Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-12-14
Iowa State Fair Officials Say 1t
Would Lessen Exhibit and
Attendance
PROBABLE CONFLICT OF DATES
Il is Admitted by All Fair Managers
That Thore Arc Not to Exceed Three
or Four Weeks in tho Fair Season,
From Which to Select Datcs--News
From Capital.
Special to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, Dec. IA. - Iowa state
fair officials are opposed to the propo
sition to extend the time Of holding the
annual state fairs so there shall be
two weeks fair instead Of a week.
This has been advocated especially In
Des Moines where the feeling among
business men Is that the fairs last such
n short time that the visitors who conle
here hardly take the trouble to go into
the city proper. Secretary John g.
Simpson, probably vocing the senti-
ments of others Of the directory board
as well as himself. referred to this
subject in presenting his annual re-
port to the state farmers institute to-
day. He said:
Should the Iowa state fair be made
n two weeks fair? The question is Of
ten asked, and while many good argu-
ments may be offered in favor Of the
proposition, for myself ] am unable to
see the necessity for doing so at this
time. To analyze the proposition. we
must first consider q few Of the cen-
ditions necessary to the holding Of q
successful fair. First comes the selec-
Hon of dates. They should be chogen
for time when there is the least work
in progress upon Iowa farms, and at
a time of the year when the weather
conditions are most likely to be favor
able. Second, see that our exhibits
are not divided. This can only be
avoided by selecting dates which do
not conflict with other states nearby,
for should Iowa and Minnesota hold
Mrs on the same dates It would GER
tainly divide our exhibit and make the
fair less attractive and educational.
To avoid this conflict in dates there Is
an association formed among the Lead
ing fairs and expositions ON the conti-
nent which meets annually in Chica-
20. At these meetings dates are ar
ranged, as near as possible so that adj
Joining states do not have their fairs
during the same week. No western
state fair belonging to this association
is holding more than a one week fair.
It Is admitted by all fair managers
that there Is not to exceed three, or
possibly four weeks in the fair season
that are at all admirable from which
to select dates. If we were to hold
a two weeks fair we would certainly
conflict with the date of some of the
surrounding states This would les
sen our exhibit and have a tendency to
lessen our attendance as well We
are now holding nominally five days
fair with an aggregate attendance the
past season Of about 125000 for the
five days, or an average daily attend
ance of 25000. Two-thirds. 1t not more,
Of these visitors attend our fair on two
days, Tuesday and Wednesday or We'd
nesday and Thursday, as the case may
be, and this crowd is handled witt but
little inconvenience. With an enlarg-
ed grand stand that would seat from
10000 to $4,000 people, and the present
Transportation facilities for getting to
and from the grounds, there would be
no Inconvenience whatever in taking
care of a crowd Of this size on any day
Of the fair. Now 1t seems that what
we want more than a two weeks fair
would be to make an effort to increase
this average daily attendance to 50,-
O00."
Secretary Simpson advised that the
right thing to do was to try to accom-
pMsh this by making five good days of
the fair instead of three and to make
Monday and Friday as good days as
the others.
Secretary Simpson In opening his re-
port, spoke of the good fair held and
the fact that with the exception cf two
classes horses and machinery, all were
larger than in the past. The fair re-
ceipts were s6,500 more than the. year
before, and the net balance was about
the same. The attractions cost $4,000
more than last year. $1,000 being for
the night show and $3,400 for Dan
Patch. There had been spirited dis
cussion on the board as to whether any
fair should be held on account of the
st. Louis exposition, but it was dem
onstrated that it could be made sue
cess. The people of Des Moines gave
the fair more hearty support than ever
before. and in regard to advertising.
Mr.. Simpson said:
ITO the press Of the state we are
also greatly 1TIueDlel. ~ lHSIH siAiooS
be given credit for continually keeping
the fair before the people thru their
columns. 1t was feared in the early
part of the year that on account of
the greater exposition at ST. Lol1s the
press might overlook the Iowa fair. But
in this we were happily disappointed,
which further demonstrates that Iowa
people, are always loyal to their insti-
tutions. The feeling which so long
existed in some of the cities of the
state against the Iowa fair because OF
it's location at Des Moines has appar-
emily died out and the fair is now
receiving the united support Of all,
which is due and generally accredited
our state educational institutions"
The state fair ground improvements
of the year were mentioned III detail
and SacrAtarv Simnson snake especially