The leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1895-1905, 1900-04-25
THE STATE FAIR.
The Idea Started Here Only q Year
Ago
Has Borne Good Fruit, and IL Al
ready q Prominent New Orleans
Enterprise.

The Louisiana state fair and Indus
trial exposition is an institution Of this
| city which was started as q venture IL
| 1899, and continued this year with In
| creased success.
1t is under the auspices Of the Pro
citizens gnSI ~ S% oTSn. OF
object Is to promote the material pros
peIity OF this city. In looking over the
best means Of bringing the country PEG,
pie TO this city, the idea of an annual
state fair was suggested, and lmmedi,
ately found favor. subcommittee OF
the union was placed In charge OF the
matter and as they progressed the plans
developed, and the scope of the fair was
brcadened Until IT tooK the form OF an
exposition. The merchants and the pub
lie rallied to the support OF the enter
prise, and when it opened Its doors, IN
May 1899, for the first time, II was an
unqualified success. Started without u
dollar of capital behind 1t, In the course
OF three weeks 1t cleared $1,000, over ana
above all expenses. over hundred
thousand paid admissions were recorded;
The exposition this year is luliy equal
to that of last year, but the bad weather
rally with the attendance: subsequent
~, with fair weather, the attendance
picked up, and there is every promise
that it Will be u financial success TINS
year, as Ii was last year. This is rather
an unusual record for state falr.
The object of the fair Is to bring the
merchants and the people closer together,
and to do that enectiHeiy ,r a seG dsS 20
day. which do not fail TO attract sooa
crowds. There are two large buildings;
filed with the exhibits of Il commercial
nature while the agricultural resources
of the state are shown by an excellent
display under the auspices OF the De
partment of agriculture. There are cat
lie shows, poultry shows, swine SHOWS,
and other features, which appeal to tue
agricultural element of the. populatloh
of q great state like this, and I hat these
are appreciated by them Is shown ny
the fact that a large proportion OF Inv
visitors to the fair come from the conn,
try parishes. They have come to the
fair from parishes as far north as those
bordering on the Arkansas line, showing
the widespread interest In the enterprise.
The Louisiana fair is unique In many
respects, but most of all in the 1act
that it is given in the spring, instead Oh
the fan. That time was selected because
Louisiana Is then garlanded in her rich-
est and freshest robe OF green, and the
men Of commerce, just concluding
heavy winters season, are able TO de-
vote more time and attention TO an en-
terprlse of this character The country
man can then find more leisure time to
come to the city to enjoy It's delights,
and last. but not least; the weather as
rule is the most delightful of OF any ny
the anger Of the rain god.
Exhibitors for the stock and cattle
shows have come here from all over the
country, for valuable money prizes are
offered, which 1t is the purpose to in
crease from year to year. The horse
show, usually a society event in the large
cities Of the north, east and west, has
been made one OF the features Of this
fair, and some of the finest animals have
come here to participate. Gentlemen
who have won prizes in the st. Louis and
Kansas City horse shows are here TINS
year with their best horses and latest
traps, and are elated at the manner In
which this show has been conducted.
The flower parade has become the draw
ing card of the fair, and the first time
1t was put on 1t attracted twenty-five
thousand people.
The fair Is given at the Fair grounds,
where the winter race meeting Is held,
an ideal place for the enterprise. This
plot of ground was set aside for the very
purpose of state fair many years ago,
and a fair was conducted there. but for
some reason the project did not succeed.
Under the management of the Progress
i've Union, and with the support Of the
people Of the city and state, 1t will now
become an annual institution, growing
better each year.