Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-11-11
Persons Interviewed Show
Interest in Movement
for Annual Exhibit
WOULD REPRESENT
PART OF TWO STATES
Southern Iowa and Northern
Missouri Will Be Given
Good Meeting Place

III I'll southern iowa and northern
Missouri here in Ottumwa is that it
would be mighty fine thing for ev-
erybody concerned" said Frank Hof-
mann in talking of the proposition as
1t has been presented. "Ottumwa is
the ideal place to hold such an affair
Why, in this day and age of the auto
mobile and good train connections
there Is nothing in the world to him
der people from coming here to spend
a day or two at time or even a
week. There never has been a thing
started here yet into which everybody
put their whole-hearted interest that
did not make 60 of it and can see
no reason why fair of this sort
wouldn't follow the same course. II
we could put on something real good.
something to attract people here and
hold them here for few days, then
Ottumwa would certainly have accom-
plished something decidedly worth
while in my estimation"
The proposition Is to make Ottum-
wa a general meeting place for the
purpose of holding an agricultural ex-
position. live stock display and fair.
The city's natural geographical loca-
ton makes it an ideal one in which
to stage such an event. All southern
Iowa and northern Missouri Is easily
accessible from here. Railroad con-
nectons are good over all lines which
pass through the city and the modern
highways and automobile trails have
made travel through the country
ideal. There are many counties In
Iowa along the two or three southern
tiers and as many located on the
northern borders Of Missouri which
look to Ottumwa as central meeting
place, capital in which to meet, a
radius from which extends good
commercial influence and industrial
power. With that idea in view the
movement has been started. To give
the people who come here more of an
incentive to continue coming and to
bring others this plan of holding big
annual fair has been launched.
Thinks Well Of Plan.
J. B. Sax is strongly enthusiastic
owe, the proposition and gives it has
undivided support. In speaking OF the
matter today, Mr.. Sax said, 1T would
be cne of the best things that we could
have for Ottumwa; that is-if we go
after it in the right way. If we should
attack it half gingerly then | would
say--let it alone. But Ottumwa is do
ing things right now and believe
that with everybody working hard on
il We could put on one of the best
fairs that has ever been known in this
part of the state and the adjoining
one to the south.
~. F. Deems of Burlington, who by
the way was former Ottumwa man,
was the president Of their agricultural
show down there this fall, and he tells
me that there were more people IN
Burlington that week than have been
there for twenty-five years in the same
period. Their show was immense and
a success from every standpoint; why
cant Ottumwa have one just as good?
In the old days, when the fair was held
mere the streets used to be SO full OF
people that it was almost impossible
to get anywhere. And that usually
kept UP for whole week, too. Deems
owns a big fancy farm mile west OF
Burlington, and they are all interested
down there. l can see no reason why
we can't get just as interested up here.
.I remember one feature OF the old
fairs The floral hall people offered
prizes for the best store displays.
Each merchant took space and trim.
med it according to his ideas. That
created great deal of interest as we'll
as reen competition. 1t would be
we'll. I believe to include a Made In
Ott1mwa Week with this fair and
have large space devoted to the dis
n1ay of goods and wares which are
nado in OttumWa. There are lots OF
Them why not show them? II every
bodily gets behind the thing and boosts
It can see no reason whatever for not
giving all southern Iowa and northern
Missouri one of the best fairs they