PROCEEDINGS IOWA STATE FAIR MANAGERS ASSN. 49 



and if the wheel stops on the star then the player wins the large doll; 

 if not, the player wins the small doll. This should not be permitted, 

 and the concessionaire should operate with only one big prize. I have 

 known where blanket wheels have been operated on which there were 

 125 numbers on the wheel, 25 paddles were sold, each containing five 

 numbers and before the wheel was turned, all paddles were sold and 

 some holder of one of the paddles would win the blanket. 



A good many fairs have not strictly lived up to the law and sold their 

 concessions under the law which must confirm to the art of skill and 

 science. I do not mean any individual or set of fairs, or I do not mean 

 by this statement fairs in Iowa alone. The past season I attended fairs 

 in Nebraska, Illinois, Oklahoma, and Texas, and had the opportunity of 

 observing what is going on. 



Something must be done so that the fairs can sell their space for 

 the fair. For example at Davenport where I am secretary, I have tried 

 to live up to the law of Iowa and sold my concession space according 

 to the law, and have stated in all correspondence to all concessionaires 

 that their concession must conform to the art of skill and science. I 

 must admit that I sold some space for swinging balls that after the first 

 day found out that the player had no chance of winning, absolutely 

 closed the same and would not permit their operating thereafter. 



I think that fairs have been a little lax in letting some kinds of con- 

 cessionaires operate. Some fairs did not live strictly up to the law of 

 skill and science and sold their space and received the income from 

 the same and as far as I can observe, got by just as well as those who 

 tried to keep within the law. 



Another thing that I think should not be permitted at fairs, at 49 

 camps — a type of dancing show. You might ask the question: "What is 

 meant by a 49 camp?" In answer to this, I would say that it is an outfit 

 in which the traveling women dance with the town's people on a port- 

 able floor, charging a fee from the town's men for the dance. 



A marble roll-down is what is termed as a gambling device. It is 

 started by a person who has had the operation of same that a person 

 playing only has one chance in 200 of winning the main prize. There 

 are many straight concessions that may be "gaffed." 



A tip-up is a board with cleats on each side and ends, the flat sur- 

 face is full of jigs or nails. At the bottom of the board between each 

 nail are numbers either from one to eight or six or eight. Marbles are 

 rolled down from the top and the score denotes a prize. Red, a big 

 one, black small. They are hardly ever counted up right by the operator 

 except for the "capper." Besides the red numbers are very hard to get. 

 It is called a "skin .game" or "thieving store" by many and not allowed 

 to run in many places. 



Most of the Huckle-de-buck joints have a loose bottom which when 

 loose, balls will stay in, and when tight will bound out. It is a very 

 ingenious thing and is under the control of the operator all the time. 

 It is comparatively a new game and has fooled thousands of people and 

 made thousands of dollars and given the people nearly nothing. It is 



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