PART IX 



IOWA STATE FAIR AND EXPOSITION 



1907 



PRESS REPORTS AND LIVE STOCK AWARDS 



Results in Boys' Judging and Girls' Cooking Contests 



Awards in the Corn Show at the State Farmers' Institute 

 Meeting December, 1907 



PRESS REPORTS. 



Wallaces' Farmer, Des Moines, Iowa. 



In everything except attendance the Iowa State Fair last weelv ex- 

 ceeded all previous years, and but for unfavorable weather the attendance 

 would have been in keeping with the magnitude of the exhibition. Mon- 

 day opened with cloudy skies and a drizzling rain that discouraged those 

 who had planned to come early. The rain was not severe, taut the skies 

 were threatening throughout the day, not only reducing Monday's attend- 

 ance, but Tuesday's as well, for people do not like to start for the fair in 

 the face of threatening weather. Tuesday was an ideal fair day and the 

 attendance fell but little short of the corresponding day last year. Wednes- 

 day was a repetition of Monday on a somewhat larger scale. Enough 

 visitors were in Des Moines to make a record attendance at the fair, but 

 many thousands preferred to stay in the city, visiting the state buildings 

 and other points of interest rather than visit the fair in the rain. There 

 were, however, almost as many on the grounds as Wednesday a year ago. 

 Wednesdaj^ night came the deluge. Shortly after midnight a heavy rain 

 and wind storm began and continued long enough to blow down one or two 

 insecurely fastened tents and wet things not properly protected. During 

 this storm a live electric light wire was blown against the large tent 

 covering the airship, setting it on fire and entirely destroying tent, airship 

 and captive balloon. A drizzling rain continued into Thursday morning, 

 still further reducing the attendance. The daily press of the city greatly 

 exaggerated the damage done by the wind. 



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