NINETEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART III 143 



mistake when they built theii' race track by building the home stretch so 

 v/ide. I told this horseman that I thought they had done a wise thing to 

 build a wide track because most fair grounds that had been built for years 

 possessed narrow tracks. And most fair managements have stated that 

 if they were building a new plant they certainly would build a wide 

 track. The track was somewhat wavy, like all new ones, but the footing 

 was very good. It is made of black sandy loam, and when it becomes 

 firm, it will be one of the fastest half-mile tracks in the country. The 

 carpenters were working 'on the speed barns when the horsemen arrived 

 on the grounds. The race track and speed barns were far beyond the 

 expectations of the visiting horsemen. Nine races were pulled off during 

 the week. The fields were not large but made up of high class horses. 

 A track record of 2:08 1-2 was established by the pacing horse "Red. 

 Bearer," 2:08 1-2 and the slowest heat was 2:20. 



There were two night shows with fireworks and free attractions and 

 they proved to be a wonderful success, the crowds being large both eve- 

 nings. 



Added attractions consisted of a historical pageant showing the early 

 history of Clay County and was presented by the Spencer High School 

 with great success. This pageant was presented Thursday afternoon. 

 On Friday the "Jackie Band" of thirty-eight pieces and a drill team vis- 

 ited the fair for three hours and entertained the fair crowd. 



The Clay County fair grounds at the present time consists of forty- 

 five acres of ground. Improvements on the grounds amount to $50,000 

 not including the grand stand which at the present time is owned by the 

 Grand Stand Association. All the fair stock subscribed for has been 

 collected except $5,000 worth. Shares of stock were sold for $100 a share. 

 This stock is non-assessable with no dividends to be declared. There 

 are 250 stockholders and the stock is owned generally throughout Clay 

 County. At the annual meeting held in October this year it was decided 

 that the capitalization of the Clay County Fair Association should be in- 

 creased to $75,000. $25,000 worth of stock will be sold this spring and 

 $25,000 wortli of additional buildings will be erected. 



The Chairman: Are there any questions that any one desires to ask 

 Mr. Bacon? I presume he would be glad to answer any questions. If there 

 are none we will proceed with the next number of our program, which is a 

 paper on "Should County Fairs Have a Uniform System of Blanks and 

 Bookkeeping?" This is led by A. R. Corey, secretary of the Iowa State 

 Fair, who we will hear from at this time. 



A. R. Corey: 



Mr. Chairman and gentlemen: I did not prepa're any paper on this 

 subject, but I thougiit I might touch upon a few matters that would be of 

 Interest to the members of this association. 



In our American Association of Fairs, we adopted the policy some years 

 ago of using uniform entry blanks, and it has worked out to the advantage 

 of the exhibitors and members. A great many of you who receive state 

 fair premium lists, may have noticed that the blanks of the different as- 

 sociations are the same, so that when the exhibitor sits down to make 



