Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-05-24
Consider County's Proposed In
vestment in Finkle's Park
a Good One
NO TAX NECESSARY TO BUY
Country Directors of Fair Association
Talk on Proposed Purchase, and All
Seen Want Election to Carry - Sim.
ply a Case Of Investing Money Ju.
i diciously the General Sentiment.

/ Gile Country OlTeClOFS VI LIE Mol SAAeA
| County Fair association, is held b,
! the voters of the county. there will b'
/ no doubt of the outcome Of the specia
| election next Tuesday, May %, wheI
the voters of the county will be asked
/ to say whether or not the county board
OF supervisors shall purchase for coun.
| ty fair purposes 1.-THE land included, IL
Finkle's park for the sum Of $1,000
The T.-R made an effort to reach al
the country directors Of the association
| by phone, but was unable to get into
| communication with the entire number
owing to the lines having been storm
swept Wednesday night. All who coulc
be reached, however, We're unanimous
In their opinions as to the benefits te
| be derived in purchasing the land witt
county funds. and all are heartily IN
| favor of the proposition.
The general sentiment seems to De
that the question is simply one OF fn-
yestment. The county has an abund-
ance Of ready cash. and is not one PEN
ny In debt. If there were to be an In
crea Sc OF the tax levy the case would
be different, but there will be none.
The county will simply invest $4,000
In fine piece of property that should
increase largely In value. and would
sell. on the market at any time for all.
ii. not much more, than the county will
pay for it, providing the people vote
nanent home, and can not afford to
~<o1 Tha
board OF supervisors would donate q
certain sum to the fair association
each year, as provided by law, and by
owning the land will not have to pay
out this money, which corresponds to
as muca, if not more, than the interest
on the money invested.
Statement Of Conditions.
An outline Of the conditions as they
now exist, regarding the fair associa-
ton and how 1t stands financially.
what It did last year and hopes to do
is given in the following statement is-
sued by the board OF directors, signed
by all the members with the exception
of n. M. Weeks, OF Eden from which
the opposition to the proposed
purchase sprang. It Is generally con-
sidered that because. Eden township
has a fair Of its own. the peoples OF
that part Of the county do not look
with favor on a fair for the entire
county. Ia s:
The statement OF the directors fol-
lows:
ITO the, Voters Of Marshall County:
For many years prior to 1906 Mar
shall county lacked an annual county
fair which could be said to do justice
to its material resources, or exemplify
the progress and prosperity Of Its peo-
pie.
The fair last year surpassed all ex-
pectations in it's success and demOn-
strated the possibility Of greater rea-
lizations under more favorable condi-s
tions. With the assurance OF support
which came with the success of 1906,
those who stood responsible to the
movement for a greater fair started out
to secure more permanent foundation
upon which to build for the future.
"The location OF the fair at Mar
shalltown renders accessible the larg-
est support available to any county
fair in Iowa. To establish and main
tain an annual exhibition which will
stand second only to the Iowa state
fair. we believe, is within our realiza-
ton. To make this realization posi-
bic, larger premiums and greater Ia
ciliies for exhibitors and more attrac-
tons for visitors are absolutely neces-
sary.
The present management, under ex-
listing conditions, is called upon to
provide for an expenditure in the
N<,A ~
dollars annually for rental OF grounds.
II this amount, from the current funds
Of the association, can be rendered
available for necessary improvements
and larger premiums, the movement in
the direction Of a greater fair is as
sured.
1T Is now proposed to purchase Fin
kle park for the sum Of 1900. there
being an outstanding option Of pur-
chase for this amount. The tract em-
braces over thirty acres Of land i'm
proved with a track, grandstand and
cattle sheds, which improvements
alone upon conservative estimate, could
not be reproduced for $1,000.
1.-THE proposition as to the purchase
of these grounds is to be submitted
TO Tue voters VI MdFSudll COuIlly May
28th, 1907, under the authority of an
act passed by the last General Assem-
bly,. If, by a ma ority vote at this
election, the board of supervisors are
authorized to purchase these grounds,
the title thereto, by such purchase.
will become vested in Marshall county
as it's property, to be used for agri-
cultural fair purposes. d
Marshall county has ample funds
from which to make this purchase, and
there will be no additional tax levy. AS
a real estate investment, it can, in view
of the most certain advance in land
values prove none other than profit
able. But of greater consideration than
this, we urge that this purchase, II
authorized by the people, will prove
the foundation of an established an
nual agricultural fair, which will be
alike a source of pride not only to the
people Of Marshall county, but to the
people OF all central Iowa
"The undersigned directors OF the