140 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



it would cost one-fortieth part of the money on hand. Mr. McCord 

 requested Mr. Robinson to proceed with the worlv of making the necessary 

 drawings and picture and he guaranteed that he wouki receive the five 

 hundred dollars asked for his services. 



After the picture and drawings were completed they were placed in a 

 show window of one of the leading drug stores of Spencer and caused 

 considerable favorable comment. This display aroused quite a little in- 

 terest in the fair and the picture and drawings helped the sale of stock 

 in the new Fair Association and gave the directors a definite object to 

 work for. Looking back the fair management feel that this money was 

 well spent. 



As soon as the building operations were started the directors saw that 

 it would be necessary to increase the capital stock from $19,000 to $30,000 

 which was done. Later the capital stock was still further increased to 

 $40,000. Owing to the lateness in the season and the fact that the grounds 

 were covered with a crop it was decided not to hold a fair in 1917. 



At a meeting of the Fair Board held October 22, 1917, it was decided to 

 build the race track at once. The ground for the track was surveyed and 

 staked out and the grading started. I want to say right here that we 

 certainly have a fine race track. 



After the work on the buildings had started in 1918 it was discovered 

 that there would not be enough funds to build a grand stand this year 

 unless additional stock was sold. There was not time enough to carry 

 on a stock selling campaign so members of the fair board interested some 

 of the business men of Spencer in the proposition. These business men 

 organized the Clay County Grand Stand Association and sold $10,000 worth 

 of stock. They made a contract with the Fair Association to build the 

 grand stand on the fair grounds and the admissions charged at the grand 

 stand were to be used to pay back the money invested by the stockholders. 

 When these stockholders are repaid the grand stand is to become the 

 property of the ^air Association. The grand stand has a seating capacity 

 of 2500 people and next year the Grand Stand Association expects to build 

 an addition increasing the seating capacity by about 2000. 



Every one was compelled to pay grand stand admissions, officers, 

 directors and stockholders included. The wife of one of the race horse 

 drivers at the Clay County Fair complained because she had to buy a 

 ticket of admission to the grand stand. "Why," she said, "I have been to a 

 lot of fairs this year and this is the first time I ever had to buy a ticket 

 to sit in the grand stand." She was told that this was perhaps the first fair 

 that she attended where all the officers, including the secretary and 

 president had to pay for the same privilege. 



The general plans called for the main entrances and all buildings except 

 the barns to be finished in stucco and this is being carried out. The 

 buildings on the grounds at the present time consist of a grand stand, a 

 woman's building, stock barns, speed barns and entrances. 



The woman's building is a beautiful building costing $8000. It is a two- 

 story structure fifty-six by fifty-two feet with an arched porch and cement 

 floors and with toilets on both floors. This building was originally built 

 for rest rooms for women and children but, due to the shortage of other 



