PROCEEDINGS IOWA FAIR MANAGERS ASSN. 193 



If you have not, make it right; if you have, get the money or cancel con- 

 tract. 



Always settle for amount specified in contract. By this is meant: do not 

 "make right" something you have failed to furnish by reduction in price; 

 but furnish what you have agreed and collect full price. Any other kind 

 of a settlement will make trouble with other men on the lot. 



Here is where your written, signed and perfectly plain contract wins out. 



We have found that at a four-day fair it works well to make the pay- 

 ments: One-third cash with contract, one-third on second day of the fair 

 and balance on third day of the fair. This gives the boys first and second 

 day to make second payment, the third day which is usually the big day 

 for third payment and the fourth day for them to take in their get-away 

 money and you to settle with the lame ducks, if you have any. 



While amount we collect from concessions is not so large as many of 

 you have, we usually have all collected at close of third day; this season 

 we had every dollar. 



It has been suggested that some plan should be devised by which all 

 money for concessions would be paid in advance. There is no room for 

 difference of opinion along this line. Such a plan would be ideal and make 

 the life of the concession superintendent a bed of roses; and while I hope 

 that the discussion may result in devising some such, plan, for my part 

 I am of the opinion that it is impossible. It would require more capital 

 than most of our concessioners have to contract for season of say ten weeks 

 and pay in advance. If they had that much money, they would not need 

 to be on the road. 



It is true that we may sometimes hold a spot for a man who has made 

 first payment and fails to come, sometimes a man blows after the second 

 day; but these are chances we must take and under normal conditions 

 there are usually applications for space on second day of fair sufficient to 

 take up these defaults. 



It might be worth while to make contracts with those who contract in 

 advance at the usual terms and require payment in full from those who 

 drop in after fair opens thus stimulating advance contracts. 



The Wayne County Fair and possibly others would appreciate having the 

 representatives who have tried them give their experience in regard to 

 carnivals at county fairs. Do they interfere with sale of other concessions? 

 Do they please your patrons? Do they pay? Do you have any trouble in 

 keeping them from putting on immoral shows and games of chance? Our 

 directors do not approve of them yet we know that some good clean fairs 

 have them. We want information. 



Another thing which, in my opinion, would add to the entertainment and 

 increase revenue at our fairs is good clean pay shows. We have not been 

 able so far in our career to connect with anything of this kind worth while. 

 We have too many refreshment stands and games and not enough shows. 

 Folks can't eat all the time, they soon get enough kewpie dolls, some do not 

 care for the rides and most any kind of a show except a snake show would 

 be welcome. 

 i;5 



