SEVENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK-PART IX. 447 



perhaps a higher average of merit has been seen in some rings of beef 

 cattle, but explanation of this fact is found in the attraction of the 

 "Closed classes" to the younger and smaller breeders. Competitions 

 limited to the State or to animals bred by the exhibitor are bound to 

 bring out entries which suffer some by comparison with the pick of the 

 land made fit by skillful hands for the hottest competitions. 



It has been in the air that this season is to set new high water 

 marks in the success of our agricultural exhibitions, and nobly does 

 Iowa respond to that prevailing sentiment. The weather played its 

 important part. The best laid plans of fair managers are sometimes 

 drowned out. The scorching heat of a fortnight, moving the great 

 corn crop by leaps and bounds toward a safe maturity, was succeeded by 

 a breath from the pole that swept down in refreshing volume covering 

 the northwest and middle west in revivifying coolness. It was a mighty 

 acrobatic feat performed by the mercury in its tumble from around 

 the 100 mark to the frost line — for light frosts were recorded on 

 Sunday night in a few of the northern sections of the State. Ideal 

 weather followed in the wake of the cool wave, and while it threat- 

 ened rain about the middle of the week, and the forecast gave prom- 

 ise of showers, nothing more than threats materialized, and the fair 

 swept forward to astonishing success under the smiles of an autumn 

 sky, fanned by breezes that snapped' the flags merrily at their poles 

 and aided in keeping nerve-force at the requisite tension to compass 

 the many sights on a congested fair ground. 



if ■ * * It: * <t * * * * « 



But for the smallness of faith of the railroads gate receipts would 

 have been measurably augmented. On Wednesday, and other days, 

 the special excursion trains pulled by station after station loaded to 

 the guards and unable to stop for passengers waiting to be carried to 

 Des Moines. Such a state of affairs is no credit to the "granger 

 roads" which gridiron the State of Iowa. They should have long since 

 learned the temper of the people toward this institution and have 

 profited by past experiences of this kind. We may accept the excuses 

 of rolling stock when freight is delayed in movement, but railroad yards 

 are full of passenger coaches that can be pressed into emergency use. 

 It is this inconsiderateness on the part of railroad traffic managers that 

 is giving birth to the whole brood of suburban lines which will surely 

 make serious inroads on the profits of the steam lines. Over 5,000 

 people were encamped on the grounds the week through. 



We can not, writing before the conclusion of the fair, attempt an 

 accurate summary of the attendance and the receipts, but on the basis 

 of things now accomplished, the Iowa fair managers should be able to 

 look complacently on a profit of more than $40,000 from this exhibi- 

 tion at the end of the week. The attendance on Tuesday was over 

 60,000. With a continuance of favorable weather the attendance at 

 the close of the week should reach a total of around 200,000. 



The poverty of the State Fair, amid all the agricultural fatness 

 of the commonwealth, is painful. Out here in Iowa they have the 

 dam by the mill site, but not the mill. They are long on location, short 

 on equipment. The site of the State Fair is concededly acceptable. 



