The age-herald., 1899-08-12
 MAY GET X NAVAL
 HERO FOR FAIR An Admiral SchIey Day" Among
 the Possibilities. COL. MCCLURE WILL COME M aoa naoidod Or a Half
Management Has Decided on a Half Mile Race Course - Encouraging Letters Continue to Come in
 From Different Counties.

An Admiral Schley Day" is one of the possibilities of the state fair to be held here next November.
 A week or so ago a gentleman in this city very much interested in the success Of the fair. wrote to Colonel A. K. Mcclure, edi- tor of the Philadelphia Times, asking if he could not visit Birmingham during the fair, and also asking whether 1t would pc possible for Admiral Schley of the United States navy to be present on that occasion Colonel Mcclure and Admiral Schley are close personal friends, and 1t was thought that Colonel Mcclure would know more or the great sailors plans than any one else. A reply has just been received from Col onel Mcclure, saying that he thought Ad- miral Schley intended coming south this fall, and that he could probably be induced to visit Birmingham. As for himself, Col onel Mcclure practically said that he would come south after the middle of November and would attend the fair As he has al- ways been such a friend to the Birming- ham district, 1t is probable that he will do all he can to get Admiral Schley to make the trip.
 
 ton will take up this matter at once, and will forward formal invitations to both of these distinguished gentlemen.
 Half Mile Track
 The management of the fair has finally decided that the race track which they propose building will be a half mile in length, and eliptical in shape. This is the size of the Atlanta track, of the Iowa state fair, and many other tracks in the coun- try that might be named. J. W. Russwine is still busily at work arranging the pro- gramme of the races, which will be com pleted and put in printed form as soon as possible. Over sS,O0O will be distributed in purses which Is as liberal almost any of the race meets in the south. It is pro- posed. if practicable, to follow the old English custom of having purses for cer- tain events named after the railroads, such as the "L. & N.," the Southern purse" All of the roads are to contribute to the fair fund, and it will be left to them to say whether they wish any of the racing purses named after their roads,
 The site of the fair grounds has not yet been selected, but this will be done early next week, 1t is thought.
 County Exhibits
 The proposition to have separate ex- hibits from each of the sixty-six counties in the state, continues to meet with the hearty appreciation of all the county off, cials with whom Secretary Rountree has been in correspondence. Among the re- cent letters received in answer to his re- quest to the various probate judges to ap- point committees to get up these exhibits is one from Judge T. H. Davidson, of Blount county, who writes as follows: "Our commissioners court will meet next Monday, and I shall impress upon it the necessity of taking such steps as will in- sure permanent exhibit. I think it takes a concert of action in this matter. I will send you little later the names and the postoffice addresses of some of our leading farmers as you requested"
 Judge Asa B. Fuller, of Culman county. writes that the fair impresses him most favorably and that he will do all he can to have that great fruit-raising and agricul- tural county represented by a large ex- hibt.
 Several applications have already been received by the management from florists in Alabama, asking that floral exhibit be made one. of the departments of the fair, and promising that they will put in elabo- rate exhibits