Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1893-08-25
CORN BELT EXPOSITION.
The One This Year VIII Far surpass Its
PredecessOrs.

WHAT is now generally known as the
corn belt of South Dakota comprises
twenty-siX counties. in the south half
of the state, east of the Missouri, and
so much of the. big Sioux Reservation
as lies contiguous to the west line of
the river, and since the recent general
rainfall it is not going beyond the
bounds of truth to say that the average
crop yield throughout this section is
larger than for any year previous since
the settlement of the country. Wheat,
oats, rye. and barley arc all safely har-
vested, and threshing will begin
promptly. Corn is making rapid head
way, and will soon be out of all danger
of frost, while vegetables of all kinds
have turned out much better than was
expected a few weeks since. A notice.
able feature of the season has been that
Oh three different occasions rain has
been needed very urgently and even
the most sanguine of the old inhabi-
tants began to get worried, when the
showers came, and the sudden reviving
of all dropping vegetation showed that
the soil and sub-soil was still full
of moisture from the snow and spring
rains and that the situation was not
nearly SO bad as seemed at first sight.
This wonderful elasticity and recuper-
alive power is one of the STRONGEST feat
ures of this country, and throughout
the cOrn belt the sure crop idea has
taken hold for all time.
With this condition of affairs, there
fore, the prospects for the second Corn
Belt Exposition to be held in the city
of Mitchell from Sept. q to Oct. 8 are
most brilliant. The most valuable
fn0fr,r,n Nf Inst r,onr,se, 1fc,,1n, ., r,,r., A.
county exhibits, of which thirteenw were
made. that being the limit of the capac-
ity of the building. This wear the
building is being enlarged with special
reference to this feature, and already
sixteen counties have reserved space.
while Secretary Smith is now on the
road to stimulate interest in the re-
naming ten counties, there now being
ample accommodations for all.
To show the widespread interest in
this feature it might be said that sew
eral counties in the north part of the
state which pride themselves on their
corn crop have applied for space, but
under the rules they will not be allowed
to compete for the valuable prizes
offered. These prizes, by the way, are
the largest ever offered in the West
for like attractions. They amount to
$1,000 in all, divided as follows: First.
$500; second, $3.50; third, $50; fourth,
800.
The other features of the exposition
will be greatly improved and enlarged
upon. The building is now being ex-
tended and beautified by the addition
of thirty feet more ground space on the
entire north side and the erection of
handsome balconies on two sides. The
exterior decorations will be in the
hands of one of the most accomplished
artists in the west. and will be strik-
ingly novel and artistic, if one NAV
judge from drawings already. at hand.
The interior plans are to be on an en-
tirely new plan. although they will in-
cludc many of the splendid effects
which made the skill and handiworko of
the Mitchell ladies so famous last fall.
Prizes will be offered for the most
clever designs in decoration and special
set pieces which arc expected to pro-
duce some very elaborate results.
In the line of musical features the
board has done much better than
it had q right to expect early in the
season, owing to the pressure of the
Worlds Fair demands on the available
talent. President L. o. Gale has just
AoCuAACu 4iOM Ou1CuSO. Wnere, aICer
canvassing the merits of some of the
best bands in the country, he engaged
the Lynn, Mass, Regimental Band.
now under contract with its Stale Com.
missioners at the fair. This is an or
ganization of fifty pieces and is led by
an elder brother Of Prof. Phinney Of
the famous Iowa State Band and the
man who gave the latter his musical
start in life. The Lynn band is con-
coded by Prof. Phinney himself to be
the superior Of his own in many re-
spects, due to its older organization,
and its exceptional opportunities for
keeping up with the standard music of
the country. This band will be newly
uniformed throughout and will come to
Mitchell in a special car through the
courtesy of the Chicago, Milwaukee
and ST. Paul Railway Company. In
addition to this splendid organization,
which will give two concerts daily in
side the building, the celebrated native
Indian Band from the Santee Agency,
which includes this year
among its players, will be,a street at
traction, while the Corn Belt EXPOSE
ton Band of Mitchell, q recent organ
ization of twenty pieces, under the
leadership of Prof. Frank Mashek. n
of the ablest musicians in the state,
will be under daily engagement for
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