The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-03-05
Minnesota's State Fair
Past, Present and Future
By II. p HALL
B Y II. p. H A L l..

VI
present state fair generally gets a 5000
day every year
st. Paul was mad over the split up OF
President Hayes, but It did no good. Per-
maps the lesson he learned that he could
ty-nve or thirty, years ago, though the
not serve two masters without being CEN
sured by both led him to decline trying
to get second term
III was not until the early organization
had mad precariops struggle for exist
ence Tor a quarter of a century that the
Minnesota State Agricultural society
reached the era of the resurrection.
HOME AT LAST.
In 1885, sixteen years ago, the county OF
ramsey donated it's poor farm OF 20
acres to the State Fair association on
condition that the state would expend
100000 for the erection of buildings. The
proposition was accepted, the appropria-
ton made and the permanent state fair
located at Hamline. 1t was at once a
haven and heaven for the organiza-
tion
Two years later, in 1887, the state voted
another appropriation of $4,000 and there
halt was called. Each year the fair
mas made an advance, until the high
water mark was reached, in 1900, when
SlS,W0 was paid in premiums and as much
spirit OF the management pays was prov
en- by the receipts reaching $105,000. Six
years ago, in 1894, the receipts were less
that $33,O0O
During the last six years the proper
lions of the fair trebled, while for four
teen years it has been without money to
increase its building equipment.
While the state stands high in dairy
products, it ranks very low from the
standpoint of beef production, though
there is no reason why the rank should
not be as high in beef as in dairy pro-
duction
The state fair has done much to i'm
prove the beef production of Minnesota
by securing exhibitions and sales of
Hcrefords, Shorthorns, Aberdeen-Angus
and Galloways. The amount already &C
complished with the limitations of the
management is something wonderful.
WHAT IS NEEDED.
After fourteen years without a dollar
for improvements, save from the earn
ings, the fair management is now ask
ing of the legislature an appropriation
of $4,000. Thisfis the proposed plan of
expenditures:
Water supply and fire protection. 81, COO
Agricultural hall (steel, brick, glass,
fireproof modern 'building). 47,400
Machinery building ................. 10000
Total ......4.s-saa............... $3.50, 400
Two years ago the legislature refused
to give fire protection. Last August, a
few days before the fair opened, the
machinery building took fire and but for
a fortunate direction of the wind every
building would have been swept from
the grounds, entailing not only the de-
'struction of property which cost $150,000
to erect, but preventing the great fair.
of last fall with it's $105,000 of receipts. 1t
is no thanks to the legislature of 1899
that this result did not follow.
With such an object lesson it is not
to be supposed that fire protection will
be refused by the present legislature
The state fair offers no premiums for
exhibits of farm machinery, though
nothing in the exhibit is of more interest
to the farmer The implement men not
only MAKE great exhibits; but fthey erect
their own buildings If the state had
given fire protectionIt their buildings could
have been saved. last August, and owing
to this negligence On the part of the
state an appropriation of $4,000. is now
asked to replace the buildings destroyed
The need of a hall for an agricultural
display has been painfully apparent for
many years. While the fair; is supposed
to be for the benefit of the agricultural
interests of the state the demands for
space during the past fourteen years has
been so great that agricultural displays
are crowded Into dark corners and out
of the way places.
The facilities for the display and sale
of dive stock have been so Inadequate
that it is a. wonder any Of the famous
herds have been secured to make an
exhibit, They will not long continue to
come if a live stock amphitheater is not
provided:F One of these exhibits will do
more ,to,adyance the beef industry of the
state than ten years of effort devoted In,
any other direction. All know the value
of the dairy interests and all know that
the beef products can be brought to equal
oroexceed them in value.
Some ask why the fair management
does not erect these buildings from their
receipts. They would gladly do so if they
could. Primarily they must pay their
premium and. expenses. 1t requires a
large sum to maintain buildings of the
extent of those on, the fair grounds,
which is done by the management. The
grounds have been entirely refenced,
many barns have been erected and this
year barn will be built by the manage
ment for the Shorthorns. Besides it
should be remembered that all years are
not big" years. as is shown by less than
$50 coo in 1894. The records of the associa-
ton are open to the state officials who
can ascertain to their satisfaction that
the management have not the means to
make these permanent improvements If
they would. e.4e-
1t is a state institution and improving
stock, dairy and agricultural products
increases the value of every acre of farm
land in the state,
Each year the buildings deteriorate with
age requiring more and more repairs
and rebuilding, and if the receipts can
pay premiums and expenses repairs and
maintenance and Improvement Of the
grounds it will show very prudent man
agement.
III. P. Hall.