TWELFTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VI. 267 



Courier and other critical newspapers knockers, whose operations were 

 damaging to the institution of the state fair. It appears from the result, 

 however, that Des Moines needed just a little roasting, for vigorous 

 and conscientious efforts have been made this year to give all visitors 

 a square deal, with the result that the fair has been the greatest success 

 in history. It all goes to prove that the right way is the best way in 

 the end regardless of a little immediate pain." 



The following interview with a state fair visitor from southeastern 

 Iowa appeared in the Washington Democrat and would indicate fair 

 treatment: 



"I have heard a great deal about being held up or overcharged at 

 the state fair or in Des Moines during the state fair. I may be too 

 green to know when I am stung, but I thought I was treated very fairly. 

 Hotel rooms cost the same as always, meals were the same, meals were 

 just as good, and in place of Des Moines being on the lookout for suckers 

 to skin, it seemed to me everybody was particularly polite and obliging." 



The success of a fair is usually judged by the exhibits, attendance and 

 last, but not least, the receipts. 



The exhibits at the 1911 fair were, without a doubt, the largest and 

 gave us a better balanced show than was ever before staged upon our 

 state fair grounds. 



The 1911 show was made by 1,590 exhibitors in the various depart- 

 ments, making 16,024 entries. This was an increase of 142 exhibitors 

 and 1,696 entries over last year. 



The live stock exhibit, which came from fourteen different states, 

 was so large that it became necessary to erect three temporary barns . 

 to stall the overflow; one for horses, one for cattle and one for the horses 

 entered in the speed events. It was also necessary to erect additional 

 pens to house the sheep exhibit, and we were obliged to turn away ex- 

 hibitors in the swine department, as every pen in the mammoth swine 

 pavilion was sold before the entries closed. 



The number of exhibitors and entries in the various departments 

 follow: 



No. of No. of No. of No. of 



Exhibitors Entries Exhibitors Entries 



1911 1911 1910 1910 



Horses 140 2,114 101 1,958 



Cattle 92 1,441 72 1,203 



Swine 206 2,886 161 1,973 



Sheep 32 691 33 751 



Poultry 116 1,361 99 1,297 



Agriculture 112 1,033 141 939 



Pantry Ill 1,577 118 1,640 



Dairy 66 69 74 74 



Horticulture 48 639 19 357 



Floriculture 16 245 13 245 



Fine Arts 223 3,355 216 2,917 



Educational 115 613 106 650 



Farm Implements 318 16,024 320 14,328 



