Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1905-10-13
JOSEPHINE COUNTY AT
LEWIS AND CLARK FAIR
Me- kes Big Expenditure and Has
Small Exhibit-Benef eft Fu-
ture Is to Determine.

In the contest for prizes offered by
the Oregon state commission for the
best county exhibits Josephine stood
at all but the foot Of the list OF the
"a count les that had displays at the
Lewis and CLARK fair, for 1t was
fourth of seven counties in the fourth
or last list, and thus earns prize
OF CDe-seventh Of the 5000 fourth
prize, which will amount TO $28. 81.
The first prize OF $1,000 for the
best county exhibit was distributed
among Marion, Coo, Linn, Umatilla,
wasco and Lane counties. The Sc
oond award of $500 was divided
among Clsckamas, Columbia, Jack.
sou, Polk and Morrow. The third
prize Of $500 was divided among
Benton, Yamhill, Malheur, Union
and Baker counties 1he fourth and
last award Of 5000 was divided among
Wsllowa. Washington. Sherman, Jose
pbine Lincoln, Harney and Douglas
counties.
That Josephine county should come
out Of the Lewis and Clark fair with
30 little credit is due to the general
apathy that has prevailed among those
who were Interested In the exhibit.
Last spring at the very urgent request
OF large number Of citizens of the
county the county court made an ap-
probation Of s2500 to defray the OK.
penses Of the exhibit. Three commits.
sioners were appointed to get up and
arrange the exhibit, they to serve
Without salary. A man was put in
charge OF the booth at the fair for the
entire period and paid a good salaty.
a very creditable beginning was made
on the exhibit and then all interest
ceased. The county court gave the
matter no further thought. the fair
commissioners made few futile at
tempts to arouse public interest and
then subsidrd, the whilom enthusias.
tic promoters of the exhibit were no
longer to be found, the business men
Of Grants Pass and the farmers Of the
county hardly kenw OF the exhibit,
while the man In charge of the booth
drew his salary and sat down and
waited for the additional exhibits that
nsver came.
Just whether Josephine county will
profit by the Lewis and Clark fair or
not Is for the future to demonstrate.
So far IL has been far from profitable
10 the taxpayers and business interests
OF the county, for IL has tai en- out of
the county no less than $50, coo in cash.
This sum ~ made up Of sea, 900, Jose.
phino oounty's share Of the state tax
TO raise the $780, 600 appropriated by
the state, $4,000 appropriated by the
county to maintain an exhibit, and
$50, 600 spont by residents of the ooun-
ty while visiting the fair The amount
spent by the Josephine county fair
visitors II "a low estimate for it is safe
to place the number OF visitors at 900
and the average amount that they
spent at $50 zach. The taking Of over
go. 600 In cash from the trade chan.
neih ol tne county mas Deen telt III
bus ness circles, bat owing TO the
great productive wealth of the county
the effect has only been temporary aud
will soon pass away. As this big ex.
pendituro could have been for1seen at
the opening Of the fair 1t would have
been good policy to have considered IL
an investment and bent every energy
TO have made it profitable by making
the exhibit so large and oomprehen.
sive as to have buen u chief aud not
minor attraction Of the fair.
Josephine county could have made
good SHOW ing in all the leading min.
eIal, farm and timber products of the
state, aud In many commodities oould
have exceeded most Of the counties OF
Oregon. As to wnat effect the incom.
plete display and effort made will
have in bringing investors and home.
seekers to the county is hard to tell.
So far there has not been much appar.
ont benefit but josephine county
may yet get its money back ON this
go, 600 fair investment