THIRD ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART II. 95 



STATE AGRICULTURAL CONVENTION AT DES 

 MOINES, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1902. 



The convention convened in the rooms of the Department of 

 Agriculture in the capitol, at H> o'clock on this day, with Presi- 

 dent Frasier in the chair. 



The first order of business was the appointment of a committee 

 on credentials. The president appointed the following committee 

 on credentials: John Ledgerwood of Decatur county, J. I. Nichols 

 of Muscatine county and B. L. Alanwell of Black Hawk county. 



Vice-President Morrow was called to the chair and President 

 Frasier delivered the following address: 



PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS. 



J. C. Frasier, Bloomfield, Ioiva. 



We have assembled here today to report what we have done since our 

 last annual meeting, and to elect officers for the ensuing year. I am glad 

 to be able to report that the financial condition of the Iowa department 

 of agriculture is good. The expenditures on the State Fair Grounds for 

 the year 1902 were large, in round numbers about $27,000 in addition to 

 the $37,000 appropriated by the legislature for the building of the live 

 stock pavilion. Forty-five thousand dollars was the total cost of this build- 

 ing, and while it is a large amount of money, I think it is worth many 

 times its cost to the live stock interests of the state. And it is a build- 

 ing that every citizen of our state may justly be proud of. I think this 

 convention should extend a vote of thanks to the Twenty-eighth General 

 Assembly for its liberality in voting an appropriation of $37,000 for the 

 erection of this building. 



Two new cattle barns were built, one with stalls for 108 head of 

 cattle, costing $3,281.76, and the other was built the first three days of 

 the fair costing $G31.17. A new dry air closet costing $3,775 was erected 

 and brick sidewalks, crossings and curbings at a cost of $2,171.82 were 

 also built. The secretary in his report will give you a full and complete 

 statement of the cost of all improvements and repairs for the year. 



The fair of 1902 was a success in every respect. The exhibits in all 

 departments were good. The cattle show was the best ever seen at any 

 state fair and for the first time in the history of the society the people 

 could see the exhibit with comfort. 



