Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-10-01

Omaha paper OF that day and copy
was presented by the family OF l.. A.
Walker, first president. II was cut out
and pasted on a sheet Of writing paper.
Inscribed on the back OF the list Is the
following notation, in an old-fashioned
hand:
The spring OF 1858 commenced with a
very heavy depression in all kinds Of
business, In prospects and prices Pro
duce of all kinds selling lows much held
over not bringing cost OF production
Good corn is scarcely to be had, but the
general price ranges below 50 cents a
bushel May 10. potatoes were selling at
20 10 30 cents per bushel The weather
was beautiful In March, but cold and
backward from the middle OF April to
middle OF May. June and July were very
wet, extra heavy rains for this country.
Corn washed out In many places. The
emigration TO the gold regions raised the
price OF corn and potatoes, but neither
ranged above 80 cents bushel."
The county fair association continued
to hold It's annual fair mainly in the Vi
entity Of Its first location. but occasionally
in Omaha proper. joining with the state
fair when It was first located at Omaha
and continuing In this relation during the
! periods that the state fair was being
held In Omaha and until II was perma-
nently located at Lincoln in 1900. Since
then Douglas county has been holding its
fair in conjunction with the Ak-Sar- Ben
festival, furnishing some of the best dis
plays ever gotten together by a county
organization Today this society stands
the peer OF any county agricultural So
ciety in the United States. in point OF
excellence and magnitude OF its farm
products and general display, barring live
stock. In it's annual exhibitions this fair
has for the last seventeen years main.
tained an average exhibition space OF
5000 square feet
In 1895 the Douglas County Fair ASSOC
citation organized a system OF precinct
or township collective exhibits, N which
each precinct in the county became an
Independent exhibition association IN
open contest and competition against all
other precincts or townships. As many as
twelve precincts out of thirteen in the
county have entered in competition for
the prizes offered.
The cash premium incentive was from
the start. a recognized stimulant In Sc
curing the attention and interest of ex.
hibitors. As much as $50 in cash has
been placed at the disposal of the pre-
cincts, varying in amounts from $50 10
$3.50 available TO each of the contestants.
Besides these collective precincts, prizes
from $500 to 5000 has been offered in
prizes for the individual articles compris.
ing these collections. To this system OF
getting the exhibition spirit aroused in
the people. is due the liberal displays that
this fair has been able TO command.
The Douglas County Fair association
has practiced the method OF retaining
its old members on the board as long
as they were willing TO give their time
attention ana best efforts to the work.
There are now on the board Of directors
a number of men who have spent ten Il
tW'enty years in the study and practical
work Of putting up Agricultural exhibits
Several have been prominently associated
with national expositions and world
fairs. where their skill came in competi,
ton with the best expert fair builders
OF the eouatry. and they were prize win,
ners even in this kind OF company.
Judge Kennedy, giving his early i'm.
pressions Of Omaha and it's people. whom
he first met at the county fair. held in
1858. said:
II arrived In Omaha on September Il
1883. having left my native state, Yer
mont, In quest OF a new home I saw q
printed notice that there would be held
a county agricultural fair at Saratoga
two miles north of the city of Omaha
and resolved 10 attend. passed through
the gate on a ticket that cost Is cents
and found a good-natured crowd of PEG.
pie. who regarded me with some degree
OF attention. perhaps from my awkward,
ness. or Yankee inquisitiveness, or both
as we'll as my unfamiharity with west.
ern life and customs. with some, bold,
ness and assurance / introduced myself
TO the president. Lewis A. Walker. and
N turn was introduced 10 the aotinr
secretary, A. d. Jones. The twain seemed
70 be in charge OF the whole show. This
brief acquaintance grew into a personal
friendship which lasted through all the
years Of President walkers residence IL
Douglas county. and TO the death Of
Secretary Jones in 1903 In Omaha. ageS
IS years
The annual address was delivered b,
Dr. Gilbert c. Mcneil grandfather OF
senator Gilbert n Hitchcock. IL Ma,