The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-08-26
FAIR HEADQUARTERS
OPEN TOMORROW
Secretary R. M. Williams Reach
ed Birmingham Yesterday
ATTRACTIVE PROGRAMME
Arena for Nightly Horse show-Noted
Running and Harness Horses viii
Be Entered In the Races.
Offices at City Hall.

Mr.. r. M. Williams, secretary and
general manager OF the Alabama State
Fair association, returned to Birming-
ham yesterday, and tomorrow he will
open his headquarters with a working
force which will be kept busy from now
until opening day in October.
Temporary offices have been secured
on the bird floor of the city hall build
ing, and these will be used during the
coming week, after which time perm
anent headquarters will be established
In the new Florence hotel on Nine
teenth street, where the general Of
flee force, under Secretary Williams
will be located until October l, when
the headquarters will be transferred to
the fair grounds.
At a, recent meeting of the board OF
directors it was decided to elect an
assistant secretary to Mr.. Williams, and
S. J. Stockard was selected to fill the
position. Mr.. Stockard, in addition to
being Mr.. williams general assistant
will also have chage of the press de-
partment. He is an experienced news
paper man, and has also had much to
do with the conduct of fairs in Ten
nessee, his former home
Mr.. Williams has selected Mrs. John
B. Reid as manager of the woman's
department. Mrs. Reid was manager
of this department last year. and the
excellence of the women's exhibit Their
gives assurance that the woman's de-
partment this year will lack in moth
ing. She has been connected with
fairs in Birmingham for a number OF
years and the experience she has ac.
quired, combined with her tact, judg
ment and personal popularity will
make, it is said, the department al
that can be desired.
Grounds and Buildings.
Mr.. Bruce Amis will be general sup
erintendent of buildings and grounds
Mr.. Amis filled this position last year
and his capacity for work and execu
tive ability along these lines attract
ed much attention. 1t was due to hi
untiring energy that the race track
stables and other buildings were
placed in readiness last year when /
looked as il it would be almost impos
sible to do it, Mr.. Amis will tomorrow
establish his headquarters at the faii
grounds and will at once begin the i'm
provements which will be made. TIL,
work will be pushed rapidly and it Il
claimed that by the opening day Their,
will not be a better race course o.
more beautiful fair grounds in the en-
tire country. The grounds will be en-
tirely overhauled One important i'm
provement will be the enlargement o
the show arena for the horse show
which will be held every night during
the fair. This will bring the aren't
within twenty feet of the grand stand
and will allow a much better view o
the race course and show horses.
The advertising and catalogue will b
in charge of L. p. Hill. The catalogu
will appear within the next ten days.
Capt. j. B. Morson will have charg
of the agricultural and live stock in
terests. lie will travel over the state
and will leave no stone unturned to max
this one of the features of the meeting
Liberal premiums will be offered for liv
stock displays and 1t is believed that tn
live stock interests of the state will b
greatly stimulated in this manner.
The Races.
The racing feature this year will be
distinctive feature. Larger purses vii
be offered than ever before, which will
be sufficiently attractive to bring t
Birmingham the best race horses in tn
United States. Mr.. Williams announce
that the people Of this city will see tn
fastest race meet this year that has bee
held In the south in years. and probabl
the fastest harness meeting ever see
In this section of the south. The fair fol
lows Immediately on the heels of tn
Lexington, Ky, meeting and all the eel
ebrated cracks Of the grand circuit vii
come to Birmingham In addition. 1t
very likely that Dan Patch the world
champion PAGER, with record of :551.
and Cresceus, 2:O2A, the champion trot
ting stallion of the world, will both b
here and will make attempts to beat tn
worlds record. This announcement
made In good faith by the fair association
as the tracks at the fair grounds viii
be so improved during the next tw
months that 1t will be as fast as an
track in the country, and If Dan Patel
doesn't lower his record in Birmingham
1t will be Dams fault.
Horse Show.
The horse show will be even more at
tractive than it was last year. over $3.50
in cash premiums will be offered. an
these will draw some Of the best north
ern and eastern horses.
In addition to the above will be tn
great Home Coming Week." which ha
already been extensively advertised an
which will be the great patriotic attrac
ton of the fair. Secretary j. b. Bah
of the Commercial club has been bus
issuing invitations to wandering Ala
bamians for three weeks and has alread
received hundreds of acceptances 1t |
expected that at least $4,000 Albanian
who have strayed away from the oil
state to seek fortune in other cline
and other states. will come to the nom
coming, The fair association will pu
forth its best efforts to give them
royal reception and a princely entertain
ment. President Culpepper Exum an