516 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



VEHICLE DEPARTMENT. 



There were more than double the number of vehicles displayed on the main 

 thoroughfare and on the avenue leading to the Automobile Building than ever 

 before, and the representatives of the different lines complained bitterly of the 

 dust and other bad features connected with their location. 



I also wish to call your attention to the valuable space occupied by this ex- 

 hibit, and to my way of thinking, the nuisance of large tents of varying colors 

 housing these vehicles. For example: The Flint Buggy Company occupied a space 

 12.5 by 200 feet and the next exhibit was 40 by 60 feet. The former exhibit was 

 enclosed in a round top tent and the latter in a square tent, and such was the 

 case on both sides of the drive. As a, result, we had an unsightly arrangement. 



I believe it would be good policy to provide for the erection of a vehicle 

 building on the same plot of ground occupied by the Implement Building and 

 place the vehicle exhibit there, because the interests of the vehicle and farm im- 

 plement manufacturers are identical, and it would not do to separate the two de- 

 partments to the extent of forcing the vehicle exhibitors to show on the upper 

 floor of the Automobile Building, providing we are able to do so. I would arrange 

 to have this building similar to the Implement Building, except to use brick 

 piers instead of the steel posts along the outside wall, which would give the build- 

 ing a more substantial effect, besides lessening the cost of construction. 



At the time this report was written, I had no opportunity of getting estimates 

 on this building, but same Avill be on hand during the meeting, and if the scheme 

 meets with your approval I believe, with the assistance of the superintendent of 

 last year's vehicle display, we could secure enough permanent exhibits in this 

 department to bring us fifteen or twenty per cent on our investment. 



That this suggestion merits your consideration, I have only to recall your at- 

 tention to the returns on our investment in the Automobile Building which ex- 

 ceeds twenty-five per cent, besides bringing us more revenue through the gates. 



TRANSPOKTATION DEPARTMENT. 



This phase of State Fair work has been evolved to such an extent during the 

 last two years that it has become one of the big departments of the Fair. Hereto- 

 fore scarcely any attention was paid towards securing additional railroad tracks 

 and the grading of same, and as a result of obtaining these facilities recently 

 the thousands of shipments containing exhibits to the State Fair can be reached 

 by the truck men at any point on the Grand Trunk siding, thus affording an 

 easy means and quicker transfer of the exhibits to and from the cars. 



Bids were asked and received from local trucking and transfer companies who 

 have the facilities to take care of the loading and unloading of the heavy ma- 

 chinery and sufficient teams and trucks on the ground to quickly take care of the 

 transferring of exhibits to and from all departments. The Association did not 

 make one cent from this privilege, but imposed conditions upon the people they 

 asked to make bids on the teaming and trucking to the extent of compelling them 

 to publish a schedule of prices and requiring them to provide facilities for 

 handling the entire proposition and all details connected with it. 



The Reading Truck Company was finally selected to do the work and they 

 performed their duties satisfactorily to the management of the Fair, as well as 

 to the satisfaction of the numerous exhibitors. 



However, there is one matter in connection with this department that must be 

 remedied before the next Fair. "We must keep out the cheap one-horse express- 

 man and nearby farmers from coming in on the grounds and transferring the 

 lighter exhibits at cut prices with no regard to taking care of the situation. These 

 people are undesirable because we cannot depend on them to do any stated 

 amount of work, as we have no supervision over them and they are not accountable 

 to us for their work. Neither is it fair to the Truck Company, because we de- 

 mand that they keep eight or nine teams in readiness to take care of all the 

 work, and part of the time they are forced to remain idle because of the actions 

 of the undesirable parties referred to above. If something is not done with 

 reference to this matter we will have trouble in the future in taking care of the 

 trucking because no company will contract to do the work under the present 

 conditions, and as a result our exhibitors will become dissatisfied. 



The superintendent of this department handled all tickets and badges iu 



