The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1915-08-13
George Atchison Returns From
Board Meet
rom Saturdays Daily.

e-om Saturdays Daily.
| George Atchison returned last
evening from st. Paul. where he at
tended the regular monthly meeting
of the board of directors OF the Min
nesGta State Agricultural society,
held yesterday OH the state fair
grounds. Mr.. Atchison is full of en-
thusiam for the coming state fair
He is the oldest member OF the board.
This will be his eighth state fair.
I'VE expect TO get some speakers OF
national reputation for the coming
fair" said Mr. Atchison today. 1--WE
may get Elihu Root or Senator Bur
ton. We should like to have a promi-
nent speaker OF each of the two old
parties.
IL saw large number of people on
the fair grounds. One might almost
think there was a fair i'm progress OH
the grounds now. These people for
the most part were there TO buy priv
ilesos. which are sold by the privilege
department. Aleck Crickmore OF
Owatonna is superintendent of that
department. Eighty per cent OF the
privileges are sold already. These
privileges used to be disposed of at
auction. and many people would bid
so high for them that concessions
were sold at too high price and there
was often difficulty I'm collecting for
them afterwards. Now q price is fix
ed for every privilege and IL is sold
for that and no more or less.
| I'VE have the program all signed
up for the auto races. Aleck Sloan,
who managed the auto races that
! were pulled off at the Mankato fair
grounds last year, will bring twelve
drivers. Among the drivers who will
race is lady from New York. She
Is going to try to beat the worlds
track record and she will be racing
against men. too.
| The board has engaged two aero
planes, which will fight in the air.
Those famous fast shooting aero
plane guns will be used.
| The prospects are for the biggest
show OF horses and cattle from the
state Of Minnesota. itself that we
have ever yet had. We have the
premise of two exhibitors from Blue
Earth county. and one Of these will
send ten head. am not ready iust
yet to announce who they are.
| The Minnesota men who exhibit al
the state fair this year both i'm dairy
and cattle and in horses will have the
privilege OF exhibiting in two distinct
classes. There is a Minnesota class
FOR Minnesota bred and Minnesota
owned stock. Then the owr"rs can
compete i'm the open classes besides.
1T is an acknowledged fact that the
state OF Minnesota itself has as good
horses and cattle as there are in the
world today. The only trouble that
the fair management finds i'm this
matter is to get the Minnesota men to
compete. The Minnesota farmers do
not seem to be quite as good feeders
as the eastern farmers and do not
take time TO get their stock I'm proper
condition. But we are hoping to get
over that entirely and win have each
year more and more Minnesota
| breeders and owners.
| we are to have the best horse
races we ever yet had there. Forty
eight horses are entered I'm the ala
pace. The other years closing events
are filled accordingly well. The en-
tries fer the latter class close on
August 20. From the present indj-
cations and inquiries the entries will
be greater than ever before I'm the
history of the fair.
The grounds look beautiful now.
Over thousand flowers have been
set out. II is a scene of beauty to be-
hold.
| There will be increased accommo-
dations for the people this year.
There will be plenty OF places to sit
down and rest I'm the shade.
| The pure food department OF the
state is going TO examine and look
after every concession on the grounds
that sells eatables of any kind.
The grounds are watered by the
St Paul system, which Is conceded
to afford as good drinking water as
there is in the northwest. 1t is filter
ed water.
| Taking Il from all v:ewpnin,s M
tho present time. the fair OF the year
1915 VIII be the greatest IN the history
of the state"