16 AT THE SIGN OF THE STOCK YARD INN 



fication with the interests centered in this show, 

 the writer has sustained various official relations 

 with many representative men; but retrospection far 

 extended brings to mind no pleasanter associations 

 than those connected with the upbuilding of the 

 International Live Stock Exposition. 



Let not those who view the show now after a 

 lapse of fifteen years imagine that it blossomed into 

 full flower in a night. Quite the contrary. Tem- 

 porary and decidedly cramped accommodations for 

 both man and beast were at first all that could be 

 offered. But the disposition to help was there, and 

 slowly but surely it won for itself liberal treatment 

 at the hands of the Stock Yard Company and in- 

 creasing patronage from the public. 



It was only a question of time when a great 

 permanent building would be erected primarily for 

 the benefit of the International. This of course 

 involved the occupancy of a large tract of enor- 

 mously valuable real estate and the erection of a 

 huge fireproof structure specially adapted to ex- 

 hibition purposes. Once more Mr. SPOOR was ap- 

 proached with the proposition to risk a large sum 

 of money in a collateral enterprise, and again he 

 demonstrated his faith in the soundness of Mr. 

 LEONARD'S judgment, and in the future of animal 



