SIXTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART I. 103 



year of $88,627.17, that thei-e was received from the sale of tickets at 

 the State Fair $62,172.05, • and from other departments of the fair 

 $22,502.20, making a total of $84,674.25 receipts from the fair and 

 $.3,952.92 from all other sources. 



The statement of disbursements will show that there was drawn 

 during the year, premium and expense warrants to the amount of 

 $78,447.87,— $28,730.89 for premiums, $33,720.08 for expenses of the fair, 

 and $15,996.90 for improvements, insurance, expenses of state farmers' 

 institute, salary of the superintendent of the fair grounds, etc. Also 

 that the total disbursements of the fair were $62,450.97. leaving a net 

 profit of $22,223.28. It will show an increase in the receipts in nearly 

 all departments, particularly in the ticket sales and privileges; the 

 increase in the ticket sales amounting to $13,628.40 and the increase 

 from the sale of privileges to about $3,000.00. 



Quite a large number of improvements and changes are needed, a 

 number of which can be provided for out of the funds now in the trea- 

 sury. Presuming the Board will see the wisdom of continuing the 

 emergency fund and that it will not be less than for the past two years 

 ($15,000), and estimating the money necessary to pay the bills con- 

 tracted and presented for payment before the next fair at $4,000 to 

 $5,000, will give a working fund of about $20,000. After deducting 

 the amount of any increase in the premium list, the balance will be 

 available for improvements and repairs. This sum will not be suffi- 

 cient to provide for all the improvements which should be made the 

 next season. 



Another cattle barn should be built to give the necessary stable 

 room without resorting to the use of a tent, which does not make a 

 desirable place to house cattle and is very dangerous in case of 

 storms. Another sanitary closet is needed near the camp grounds. 

 Aside from the fence put up the past two seasons, the outside fence 

 is in very bad condition and about six hundred rods of additional 

 fencing should be built. The fence which is being used is a seven 

 foot woven wire fence and is quite expensive to build, but when put up 

 right it will last a number of years. More walks should be laid, and 

 some additional storm sewers put in. The streets and drives should 

 be further improved by the use of cinders, curb and gutters. In our 

 experience in improving our streets, the cinders have kept them in a 

 better condition than any other material used. The lighting plant 

 should be increased to double its present capacity. A telephone system 

 should be installed; this would not only facilitate the work of the 

 Board in their management of the fair, but would be greatly appre- 

 ciated by the exhibitors and visitors to the fair. Provision should be 

 made without further delay to better the conditions for furnishing 

 meals at the fair. A number, in fact nearly all, of the buildings on 

 the grounds used for dining halls belong to private parties. They 

 have been there for a number of years, are very unsightly, and not 

 fitted for the purpose for which they were erected. They were put up 

 in the cheapest kind of a way to begin with, and their appearance has 



