The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1893-11-09
State FAIR ACTIVITY.
The Grounds Rapidly Being Trans
formed and Beautined.
HUNDRED AND FIFTY MEN At WORK.
Plot Already Cieared-Track Grad.
crs Rushing the Work systema,-
tcaiiy-somc OF the Plans and Pur.
poses of the CommissIon.

Never was buster scene observed in
this ever active country than has been
this week presented on the state fair
grounds. From sixty to eighty teams
and two or three times as many men,
with wagon. plow, scraper, pick, shovel
and axe, gave that beautiful plat Of
ground the appearance Of active life and
energy that are seldom witnessed any.
where.
The commission, after long, tedious and
careful planning and designing and re-
shaping plans and designs, finally closed
all preliminaries for. vigorous operations
last week and the latter were begun ag-
gressively on Monday last.
The entire plat was cleared OF sage
brush in fifteen hours under Commits
sioner Reeds direction. That is une-
qualled celebrity in land clearing under
takings in this country, for there are 100
acres in the tract. Then, the engineer
having complet I'd his Introductory work,
the plows and scrapers, wagons and
shovels were required-and the way the
dirt flew was a caution. But everything
proceeded in systematic manner-no
waits, conflicts or confusion. II the state
doesn't get the full value OF its money ia
that work, it will not be tho fault of the
commission.
Special work and care are being devoted
to the track. A layer of eighteen inches
Of light material will be used about two
feet from the surface, in order to give it
Spring" 1t will be the most carefully
constructed and swiitest race course 10 the
state.
The plat OF ground within the track
will probably be made an alfalfa mead
ow. Its soil is deep and rich and every
inch of it is under irrigation. 1t is level
as a floor.
Entrance to the grounds will probably
be made from the west side, although it
could as easily be constructed from the
highway on the north.
The stock buildings will all be erected
on the tract east of the race course. The
location is excellent and 1t is also proper
distance from the grand stand site.
The pars, although one of the prettiest
in the country, will be appropriately i'm
proved. A miniature lake near it, on
which there will be boats, will also be en-
larged and carefully improved.
Some confusion was created during the
first of the week by an inadequate con-
ception on the part Of laborers as to what
would be required OF them by the fore
men in charge of the work A number of
teams were engaged from the big bitches
in the lower part of the county and this
fact created dissatisfaction, nasmuch as
they were not taxpayers, nor did they
contribute money to the state fair fund /;
but, on investigation, 1t was learned that
the commission was compelled to employ
them in order to procure the requisite
number OF implements, together with
teams large enough to do the heavy work.
Many OF the farm teams whose yners
applied for work were too light for the
work required. Again, it is said, many
applied too late for work Altogether the
commission is having busy time and it
could not afford to show partiality in any
way-especially when the result would
be loss of time and an additional expense.
The commission is already in receipt OF
many inquiries concerning next years
meeting. They come from all parts OF
the state.
No pains will be spared to make the
initial meeting grand success in every
particular.