EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART II 39 



years showed an increase in atlendanee. So with that inforaia- 

 tion before us we went ahead with the usual extensive plans for 

 the 1917 fair. 



"WTiile our live stock exhibits in previous years have been larger 

 in some departments, especially the cattle and horse departments, 

 yet our swine exhibit this year was the largest we have ever had, 

 every pen in the swine pavilion was filled. The sheep exhibit 

 was also the largest we have ever had on the grounds. Our ma- 

 chinery exhibit was equal to anything we have had in five years. 

 The tractor exhibit was the best we have ever had. 



As far as the attendance at the fair is concerned, it was the 

 banner year and in fact far exceeded our expectations. As Mr. 

 Cameron said, we had been anticipating some day reaching the 

 300,000 mark, but this year we passed it by a good margin and 

 our official count showed an attendance of 349,298. The total 

 receipts this year exceeded last year, which Avas our best previous 

 year, by about 25 per cent and totaled $257,122.56. 



The expense of conducting fhe fair was naturally increased 

 because of the increased cost of labor and material, and the fact 

 that we paid out about $5,000 more in premiums. Another item 

 of expense that increased the cost of fair this year was the forage 

 which we handled ourselves, and that had increased about 33 1-3 

 per cent. Our music cos\ more, and our payroll throughout 

 was quite a lot more. Labor was about double that of last year. 

 The cantonment was responsible for that to a certain extent as 

 they were pa^-ing $7 a day for carpenters and $3.65 a day for 

 common laborers, and in order to get the men we had to meet 

 these prices. 



There is just one other thing I care to say, and that is not only 

 the fair management but every citizen of the State of Iowa should 

 be proud of the success of the Iowa State Fair this year. The 

 board started the year with an indebtedness of about $20,000 

 at one of the local banks ; the buildings at the fair grounds Avere 

 all in need of repair and painting. We wound up the year's 

 business with every building on the grounds painted and put in 

 first-class repair, and after paying for all those improvements 

 Ave had a balance of $35,000 left in the treasury, so we feel very 

 happy over the year's Avork. 



NOTE — The complete printed report of the secretary, placed 

 in the hands of those present, Avas as folloAA's: 



