The Saint Paul globe., 1899-05-20
FUN FOR Thu BIG FAIR
PLANS IN CONTEMPLATION FOR
THE ANNUAL MINNESOTA
EXPOSITION
NIGHT PROGRAMME LIKELY
Talk of Putting In an Electric Plant
and Making the Evenings AttrRc-
tIOns Such as VIII Draw Crowds
During the Day-Meeting of the
BOARD,

The board of managers of the state
fair association met last evening at the
Merchants hotel and made plans for a
number of attractions for this years
fair. and considered several propositions
of an entirely new departure, upon which
no action was taken pending further in
Vestigation. Ther board reviewed the race
programme, for the afternoons and made
a number of slight changes but the
schedule was left substantially the same
as published by the G l b some weeks
ago.
Secretary Randall was authorized to
make contracts with the owners of the
guideless wonders for their reappearance
on the fair grounds track next fall. The
horses are of the same string. and were
one of the striking features of last years
show. The board decided to include in
the programme a novelty which promises
to be one of the strongest attractions ever
given on the fair grounds. Two diving
horses. Snow Face and Eureka, dive
from scaffold forty feet high into pool
of water a dozen feet deep. The board,
in accepting the offer, Of the owners Of
the horses, believes that the horses will
| be valuable attraction to the fair pro-
2ramme. Secretary Randall explained to
the board that he witnessed an 'eXhibi-
tion by the horses last year. The first
horse makes clean dive head first into
the water. Eureka is the clown horse,
climbs the platform and amuses the spec
tators for several minutes before taking
the leap, all fours first into the water
Secretary Randall reported that the
half-mile track within the main traci-
directly in front Of the grand stand, had
been completed. The running races will
be held over the smaller course.
The board spent several hours consid-
ering the advisability of holding a grand
spectacular entertainment in the even
ing by electric light. The departure will
entail outlay of in the neighborhood
of $1,000 for an electric light plant and
the cost Of the additional attractions
While no definite action was taken, COM
mtttees were appointed to look into q
number Of details, and the board gave
1t out as quite likely that the project
would go through. In such an event it
is the intention to light every building
on the grounds by electricity, the grand
stand, half-mile course and the approach
es to the grounds. The admission will be
cut in half for the evening show, which
will include chariot races, standing Ro-
man races and horse races over the half
mile course, concluding with a grand py-
rOtechnic exhibition.
The proceeds of the last state fair were
about $4,000, and the expenditures $50 900.
leaving a balance of $4,000 Part Of this
balance has been used in making repairs.
painting buildings and building the half
mile race course. The evening carnival
spectacular will be quite expensive, but
1t Is the opinion of the board that it will
be greater source of revenue and pleas
ure than has been introduced at any
previous fair.
The people of the Twin Cities who are
employed in Offices, factories and com
mercial institutions will have an oppor-
tunity of viewing the collection of Min
nesota's s choicest products, with the grand
stand programme thrown in for a merely
nominal sum. There will be balloon as
tensions, parachute leaps, and all the
other attractions and diversions that go
to make complete state fair.
The board will meet IN a few DAYS and
decide upon the proposed evening pro-
gramme.