248 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



hood of a hundred on an average every year. Then our admittance at 

 the gate is twenty-flve cents. Our admittance for children is fifteen cents 

 over twelve years of age, and our grandstand is ten cents; the quarter 

 stretch is forty cents. We get from $85, to $150 a day out of the grand- 

 stand. We are a small fair and not jumping up as against the state fair. 

 W^e get the same amount from the quarter stretch. We admit the vehicles 

 into the arena free, and charge ten cents for all the occupants. This 

 year we got $146.90, I believe it was, out of the grandstand on Thursday, 

 and $146.70 on Friday, so we run pretty close together. 



Now as to the free attractions: One of the main things I have found 

 in regard to free attractions is to be sure and have your attractions. Do 

 not advertise something and then not have the goods to deliver to your 

 people. Now I know a neighboring fair on the east known as the Milton 

 fair. Two years ago they had a contract with an aeroplane man for a 

 'free attraction, and he was at Memphis just two weeks before. He was 

 at Newton next and he met with an accident and consequently was killed 

 and could not be at Milton. There are people to this day at Milton who do 

 not believe they had a contract with him, but I absolutely know, because 

 I saw his contract. He came down to contract with us, and we sent him 

 to Milton and he contracted with them. Then the man lost his life; and 

 there are still people all through that country that hold people responsible 

 for his not being down there. He was killed and he could not come 

 there. I would advise you to always contract with some responsible 

 house for these things that will furnish the goods. If one gets killed they 

 can shoot out another. About five years ago we had at our fair a dirigible 

 airship. Some thought it didn't do us much good. We had two rainy 

 days during the fair, and we had it in an immense house. On Wednes- 

 day he made a nice ascension. He sailed west of the city and back over 

 the fair ground. Thursday he made almost an entire failure. The 

 machine would not work, and you know how it goes. Friday he made 

 another ascension and sailed over to our neighboring city, Ottumwa. Late 

 in the evening something got out of order and he had to descend and 

 they went out and got him. I considered that the money was well spent. 

 We paid him $800.00. 



The next year we tried different attractions. I believe it was four 

 years ago. We hired a Japanese troupe. They were certainly good. 

 Then we had a hay rube act to please both sides of the people. But the 

 .Tap and his wife do stunts that will make any of you take off your hat 

 to, and they are nice, clean people. The next year we had something 

 along the same line. On the evening before the fair, Monday, we got a 

 telegram from a company we had hired — the Nelsonites Troupe — and we 

 got a telegram stating that one of them was at the point of death and 

 they could not come, but they substituted a better troupe, more expensive. 

 We called a committee meeting that evening. Some of them thought it 

 would be suicide to take another troupe. They were an English troupe. 

 We had them come and the public were not disappointed. They came on 

 and were a fine troupe and did good work. This last year we recalled the 

 Japanese. The boys thought he would not do, but I want to say that he 

 gave better satisfaction than ever, and the peoi)le were well pleased with 



