TENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART XI 6(51 



The matter of transportation has here about as satisfactory adjustment 

 as at any fair. It is an evil day when a trolley line builds to a state fair 

 grounds, but it is idle to fight against it. The Rock Island road is entitled 

 to credit for keeping its train service at a high point of efficiency, despite 

 the sharp competition of the street cars. The crush in the street cars 

 reached such a pitch of indecency and danger as to call forth a rebuke 

 from the cartoonist of the leading Des Moines daily paper. It is singular 

 that people will subject themselves to such indignities and danger as at- 

 tend the herding of humanity into street cars at fair time, to save five 

 cents fare, but humanity is somewhat odd at best. There were times 

 when a few more cars on the steam road's trains would have been accept- 

 able. 



Figures of total attendance are not yet at hand. Some little padding 

 was given the official count by the city dailies, which was quite unneces- 

 sary, as the turnstile count was creditable enough. The paid attendance 

 on the opening days — Friday and' Saturday and Sunday — continues to 

 grow steadily, and it seemed that the climax of the week was reached on 

 Tuesday, old soldier's day, when the count fell only a few hundred short 

 of 60,000. Wednesday's record probably equaled it, but the rain on 

 Thursday morning cut what should have been the maximum attendance 

 in the history of this fair. Ideal weather up to that time awakened hope 

 that the week would pass without the usual downpour, but the fair seems 

 fated in this respect. Its annals include many a day's receipts materially 

 lessened by rain. The rain was welcomed wherever it fell, and in its 

 sweep eastward from beyond the Missouri it left thousands of dollars in 

 farmers' pockets, but dipped rather deeply into the coffers of the state 

 fair. The skies cleared by noon, and people ventured out, as the substan- 

 tial buildings and new sidewalks make sight-seeing pleasant even in in- 

 clement weather, but the track was too wet for use. Friday promised fair 

 and should have added its quota to the profits of the week, which will 

 amount to a very gratifying total, despite the loss of Thursday's receipts. 



It is easy to contract the night-show habit at these fairs. The grand 

 stand spectacle, concluding with its brilliant fireworks, taxed the increased 

 capacity of the new stand. Over in the stock judging pavilion, a dazzle 

 of light and the most interesting activity succeed the gloom and stillness 

 of former years. Last fall night shows were staged in the pavilion for the 

 first time and leaped into unquestioned popularity. They were repeated 

 this year, although on the opening night an accident to the electric light 

 plant compelled the abandonment of the exhibition. To the beautiful pa- 

 rades of horses and cattle were joined the six-horse teams of Swift & 

 Co. and J. Crouch & Son, and the ox-team with Red River cart and prairie 

 schooner of almost pre-historic day. Some trick horse stunts and a few 

 other features furnished that variety which seems to be desired by fair 

 goers, especially at night exhibitions. These pavilion shows attain great 

 popularity. 



The catalogue may well serve as a model for such fairs. While the live 

 stock entries are compiled with more than usual care, the book contains 

 also a large fund of information suited to the needs of the visiting farmer 

 and his family. The work of the fair is programmed throughout, and 



