The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1913-08-01
FAIR IS BIG
Exposition Is Huge If Measured
In Any Way, and 1t Belongs
to People of State.

Of course it will be blythe Indi-
ana state fair, to be held at Indian
apolis beginning September 8. 1t
always is, for from its beginning in
1851 the fair has been growing both
in magnitude and quality. Measure
it by the 214 acres of ground it
occupies, by the S66,O44.5O it offers
in premiums this year, in which ex-
hibitors have over 5000 chances to
win; measure it by some forty acres
Of machinery, by 5000 fowls in the
poultry show, by $500 plates of fruit
In the horticultural show, by 400
sheep, 900 swine, 500 cattle, 700
horses-and the state fair is big!
1t is not surprising that upward of
100000 people from all over Indiana
flow in at the exposition gates within
five days every fall-the great run
Of these patrons being from the
smaller towns and from the farms.
So many thousand Hoosiers have
been acquainted with the fair for so
many years hat there is no longer
any question of its Importance as a
factor in the upbuilding of the farm
resources of the Hoosier land, and
there is unending evidence of its force
as an educator and entertainer of the
Indiana public. The visitors from the
farm go to the fair both for informa-
ton and inspiration which can be
turned to account on home lands and
in home f1ocks, for the state fair
stands for improved herds, better
soils and increased output with less
labor, and it points the way to the
farm men and women to these ends.
The country men and women turn to
the fair as they would to a school
for information. The visitor from the
town finds the exposition a bubbling
fountain of enjoyment. 1t is a fair
covering five days, with each days
program as important as the others.
And the fair belongs to the people
of Indiana. Through their patronage
at the gates they have gradually
built it up to what it is today, and
their increasing patronage enables it
to become greater in magnitude and
better in quality. 1t has risen to the
level Of the great state fairs of the
United States both in character of
displays and in number Of patrons, and
1T gives glowing promise of going
beyond its old records along both
these lines next September.
The exposition should produce a
still higher standard of exhibits, for
some of the most noted authorities
of America have joined in revising its
premium list, in renovating the class
ifications, so that former classes
which showed signs of weakness have
been eliminated and those retained
have been enriched by greater pre-
miums.
Besides the money prizes offered,
exhibitors are lured to the coming
fair by many special prizes in silver
cups, gold and silver medals and other
trophies. For draft horses alone four
silver cups, twelve gold medals and
as many of silver are offered. The
money prizes for horses amount to
s38,870, Of which $3.50 goes to draft
classes, $500 to animals In the night
horse shows, $1,000 to saddle horses,
and the remainder to other classes,
including 1920 for ponies. The speed
purses amount to $26,200.
In the cattle show, $12,265 is Of
fered, $500 on beef cattle, $500 for
dairy classes. The prizes in other
departments are: Sheep, S3,387;
swine, S3,7S5; poultry, S2,17S; agri-
cultural products, s1,399.50; horticul-
tural, S2,S38.50; arts and crafts,
s~1,573.5O.
Because of TIE ever increasing i'm
portance of the Hoosier poultry inter-
ests, unusual preparations are under
way for the poultry show at the
Indiana state fair, which opens on
September 8. The amount of prizes
offered is Salts, and, since every
breed raised in Indiana is represented
in the premium list a great exposition
of blooded chickens will be assured.
To enable the show to expand, the
poultry house on the fair ground is
being remodeled so that its capacity
for coops will be increased about one-
third, so that the coming show will
have more poultry and visitors than
evef~Advv