Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1890-07-31
THE COMING STATE FAIR.
Work on the GrOunds-Number of
Horses There The Roads Thereto
and Other Matters.


The time for the Oregon state fair
for 1890 is drawing near and the ex.
pectation is for the grandest ex-
hibition ever witnessed in the state.
Hon. John Q. Wilson, Of this city,
has charge Of the preparations and
has been busy for some time superin-
tending and directing the general
work of preparation, fixing up,
building new stalls, repairing and
beautifying the pavilion, and having
such changes as seem necessary and
within the means of the state board
of managers. Mr.. J. II. Gregg, sec
retary of the board, being now en-
gagged as chief deputy U. S. marshal
at Portland, it is more difficult to
obtain data, but a reporter of the
JOURNAL went to the grounds to-
day and looked up what could be
gathered.
THE ROADS.
The roads from the city to the
grounds will be Il sub, ,ect of anxiety
this year as always. The old county
road out from Liberty street is terri
bly, rough and stony, and will al.
ways be so until there is heavy
coating Of fine gravel put on, slop.
ing it gradually to both sides. OF
course this cannot be done now the
present season, but if possible il
should be done the coming fall, t.
give it the benefit of the winter
pack, which would insure a good
road hereafter. This would necessi-
tate a large outlay, but a combina-
ton of county and city, with dona.
tions from the owners of driving
stock, ought to be able to meet it.
The best that can be expected for
this years fair will be the raking of
of the large stones, the filling of ruts
and partial leveling off, which is
expected to be accomplished.
There is a good graded road out
from Commercial street by way of
Highland addition and along the
street car line, which, if properly
sprinkled, would make grand
drive, but, being clay road, the
dust is very deep at present. This
needs some grading at the east end.
The probabilities now are that some |
arrangement will be made to keep
this thoroughfare watered before
and during the fair.
AT THE GROUNDS.
The track is in the finest of shape,
and several good track horses are
being worked every day. There are
some twenty head cared for on the
grounds at present, with prospect
of increasing numbers from now to
fair time. There are some nice
steppers and it is quite treat to see
them worked out. The track is
now watered more or less every
night and a leveler put on each day,
so that it will be in the best of
order for the fair.
About 130 feet of new horse sta
Dles and feed boxes are in process of Z
just back of the new :
,nes built last year north of the
grand stand, which will give con-
1enient room for several more ami +
mails. ,
There is plentiful crop of excel {
ent hay on the grounds this season. 9
It has been cut sJme time and !
stands on the ground in shocks, q
which look considerably bleached, (
md to the agricultural editor" I
uggests the thought that it would ,
,e much better stored away in the |
)arns. .
The entries in every department so Y
ar are more numerous than ever be- \
ore, and in the races of much bet l.
er class and with better promise OF O
.ood work than ever. AS fast as f
btainable II list of the entries in the /,
everal classes will he given in the
oURNAl., together with owners and
,edigrees. /