256 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



DISBURSEMENTS. 



While unfavorable weather interferred to some extent in the re- 

 ceipts, it had no such effect on the expenses. The total expense 

 charged against the fair for 1909 at the close of the year was $109,- 

 225.08, against an expense of $94,593.21 in 1908; or an increased 

 expense of $14,632.67. Of this increase $6,756.87 was for premiums 

 and expense of exhibits; the balance, $7,675.80 covering the in- 

 creased expense in nearly all departments of the fail-. 



I would advise that all revisions for the premium list sliowing an 

 increase in the premiums offered be first considered by the board 

 and afterwards referred to a committee, said committee to consist 

 of the president, vice-president, secretary and two additional mem- 

 bers. This for the reason that at the meeting of the American As- 

 sociation of Fairs and Expositions held in Chicago last week uni- 

 form rules and classifications for live stock were adopted, a copy of 

 which will be sent out by the secretary as soon as possible. Then, 

 too, the increases, if any, to be made in the premium list should be 

 considered along with the other expenses of the fair. 



IMPROVEMENTS. 



As shown by our statement yesterday, warrants to the amount of 

 $150,208.58 had been issued during the past year in payment of 

 improvements at the fair grounds. In addition to this there is still 

 due on contracts amounts aggregating $7,441.74, which will bring 

 the total improvement account up to $157,650.32. Four thousand, 

 six hundred and twenty-tAvo dollars and seventy-six cents of this 

 amount was for balance due on contracts for the season of 1908, 

 leaving the net improvement account for 1909 charged with $153.- 

 047.36. This is about $15,500.00 more than anticipated by the board 

 at their meeting last April, at which meeting a schedule of needed 

 improvements, together with an estimate of the cost of each, was 

 submitted by the executive committee. This increase comes in the 

 following items : 



Cost of amphitheater and track above appropriation $ 4,254.20 



Additional section to horse barn 6,385.18 



Furnishings and additional work at Administration Bldg 2,018.71 



Grading 1,833.20 



Taking down old amphitheater 802.59 . 



Excess cost of schedule of improvements submitted over estimates 223.45 



Total $15,517.33 



