The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1916-07-21
BOOSTING OF
KNOX CO. FAIR
Urged By Gates At Chamber
OF Commerce Luncheon
PERMANENT GROUNDSNEEDED

Appearing before members Of the
chamber of commerce, assembled for
the weekly noon-day luncheon We'd
nesday, Secretary Howard G. Gates
of the Knox County Agricultural So
ciety made strong plea for the adop-
tion of a policy of boosting the an
nual fair by all merchants and resi-
dents of Mt Vernon.
Secretary Gates spoke of the i'm
mense growth Of the fair, showing
that where there had been 600 exhib-
itors in 1909 with awards amounting
to 1924, there were over 1000 in 1915,
while the awards totalled nearly
81, 400.
He described the membership in
the society which requires that every
exhibitor take out membership card
but stated that even this scheme has
not put the society on sound finan-
cial basis.
The need Of increased attendance
on the part of residents Of Knox
county, together with a general atti-
tude OF boosting was dwelled upon
by Secretary Gates, who told of Wis
it to the Coshocton fair several years
ago when the total attendance of that
particular day was as large as the
combined attendance of all three days
at both the 1914 and 1915 Knox coun-
ty fairs.
The Coshocton fair was superior at
that time to the Knox county fair on
ly in a display of horses, special
carload of beautiful beasts having
been shipped from Kentucky.
Secretary Gates said that the
chamber of commerce can do much
to boost the fair by making arrange
ments with the railroads whereby
special trains will be run to accom-
modate people who live off the direct
lines to Mt. Vernon, such as people
on the 4. & o. G. line near Center
burg. Secondly, the secretary spoke
" 'iiO SiOut dhNoilLd5C VI ldlhlHS
about the fair on the part of mer-
chants to all customers who come into
their places of business
The crying need at present, the
secretary stated, is permanent
grounds. Each year, the fair board
is forced to pay from $500 to $1,000
to place the grounds in shape for that
particular fair. If there were perma-
nent grounds, about $4,000 might be
obtained from the state and county
every year. Coshocton county annual
ly receives $4,000 OF the SO counties
in the state, Mr.. Gates stated, Knox
is one of seven or eight which do not
have permanent grounds.
The stock-judging contest, planned
originally by the fair board, was
abandoned on account of the expense,
but the same has been taken up by
the chamber of commerce and a CON
test, with good awards, will be fea-
ture of this years fair. There prom
ises to be numerous entrants.
Judge b. M. Critchfeld spoke much
along the same line as Secretary
Gates, going further into the necessi-
ties of the local fair in order to be
successful. He said his experience on
the turf has brought him into contact
with many fairs and that very few
are any better than those presented
in Knox county, except in the point
of the attendance.
Dr. ID. G. Beggs told of fair he
had once attended in Missouri and
of the work which was done there in
boosting 1t.
G, G., Weaver called to mind an au-
tomobile parade which the merchants
of Newark had staged once for the
purpose of arousng enthusiasm over
the fair, a parade which was decided
ly beneficial in its results,
Another matter taken up at the
luncheon was the part the chamber
of commerce purposes to take in the
Labor Day celebration which will be
put on by IIiawatha Lodge, No. S24,
H. o. o. NJ. Secretary Leopold re.
ported for the chamber of commerce
entertainment committee that joint
meeting had been held with the
Moose committee when the following
program for the day was outlined;
Parade in the morning and all-day en-
tertainment at Riverside park, pos.
sibly with the 170-pieoe children's
Mooseheart band as a special fea.
ture; baseball game IN the afternoon,
Mt, Vernon VS.. Knox county; athletic
contests in the afternoon with suit
able prize awards; fireworks in the
evening
The recommendation of the cham
her of commerce committee were ia
the effect that the organization pre-
sent some feature during the day
such as balloon ascension or free
outdoor act, the same to be known as
the chamber OF commerce exhibit.