STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 25 



THE PARK. 



The land comprised in the park, or fair grounds, embraces eleven 

 and one-half blocks, or about forty-three acres. Five blocks were 

 purchased by the citizens of Sacramento, and leased to the society for 

 the term of ninety-nine years, and the remainder was bought and 

 paid for out of the funds of the society. _ The location is a pleasant 

 and desirable one for the purposes for which it is used. The grounds 

 are kept in excellent condition, and are enhanced and beautified by 

 trees and shrubbery, tastefully planted and laid out. The race-track 

 is carefully attended to, and kept in good repair. It is said to be 

 equal, if not superior, to any track on the coast. During the last 

 year the lower portion of the grand stand, and certain stalls and 

 sheds not used or appropriated for any special purpose, have been 

 leased, and certain privileges granted to a responsible person, for the 

 sum of six thousand dollars per annum, payable in monthly install- 

 ments. The management, care, and supervision of the park belongs 

 to the Superintendent. Frederick Cox, Esq., of the Board of Directors, 

 is at present holding this office, and serves without compensation. 



THE GRAND STAND. 



The committee spent the greater portion of a day in inspecting the 

 grand stand and other buildings at the park. They were materially 

 aided in their examinations by P. J. O'Connor, a building expert, and 

 Secretary of the Senate Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds. 

 The grand stand was built and completed in eighteen hundred and 

 seventy-four. It was constructed under the supervision of a build- 

 ing committee of the Board, consisting of Messrs. Carey, Cox, and 

 Hamilton. All the work was done by " day's work," except the 

 heavy planing, painting, plumbing, shingling, and laying of gas and 

 water pipes, which was done by contract. It is a strong, substantial 

 buildipg, convenient and commodious, having a capacity capable of 

 seating from six thousand to seven thousand people. It is about six 

 hundred feet long, and forty feet high, and commands a prospect 

 view of the entire park and surroundings. Its total cost is in the 

 neighborhood of twenty-two thousand dollars, being much less than 

 the lowest estimate made by any architect who offered a proposal to 

 build it. 



OTHER BUILDINGS. 



The stables, buildings, and sheds for the use of horses, cattle, and 

 all kinds of stock, too great in number to enumerate, are spacious 

 and in good condition, and afford ample accommodation for all exhib- 

 itors. A great proportion of them have been built within the last 

 few years. With an outlay of three thousand dollars or four thou- 

 sand dollars for stables, the society will have all the accommodations 

 that are necessary for years to come. 



THE PAVILION. 



Situated on the corner of Sixth and M Streets, in Sacramento, is a 

 large and substantial structure, well adapted to the exhibitions of the 

 society. It was built by the County of Sacramento for the benefit and 

 express use of the society, to whom it is leased as long as it remains a 

 State institution. The society has, at great expense, erected machin- 

 ery in one portion of the building for the purpose of testing mechan- 

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