286 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



and Game Department to erect a permanent building thereon for 

 housing their exhibit. 



It is quite evident that some action will be taken by the legisla- 

 ture this winter relative to permanent road building in our state. 

 You will recall that last session a bill was introduced asking for 

 an appropriation of some $10,000 or $15,000 for building five miles 

 of experimental roads in the state and it failed to pass for the 

 reason that a majority of the house could not agree where the 

 experiment should be carried out. No location in the state of 

 Iowa would afford a better opportunity for inspection of roads 

 of this sort than the state fair grounds. Should this matter come 

 up again this winter I believe it would be well for the board to 

 suggest this proposition to the legislature. The preliminary ex- 

 pense of grade and drawings has been taken care of in the per- 

 manent plans on file in this office. 



The Rock Island railroad has within the past year purchased 

 about eighty acres of ground between the Wabash tracks and 

 their present tracks, extending from 20th to 34th street. This is 

 to be used for transfer yards and storage tracks and will provide 

 ample storage for cars switched to the grounds during the fair. 



I understand the Rock Island officials have already promised 

 the Commercial Club that they would provide additional plat- 

 forms at the grounds and accept L. C. L. shipments from the 

 grounds next year. However, it will be necessary for our com- 

 mittee to take up the matter relative to additional sidings and 

 loading platforms for stock before another fair. The data col- 

 lected from exhibitors at the close of the fair relative to the 

 manner in which live stock shipments Avere handled should be 

 sufficient to base our request for track and platform extensions. 

 Another matter that should be looked into is the demurrage 

 charged by the Rock Island on palace cars rented and used by our 

 live stock exhibitors. 



COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS OF 1911 AND 1912 FAIRS. 



1912 1911 Increase Decrease 



Horse department $1,745.00 $1,729.00 $16.00 



Cattle department 98S.0O 1,146.00 $158.00 



Sheep department 138.00 170.00 32.00 



Poultry department 731.45 658.05 73.40 



S-wine department 1,076.00 1,206.00 130.00 



Machinery department 6,191.87 3,641.50 2,549.87 



Agricultural department 1,695.00 1,172.50 522.50 



Dairy department 1,731.85 1,036.36 695.49 



Fine Arts department 2,890.00 2,890.00 



Police department 69.90 34.75 35.15 



Concession department 23,632.85 24,182.47 519.62 



Speed department 6,166.00 5,351.80 814.20 



Exhibitor's tickets 2,612.00 2,604.00 8.00 



Forage department 5,595.10 6,502.97 907.87 



Association specials 4,894.46 5,092.27 197.81 



Miscellaneous receipts 799.30 626.50 172.80 



Ticket sales 123,143.75 121,505.50 1,638.25 



Dog show 1,601.18 1,601.18 



$185,701.21 $179,549.67 $8,126.84 $1,975.30 



