The age-herald., 1899-08-26
M'KINLEY WILL
 OPEN STATE FAIR He Will Touch a Button in the
 White House. WILL START THE MACHINERY Meeting of the Directors was Held Yesterday and Committee Ap- pointed to Sign the Lease
 for Smith Park
WILL START THE MACHIN FRY

President Mckinley will be invited to open the State Fair, and on Tuesday. No- vember 2, at 1 o'clock, Washington time, seated in the executive office of the white house, $40 miles away, will probably touch a button which will set in motion the ma chinery. and the State Fair will be form ally declared on.
 Secretary Rountree of the State Fair as- sociation yesterday addressed letter to the president asking him to perform this simple task and also inviting him to per- sonally attend the fair later, and there Is little doubt but that he will accept both invitations.
 A meeting of the board of directors of the State Fair association was held yesterday morning, at which much important busi- ness was transacted and the details of the big show, thoroughly gone over and dis cussed. There were present: Vice President P. c. Bowman. Secretary J. A. Rountree, T. G. Hewlett, W. F. Garth, L. A. Stubble- field and T. r. Parker, Jr.
 To Sign the Contract
 A committee composed of Messrs. Bow man, Hewlett and Morson was appointed to close and sign the contract for the lease of Smiths park, which has already been made and only awaits the formal sigma lures of the officers.
 An executive committee of five, to have charge of the detail work, was appointed as follows:
 P. G. Bowman, T. c. Hewlett, J. B. Mor- son, L. A. Stubblefied and J. A. Rountree.
 Henry B. Gray was elected treasurer of the association and has accepted the office. Adjournment was taken until o'clock, at which time the directors again met and selected a special building committee to consider plans, bids and other important work The committee was named as fol- lows: T. G. Hewlett, T. F. Parker, Jr.. and J. A. Rountree.
 Richmond Randolph was elected super visor of buildings to act under the direc- tions of the building committee MT. Ran dolph will have in charge the work of su- pervising the construction of the buildings and track and the placing of exhibits.
 P c. Bowman was appointed chairman of the reception committee with power to select his committee from among the citi- zens to receive all distinguished visitors ana 10 act dL all T6CeptlOHS.
 Newspaper Department
 A newspaper department was created and an appropriation made, the same to be placed In charge of the Birmingham Press Club, fuller details of which are elsewhere noted in this issue.
 A number of bids for the construction of the buildings and track have been received and will be opened at 10 o'clock this morn- ing. when the contracts will be awarded.
 A meeting of the Woman's Board was held yesterday afternoon at 5 o'clock at the Woman's Club, and premium lists for the woman's department were made out and the general details of the work dis cussed.
 W. J. Hurlburt, special representative of the Southern Railway company, called up- on Secretary Rountree yesterday for the purpose of arranging for space for the Southern railway exhibit, which will be complete in every detail, covering the in- dustrial, mineral and agricultural products of the entire territory traversed by the line. Mir Hurlburt is very enthusiastic over the fair, and will be given all neces- sary space and assistance in getting up his exhibit.
 Exhibit from Mobile
 A letter has been received from A. B. Kennedy, secretary of the Commercial club of Mobile stating that 1t is proposed to have good exhibit from Mobile county and that committee has been placed in charge of the work. MT. Kennedy requests that necessary space be reserved, which will receive the attention of the proper officers.
 Probate Judge ". R. White of Pike county writes that he has conferred with number of leading citizens of his county, and finds strong sentiment in favor of the fair. He also writes that he will use his best efforts to see that Pike is properly represented.
 J. T. Watt of Monterey has applied for entry blanks for Short Horn cattle and Berkshire hogs.
 Application has been made by a lady to exhibit $l00O worth of fancy work which she has made during spare time. A letter has been addressed to Governor Roosevelt of New York. nominating November IT as the day on which it is desired he attend the fair, in response to his request. If Cover nor Roosevelt accepts, that special date will be known as Roosevelt Day" In the event of his acceptance, it is also proposed to invite all southern troops, who served in Cuba and Porto Rico will be invited to be present at reunion to be held on that day at the fair grounds.