98 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



states. As compared with Illinois, Ohio, Minnesota, and even Mis- 

 souri, the improvements on the Iowa State Fair grounds are far behind 

 However, nature has done more for our grounds than any I have ever 

 visited; and we have great faith that the future general assemblies of 

 Iowa will do as much. 



It was my pleasure to visit the State Fair grounds at Columbus, 

 Ohio, a short time ago, and I was much impressed with what I saw 

 there in the way of buildings. Instead of a large number of frame 

 and temporary buildings, they have seventeen permanent exposition 

 buildings. Their hog show is all housed under one roof, with a show 

 ring in the center, and this building is a model of beauty and con- 

 venience. The same is true of their ether stock barns. Mr. Miller, 

 their secretary, informed me that since these barns were erected the 

 show of live stock has increased seventy-five per cent, and the exhibit 

 is the center of interest to the vast throngs of visitors to the fair. 

 Ihey have three large, roomy sheds for the implement and machinery 

 exhibit. In fact, the whole of their exhibit is under cover. The Illinois 

 state fair grounds are even better equipped, in that they haA^e covered 

 walks connecting all their main buildings. Leaving the train ohe 

 enters the immense implement sheds.- passes, through this to the 

 Dome building, where the agricultural and horticultural exhibits are 

 displayed, then passes on to the exposition and womens' buildings, and 

 from there to the poultry building and stock pavilion without once 

 being from under cover. Thus you can see why inclement weather will 

 not materially interfere with the Illinois State Fair. 



I cannot pass over this matter of improvements without a word in 

 regard to the urgent need of a fireproof grandstand. Those of you 

 who were present at the last fair remember something of the immense 

 crowd that packed the grandstand and quarter stretch on Wednesday 

 afternoon. It was on this day that a fire broke out in an eating house 

 five or six hundred feet to the east of the grandstand. To the people 

 in the grandstand nothing was visible Init a vast volume of black 

 smoke, but this was sufficient to cause a feeling of uneasiness, know- 

 ing the inflammable material of which the grandstand is built, and 

 when those outside began crying "fire." this feeling of uneasiness 

 amounted to almost a panic. Only those who were facing the stand 

 and saw the tremor that swept like a wave over the immense throng 

 occupying it, can appreciate by what a narrow margin was averted a 

 catastrophe greater than Iowa has ever seen; a panic which would 

 have resulted in the death of hundreds of people. This was only 

 averted by cool-headed persons and a statement that it was a fake, 

 being only a demonstration by the fire department stationed on the 

 grounds. This incident should be a warning and a lesson that should be 

 heeded before it is too late. Human lives are too precious to take any 

 such chances. The amusement feature of the fair is legitimate, and 

 the immense crowds that witness this feature is made up of the flower 

 of Iowa's population, the wives, mothers, daughters and sons, not only 



