FOURTEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART I 17 



the grounds. The grounds were in total darkness one night during the 

 1910 fair, which necessitated a refund of all admissions for the stock 

 pavilion show, amounting approximately to $500.00. A like loss was also 

 sustained on the night show at the amphitheater. 



With this situation staring the management in the face it was evident 

 that one of two things must be done; either double the capacity of the 

 plant and make it more efficient at an expense of $10,000 or $15,000, or 

 enter into contract with the Des Moines Electric Company to furnish 

 all the current for lighting and power purposes on the grounds, and dis- 

 mantle the old plant. (I wish to advise here that the management had 

 been negotiating with the Des Moines Electric Company for a number 

 of years, with a view of securing the current from their plant, but not 

 until 1911, at which time they rebuilt their local plant, were they in a po- 

 sition to furnish a sufficient amount of current for light and power at 

 the grounds.) The management chose the latter plan and made a very 

 desirable contract with the Des Moines Electric Company in 1911 and 

 for that year the current furnished for light and power under this con- 

 tract cost $782.64. The amount of current used was equal to approx- 

 imately 5,000 16-candle power lamps. Thus you will see that current for 

 light and power under this contract cost the management about 25 per 

 cent of what it did to produce it with the old plant. I leave this also with 

 the committee to determine whether this was a profitable change or 

 whether great loss was sustained. 



We employed electrical engineers to appraise the equipment in the 

 old plant and "ads" were run in electrical journal and in the Des Moines 

 papers. The receipts set out above were the results of these sales. We 

 found it a difficult matter to dispose of this second-hand equipment and 

 some of it was sold for less than the amount set by the appraisers. Part 

 of this equipment is still on hand and the management will have to use 

 their best judgment in disposing of same. 



"Inventories. — No inventories have been taken of the lumber, hardware, 

 forage or general supplies on hand at the fair grounds. In addition to 

 the lumber and supplies obtained by purchase in the usual manner, large 

 quantities of these materials have been salved from time to time from 

 the wreckage of various buildings on the grounds, but no record has been 

 made of the quantity or value of such materials and consequently it is 

 a matter of impossibility to obtain any definite information as to whether 

 the department has had the sole use or benefit of all such materials. We are 

 informed that no large quantities of the above mentioned commodities 

 are purchased except for specific purposes, but, as in the case of the 

 salved materials, no systematic record is kept of the receipts and issues 

 thereof." 



The system we have adopted in ordering lumber, hardware, and gen- 

 eral supplies at the grounds is as follows: The superintendent of grounds 

 issues a requisition indicating thereon the amount of lumber or supplies 

 needed for the building or improvement for which they are to be used. 

 This requisition is brought to this office, where an order is made up in 

 triplicate; one copy is retained along with the requisition in this de- 

 partment and two copies are sent to the firm where the supplies are to 

 be purchased; one for their files and one to accompany the supplies when 

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