Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-08-25
4 MODERN COUNTY FAIR
A T..R. Man Finds Lamentable
Changes in the County
Fair OF Today.
Two Horses. Six Sheep and
Some Hogs Sum Total on
Exhibition.
Dirty Midway Shows Flourished
and Even Horse Races OF
Secondary Interest,
,ecial to Times Eepub,ican.

| Special to Republican.
Fonda Aug %. The man who at
tended Il county fair ten years ago an,
could have accompanied me to a fair
visited in northern Iowa Week befor
last would have been astounded at tn
| change thlt has taken place. Under ~
ceiyes SEQ from the state to be apple
i'll premiums for livestock and agreul
4 ,ural exhibits, the intention being t,
encourage the leading industry of thu
state. and the original plan took int
consideration the fact that every coun
ty fair provided additional premiums il
greater amounts.
AT the fair above mentioned Their,
were ON exhibition two horses, one colt
six sheep and one pen of hogs thi:
great display being owned all by on'
4 farmer. who came early and filled al
/ the stalls and pens With the above de-
scribed stock. 1t is useless to add thai
he got the first and second premiums
sweepstakes and everything in sight
| The fair management had made no
provision for anything OF the kind, not
expecting much ana caring less. In the
art hall were displayed a crazy quilt
4 few canned peaches from last years
crop and a little work done by school
children. Not Il potato. ear of corn or
even an apple. In the way of asricul-
tural implements there We're one corn
planter, and one buggy, the buggy being
there as an advertisement of a local
paper which was going to give it away
to some lucky subscriber
The fair offered in purses to horse
races $500 and had big field of from
fifty to sixty horses But the real at
traction was neither the exhibition of
stock, agricultural implements nor the
races. Ii was the midwaN--the host of
percentage shows on the grounds. From
he entrance gate to the grand stand
was one street built UP on both sides
with shows. snake eaters and gambling
devices of every description. There was
che crowd of gamblers who operated
six tables. They had twelve "capners
in the crowd. who could by investing
% cents win 50 to $40. 1t looked easy
and a few of the fellows who We're not
so Well posted lost what money they
had trying to break the bank.
Then there was another class of
shows. ON a high platform We're three
or four girls in hot weather attire. who
would smile at the boys from the coun-
try, and then the "harkcr'' would in
form the crowd that this is for men
only" and no preachers or church neln-
hers would be allowed etc. All for %
cents Therc wore several of these Kind
and one show took in 500 one day With
only a small crowd on the grounds.
Watching the races there was only
about one-half as large n crowd as
there was in front of Gay Parce
This is modern. up odate fair
What do people want to see hogs
farmers wife made when they can see
so much that is not permitted in amy
respectable community on any other
occasion?
| met on these grounds secretaries Of
five other fairs trying TO get horses for
their fairs the following week. and |
if there was some one else at
home working in the county To get the
farmers to bring in their stock.
] asked good many business men
how this fair compared With former
'airs and the universal opinion was
hat each Year it grew worse and
smaller in attendance.
a glance at the press reports of the
prosperity of the state
air last year, with the largest cattle
show on record and the plans this year
on more cattle than ever, should indi-
ate the lines upon which county fairs
AN successfully stand. Sooner or later
he public by its refusal to patronize
he dirty exhibitions now travelling
bout the country to county fairs and
,treet carnivals will drive them off the
Programs and the od-fashioned eNpo-
ition Will receive favor again.
GEORGE, f. THAYER.