executive committee, the Detroit citizens' com- 

 mittee and the advisory committee, also my associates on the business 

 committee for their kindness. You have honored me with three terms 

 on the business committee and one year as general superintendent, 

 enabling me to assist in managing the most successful fair ever held 

 in the history of this society. 



JOHN A. HOFFMAN, 

 A. E. STEVENSON, 

 I. H. BUTTERFIELD. 



