The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-09-06
But THE OTHER FIVE HAD BEEN
ENOUGH TO INSURE ITS
SUCCESS.
PRESS PROGRAMME SPOILED,
Although One or Two Racing
Events Were Brought OF In
the Mud.

Above is the splendid record made by
the Minnesota State Agricultural So
ciety at its 9th annual fair which clos
ed yesterday, after what was, with one
exception, and that the year of 1887,
the most successful week in the his
tory of the organization. The great
sham battle of 1887 attracted nearly
so 90 people to the fair, causing
phenomenal increase in the receipts FOR
the year, but never before nor since
has the fair prospered as it has this
wear. The result is all the more re-
markable when it is taken into consid-
Grafton that it rained Friday and Sat
urday, thus unquestionably greatly in
terfering with the attendance on these
two days. AS a matter of fact there
were only four suspicious days during
the week, and to have eclipsed a year
such as last was conceded to be, under
such circumstances, was little short of
marvellous.
The officials of the society realize
that they have made a proud record,
and there was not a more jubilant set
of men in the state last night when the
final report of Treasurer Moffat was
announced. The sum total of the re-
ceipts Is a matter of general congratu
lation among the members of the fair
association and it is almost assured
that after paying for the extensive i'm
provements, which were added to the
grounds during the year, and paying
the premiums for the week just closed,
the society will have surplus of over
10000
Concerning the success of the fair
from the standpoint of those who wit
messed its unequaled displays, there is
little to be said. There We're thousands
of people on the grounds the first day
and the number increased to half
hundred thousand after but two days
had passed. No effort was spared by
the management to secure the best of
everything in the different departments
and the visitors of the first day realized
this fact. They became agents of the
society. Minnesota never before had
such a fair and people from the Twin
Cities and from all over the state began
pouring into the gates. A visit to any
one building on the grounds was well
worth the price of admission charged
for the entire fair and when the display
In every department was known to be
far and away above past standards
1t is only a proper recognition of the
labor expended on the part Of the man
. agement that the people of the state
should have turned out to do their
part toward the success of the under
taking. That they were more than re-
paid for the time and money spent in
visiting the fair goes without saying.
While the Minnesota people visited
the fair in larger numbers than ever
before, the presence of so many strang
ers In both st. Paul and Minneapolis
during the week was an important
factor in the larger daily attendance
When it was proposed to hold the fair
during the week of the Grand Army
encampment this plan met with con-
siderable opposition in some quarters,
as it was claimed that the fair could
not possibly be a success against such
strong counter attraction. 1t was
urged by the managers, however, that
an opportunity to advertise the state
such as would be offered by Grand
Army week, would never again be pre-
scented, and that for this very reason
the fair should be held at that time
Notwithstanding some encouragement
the members of the agricultural So
ciety went ahead with their work, fully
convinced that they were acting for
the best interests of the state, and
now the result which they predicted is
L
strangers went to the fair. saw it's pro-
portions, admired it's excellent exhibits.
and have gone back to their homes to
talk about the wonderful resources of
the North Star state. T bureau of i'm
migration has been established in
every city in the United States with
the people who saw Minnesotas great
est fair as commissioners
Yesterday was to have been one of
the chief days of the fair, but Jupiter
Pluvius evidently concluded that the
management was having things alto
gether too much it's own way, and 1t Is
also to be inferred that he has a par
ticular grudge against the newspaper
men for he came into the game a most
unwelcome participant and spoiled the
entire programme. Newspaper dav
at the fair is an annual institution
which has come to be regarded as one
of the big events of the week, and in
order not to have 1t eclipsed by the
other days a splendid programme had
been arranged. All of the postponed
events of the week were to have been
concluded and an especially attractive
programme of newspaper" features
was 20 have been brought off, and
though some of the unfinished races
were run off to decide theswinners OF
the purses and the Indians gave an ex
hibition of their games, the disagree
able weather almost entirely robbed
the day of its anticipated pleasures.
When the people who had decided
upon yesterday as the best day to visit
the fair looked out of their windows
In the morning they were disappointed
to see the sky overcast by heavy black
clouds, and q trip to the doorway sent