26 Transactions op the 



involve them in unfriendly contention and fruitless litigation, and the 

 whole country will suffer for the want of a system of general whole- 

 some laws that shall secure equal privileges and equal rights to all. 

 The Legislature cannot too soon address itself to the earnest considera- 

 tion of this subject. 



REAL ESTATE AND PERMANENT IMPROVEMENTS. 



Since the last Report the Board have, in pursuance of the authority 

 vested in them by the original charter of the society, purchased a very 

 valuable piece of real estate. Five blocks of the northern half of the 

 inclosed grounds occupied by the society as stock grounds and race 

 course, have heretofore belonged to an association known as Union 

 Park Association. The property was purchased by the association for 

 the sum of seven thousand two hundred dollars, and the society was 

 allowed to use it free of charge during its annual Fairs; but the rent of 

 the ground and all its benefits, except during the Fairs, belonged to the 

 association. The Board has purchased sixty-six of the seventy-two 

 shares of this property, together with all its improvements, at its 

 original cost, and intend as soon as practicable to purchase the six 

 remaining shares, which it is understood can be had at the same rate. 



The south half of the Union Park ground, now all in possession of 

 the society, is owned by an association known as Agricultural Park 

 Association, but the society hold a perpetual lease of this half, the only 

 condition being that the society shall hold an Agricultural and Stock 

 Fair annually on the same, and in default of such Fair the lease is abro- 

 gated and the land reverts to the original owners. So that it will be 

 seen that the society is owner in fee of the north half of the grounds, 

 and so long as it keeps up the annual Fairs is virtually so of the south 

 half. The value of this property, with improvements, is, at a low esti- 

 mate, from thirty-five thousand dollars to forty thousand dollars. Within 

 the last two years the Board has expended some twelve thousand dollars 

 in permanent improvements upon these grounds, and within the next 

 two years it will become necessary to make still greater and more costly 

 improvements. The main stand for the accommodation of the people at 

 the trials of speed, the examination and grand parades of stock, requires 

 to be taken down and replaced with one of at least double the present 

 capacity. The necessary expense of such improvement is estimated at 

 not less than fifteen thousand dollars. 



Improvements have also been made at the Pavilion. The County of 

 Sacramento, with her accustomed liberality toward the society, has 

 borne a share of these improvements. The capacity of the halls for 

 exhibition purposes have within the last two years, by such improve- 

 ments, been doubled, and yet at the last Fair it became necessary to 

 obtain the use of additional ground, and still all the lumber wagons and 

 heavy agricultural machinery had to be exhibited in the open air. 



It will thus be seen that with the increased usefulness of the society 

 heavy additional outlays are becoming necessary. As these outlays are 

 for the direct benefit of the material industries of the State and for the 

 accommodation of that class of citizens who contribute most to the 

 improvement of these industries, we feel warranted in asking of the 

 Legislature a liberal appropriation to aid the society in meeting them. 



