Golden Gate J^istkict Fair Association. 243 



medium of organized liorse-racins to encourage the improvement of 

 the hreed of horses. But while wu are in the midst of tlie greatest 

 ])Oi)uhition, an:l at the very center of tlie wealth and enterprise of 

 the .State, with a country immediately surrounding us unsurjiassed 

 for its pi'oductiveness, or the variety and excellence of its ])roducts; 

 while we boast that at our very doors may he i)rofilahIy grown every 

 variety of grain, fruit, or vegetable known throughout the Atlantic 

 Coast from Nova Scotia to Florida; and with tliese crystalized facts 

 hanging l)oldly before us, we have failed to give any ])articular atten- 

 tion to the organized encouragement of the develojjnient of our 

 resources. 



J>eeanse of this strange omission, a few entei'prising gentlemen met 

 together at the Grand Central Hotel, Oakland, several months ago, 

 and organized the Golden Gate District Agricultural Fair Association. 

 It was detei-mined that the Association should embrace the three 

 Counties of !San Francisco, Alameda, and Contra Costa, in neither of 

 which had annual fairs been successfully maintained, while at the 

 same time it should not cut off competition with all other parts of 

 thoState. 



The gentlemen who met to consider and discuss this matter were of 

 the^ unanimous opinion this golden opportunity should be accepted, 

 and an organization was entered into without delaj'^, taking care that 

 their Board of Directors should embrace representatives from the 

 three counties named. They become incorporated under the laws of 

 the State, and appearing before the Legislature, received a portion of 

 the bounty usually appropriated by that body for the encouragement 

 of such enterprises. 



The Golden Gate Agricultural Fair has become recognized through- 

 out the State as an Association whose annual gatherings are to be 

 respected and looked for from year to year with intensitied interest. 

 They have shouldered a responsibility manfully, and have prepared 

 a list of purses and premiums for their first annual fair that is not 

 equaled in liberality by any similar institution in the whole State; 

 and have made arrangements for the exhibition on a broad and 

 generous scale, conscious of the fact that the public spirit and enter- 

 ])rise of their fellow-citizens will abundantly justify their most san- 

 guine exi)ectations and the obligations they have incurred. 



They set out with a spirit of determination that their fair sliould 

 be second to none iirthe State, and by untiring industry, zealous 

 devotion to the Avork, individual sacrifice and liberality, a compre- 

 hensive idea of what was re<iuired to be done, they have worked up 

 to \\\v ])oiiit of opening this temple of industry, in which are dis- 

 played such a wonderful variety of the arts and jtroducts of the skill 

 ancl industry of our fellow-citizens, which is but one feature of the 

 fair. 



And while we point with pride and ])leasure to the general attract- 

 iveness of this exhibition, so eloquent of the ingenuity, taste, and 

 enterprise of our i)eople, we have also to invite your attention to 

 aiiother department now oi)en at the Oakland Trotting Park, wliere 

 will be found a display of live stock — horses, cattle, sheep, swine, 

 jioultry, etc. — which it is .safe to .say has never been excelled in any 

 one exhibition in the State. 



There, also, will be found disi)layed a very large variety of agricult- 

 ural and labor-saving machinery, immensely valuable as showing 

 the result of ceaseless industry and study in this important branch 



