The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1911-11-15
FUTURE OF
STATE FAIR
Is Subject Which Has Been Given
Considerable Attention by
Number of Citizens
OPINION IS DIVIDED AS
TO IT'S VALUE TO VALLEY
Business Men Think That If Fair
Is to Be Continued Here There
Should Be Some Effort to Make
1t Bigger and Stronger

What is to be done with reference
to the state fair? That question has
been asked a number of times the
past month by citizens, of themselves
and of each other. Just at present
a number of people are Indifferent
what becomes of it, some few are of
the belief that the fair is of little
value or advantage to North Yakima,
mot sufficient to pay for the bother,
while still others, and they appear to
be in the majority, think the fair is
q good institution which can be made
Aetter and that an effort should be
made to make it better.
Wait on DIR. Kloeber
Dr. Kloeber, president of the state
fair commission, having announced
his intention of calling a public meet
ing to debate the future of the fair,
it has been the policy of number OF
those who take an interest in the
subject to wait that conference. Dr.
Kloeber, however, has gone south for
the winter and is not expected to re-
turn to North Yakima before Febru-
airy at the earliest. 1t is the opinion
of many that if anything is to be done
it should be begun early and at time
of year when many people who would
assist have time to spare. 1t is UNI
derstood that the subject of the fair
has been considered informally by the
governing board of the Commercial
club and by the Business Mems asso-
citation. Some views expressed to The
Herald on the subject, are as follows:
Views of Citizens
H. G.. Lucas, president of the Com
mercial club We ought as a people
to do the very best we can for the
state fair. We ought to go over to
Olympia at the next session in scores
and impress upon the legislature that
we propose to have a state fair here
and that we expect the state to back
it literally. Yakima may be able to
give greater assistance than has been
given but such patronage as has been
accorded it has been from this city
and county and has been liberal. 1t
is the balance of the state which has
not come through The fair is good
thing and should be made better.
j. NJ. Perry: That is a big question
and there is a great deal to be con-
sidered BY George.I don't know
what is the best thing to be done.
Is Fair of Value?
W. L. Steinweg: 1t is a question
with me whether the fair is of any
good to us and if we can ever make a
good thing. Such fairs as we have
had have not proven to be more than
a local attraction. I do not know
whether we can get people from the
east and west sides of the state to
come here for an exhibition of the
products of the state. Conditions with
regard to transportation have i'm
proved but apparently the strongest
demand the fair can make does not
draw out sufficient crowd to pay the
cost 1t may be that there is some
thing else to which we can devote
our entrgies which will give better
results.
Little More Help Needed
D. F. McKaig, of Morgan &. McKaig
little more help to the state fair
commission would accomplish a great
deal for the fair and l think we
should boost together. If we must
have it let us have it right. 1t is a
question whether we are at present
ready to support such a fair as we
desire but we have been improving
A''NN
of growth we will be able to show the
state something in two or three years
more if we are let alone so far as in
reference with the appropriation is
concerned
Says Fair Is No Benefit
Lloyd Garretson, manager Pacific
Fruit and Produce Co Personally I
don't care whether the 1air goes or
remains l do not think it is bit
of good to us. 1 recognize that its
supporters can point out ways in
which it aids this city, but on the
other hand | can point out ways in
which it Injuries us and in the aggre-
gate I can not see that we reap much
benefit. 1t is the number of admis-
sions at the gate which tells the story
of success or failure and few people
think we can add any more at the
gate than we have been getting. This
valley has literally patronized the fair
but we have not sufficient population
for making it huge success. In my
opinion the fair should be some place
near to Seattle or Tacoma. Sumner
would be a good place but 1 suppose
Puyallup, which is a growing fair
center, is close enough to the larger
centers. There does not seem to me
to be the elements of success here.
Wont Cooperation
A. B. Cline, cashier First National
Bank: l believe in cooperation. II
seems to me possible that by working
together we may be able to evolve
something which will be of great ben
eft to the state fair We have been
liberal patrons of the Spokane apple
show and of the A. Y. P and we might
be able to get Spokane and King coun-
ties to erect permanent county build
ings on the fair grounds here and
come over each season with extensive
exhibits. They must be made to rec
ognze that the fair here is a state
fair and it seems to me to be possible
to impress upon them the need of
participation. In any event we should