Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-07-19
FAIR GIVEN PUSH
Rock Island Business Men Hold
Meeting to Discuss Joining Hands
With Farmers in q Show.
ONE LASTING WEEK FAVORED
Committee to be Named to Prepare
Estimates of Cost of EnIargiag
Ninth Street Grounds.

Formation of a stock company to
hold a county fair annually at the
Ninth street grounds, which are TO be
enlarged by leasing property at the
west or north, was considered at a
meeting OF business men at the Rock
Island Club last evening. and Chair
man &. s. McDaniels was authorized
to appoint committee. of which he is
to be a member, TO prepare estimates
of the additional ground. buildings.
etc. needed, and the cost thereof, and
report at a meeting TO be called at an
early date.
The proposition for the holding Of
a fair in the county seat has struck
a popular chord in the cities of Rock
Island and Moline as well as in the
farming districts. according to the
statements of several of the gentlemen
at the meeting who had been feeling
the public pulse. II is not the inten-
ton TO antaEoniZe the JusIin show
which has been feature for many
years in the upper end of the county.
On the contrary. il is thought that
another show down this way would
stimulate interest in the one at the
other end of the county. 4 fair in the
county seat would be more satiSfac-
tory to the farmers generally. as il is
nearer 10 the center of the county
and there is the added advantage OF
accessibility and accommodations.
show al Il Week Favored.
y week show IS favored. II would
attract no less than forty thousand
people to the city for those seven DAYS.
brand of weather. Mr.. McDanicls has
given much study to the county fair
question. lie has grown enthusiastic
over the local enterprise, and is conf
dent that it will prove a winner from
the start. He states that the Ninth
street grounds now are held on
lease by the Twin-City Driving asso,
citation. There are five stockholders
in the association. and they have an
investment of probably $4,000. While
any one of the five would be willing
To take an equal amount of stock to
his holdings in the association in the
fair undertaking. still he did not IA
vor the idea. feeling that Il more gen
eral distribution of the stock would be
better for the fair from the fact that
sons interested financially.
approximately il would require
s., 900 To erect the extra buildings thai
would be needed to- accommodate
fair. There are on the grounds an
amphitheatrc. which would probably
have to be enlarged slightly. a bleach
ers and 100 stalls for horses. There
would have to be built a floral or OK
hibitiOn hall. about 80 more stalls and
pens. the latter for pigs and sheep.
The fence is in first-class condition.
The agitation for the opening of Eigh
teenth avenue west from Seventeenth
street to the river may injure the
chances of securing land at the north
of the park, as the north fence now
touches the line to he followed by the
proposed thOrOughfarc. However. il
is thought no difficulty would be met
in getting all the land desired on the
west side of the park.
Farmers Are Interested.
The names were mentioned of a
number of leading farmers who had
expressed a willingness to identify
themselves with the fair enterprise,
and they Will be hidden to a future
meeting. The plan favored is for the
drawing MP of stock subscription lists.
one To be placed in the hands of some
prominent farmer in each school dis
triCt in the county, to solicit subSCrib-
crs. the stock TO be sold at $25 per
share, and a limit 20 be fixed, in order
to prevent any clique getting control.
The farmers will be given opportunity
To subscribe for the majority of the
stock. but the people in the city win
take whatever remains necessary TO
make il a success.
The Japs may fight the Russians,