The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-09-25

Jhe 1914 Alabama State Fair Promises to Surpdss Al Oters In History of Association, Says President Browr
Fly DOLLY DALRYMpLE

| 1eIlalnly-
 Everybody in Birmingham, it matters not how they differ on other subjects. will agree on one-and that is. that Mr. Robert A. Brown is one of the most popular and valuable citizens in this com munity.
 In the commercial world, in society, in charitable enterprises, Mr. Brown is d dominant force, generous. able and al ways agreeable in any undertaking he assumes, and as president of the Ala bama State Fair association he is adding new laurels to his crown for the splendid and systematic manner in which he is handling the situation and the excellent results he Is achieving. (
 MT. Brown is one of Birmngham's big gest individual assets-a young man who has grown up with the community and who today stands for all that fine citi- zenship demands in every walk of life The Fair association is to be congrat- ulated upon having so superior an off Ger and one who is so generally liked. It wasn't an easy task to follow the presidents who have gone before-Mr. J. Il. Holcombe, MT. B. B. Burton and the others-because each has shown marked ability in the management of the affairs of the organization. but the mantle has fallen on shoulders quite worthy, when MT. Brown took charge, for he will un- doubtedly leave big plus mark to his credit when the fair of 1914 is over. "The night that the 1913 Fair closed" said MT. Brown when I was chatting with him yesterday about the opening of the 1914 Fair next Monday and also about his recent visit to the Louisville, Cleve- land and Nashville fairs, "the present Fair was begun at drectors' meeting that evening. Many concessions were allotted on that occason-indeed the de- mand was very encouraging. Since that moment the men connected with the Ala
 bama State Fair association have been busy arranging for the 1914 Fair, all of which I may say incidentally is due with out compensation or remuneration of any sort save the gratitude that is shown by the citizens of this community in their generous appreciation of our efforts
 "The present association has paid off an indebtedness of something like S50,000 which had accrued from other previous efforts, and today the Alabama State Fd1r ASSOCIATION Sld1uS pIe-eIlneHtly Dt- fore the public as the only State Fair which, without state aid (one small ap- propriation only having been made) or without contributions from the citizens and merchants, Is a success" said MT. Brown.
 Tn comparison, how did the Cleveland, Louisville and Nashville fairs impress you?' I asked.
 Tn Louisville I was greatly impressed by the magnificent coliseum, which they l have at their fairgrounds" was the reply. | "It is tremendous building, erected at a 1 cost of S105,000. Here the horse shows are l held and all sorts of entertainments, and | the president of the fair association told | me that the building had up to the pres ent time paid for itself 10 times over. | I saw a saddle horse shown there which | won the 5000 stake, and a wealthy ranch | man from the west bought the mag | nificent animal and paid $5000 for 1t. He | will exhibit the horse in California for the | worlds prize for saddle horses
 Would coliseum or a building similar | to the one in Louisville be practical at our | fairgrounds7" I asked.
 "The owners might donate the ground | and the citizens might contribute the | funds to its building and 1t could be used | for conventions and meetings of all kinds | and descriptions" said Mr. Brown Tt | would be a great addition undoubtedly. | You know the object of the Alabama State | nent playground for the people of Bir-