Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-09-22
Local Comment

After such a county fair would any
one go back to a carnival?
When the Times Republican pro-
posed a county fair early last spring, 1t
was often explained that a county
fair would not succeed in Marshall-
town, but 1t did Marshalltown has the
men to do anything If they can only
be found.
Mayor Ingledue can come as near
as anyone to qualifying as the original
county far man. He and M. f. Gard
first proposed 1T to the Times-Repuo-
llcan. the banquet was held, the Com
mercial Club revived, and it was passed
UP to the fair association. The execu-
tive committee did the rest.
The management was first~class.
There was system about the whole
show and little or no friction.
-
Enthusiasts want to buy the grounds.
improve them and make the fair per-
manent No better investment could
be made. A complete canvass OF the
county should be made right away to
sell more stock. While the interest in
the present fair is high, stock will sell
quickly, and the more stockholders we
have in each township the more boost
ers we have on contract to boost.
Don't "roast" those who refused to
take stock in the fair association. They
feel bad enough now.
II
If we are going to improve the
grounds, the first thing to do should be
to have working plans drawn for the
whole thing complete as we hope to
have it, then we can build it piece by
piece, always working toward har
monious whole.
That was an excellent idea of Cover
nor Packard's in having the race horses
quartered south Of the tracks and the
cattle and horse exhibits kept in the
old barns, where people could get to
them to see them. When the improve
ments progress, however, the new
barns should go up on the present site
of the old ones, and the exhibits kept
there in barns built suitably.
~
Instead Of charging the amphithe-
atre, as seems necessary, why not erect
bleachers. like the base ball bleachers,
and extend them part way around the
turn of the track? The investment
would be so much less that seats could
be sold for cents, and at this price
almost any farmer could afford to seat
his whole family. When it rains there
is no crowd to be seated, and when the
weather is fair enough to bring a
crowd bleachers would make fine seats.
Provision should be made next year
for the gasoline engines at a greater
distance from the amphitheatre. Their
noise prevented the starter being heard
at times by both audience and drivers.
y
Someone has suggested that the
poultry house should be built without
sides or ends and without coops, the
theory being that birds in the exhibit
ors own canvas coops, with plenty Of
light, would show off to far greater
advantage. The present house is too
dark.
1t is useless to try to house the ma
chinery, vehicle and implement exhib-
it's in a building. Tents only can cover
the space occupied by them.
y
The floral hall should be larger or
there should be a second one just as
large.
Another year the merchants should
have an exhibit An attendance Of 49,
900 to 10000 offers too good am adver-
Using opportunity to be missed. Why
do not twenty merchants form a stock
company at $50 apiece and erect a
building all their own. The investment