Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-01-20
Special Committee Takes
Long Stride Toward the
Big Interstate Show
q. H. TO
PROMOTE PROJECT
Experienced Man Is Given
Charge; Chairman and
Board Are Selected

DOdIU All OCl0CCCu
Ottumwa's fair and exposition FOL
southern Iowa and northern Missouri
took . big jump toward certainty late
Monday afternoon when q chairman
md vice chairman were selected, q
name chosen. an executive committee
appointed and empowered to negoti-
ate with George H. Holcombe, organ
4xer OF the Burlington Tri-State fair
and many others, equally as success
MI through this part of the middle
west.
United States Marshal N. F. Reed
has been named as the chairman OF
the general committee of eighteen,
mine from the city and nine from the
county outside. The Iowa and
Missouri fair is the name by
which the exposition will be known
and this still further evolves itself
into ''The I. & M. Fair" The execu-
tive committee consists Of c. A. Well
man. r. A. Nimocks, G. L. Garner,
Charles F. Mast and D. A. Jay. This
committee retired with Mr.. Holcombe,
heard his proposition clearly and def
initely outlined and reported back to
tho general committee. This body in
turn Instructed the executive members
rs BEGIN negotiations with Mr.. Hol-
combe. all work to be subject to the
approval of the entire committee OF
eighteen. Another meeting is expect
"a to be held within a few days when
other matters will be discussed n
= further consideration of MI. Hol-
combe's proposition will be 1nvesti-
gated.
Enthusiasm Evident.
Enthusiasm not only for a fair but
Tor 4 big fair was the keynote Of the
meeting Monday. Short talks were
made by Mr.. Reed, MI. Holcombe, MI.
Wellman. Charles Areingdale, ". q.
Arnold. George Giltner, J.. B. Sax, F.
*. Nimocks, C. L. Garner, John McEl-
5 and D. A. Jay. All Of them are
affer the proposition and all want 1t.
The ways and means Of getting after
II Il the next question which they
have to tackle and Mr.. Holcombe,
Who makes such work his business,
nromises an answer to that problem.
The matter Of capital stock was dis
cussed and it seems to be the gen.
AL OF opinion that to have
IN exposition such as Ottumwa n
the community is worthy of, 1t would
require q capital stock Of not less
than $4,000. Methods of getting his
raised in the city, county, and outside
districts through southern Iowa n
northern Missouri q discussed.
Stock Plan Discussed.
When the conversation drifted to.
ward the allotting of the stock and
the granting Of passes, MI. Holcombe
outlined very ~concisely the plan that
been used in other towns where
he has helped promote such an enter
Prise. In Burlington the stock was
jsold In shares of $50, in Galesburg
80. IN Streator $25. in Ottawa SO and
400 at Aurora where he is now be.
ginning Just such an exposition as Of
fumwa expects to have. No passes
7 granted. The whole thing is put
on q purely business basis and with
this to work upon everyone is expect
"a to ~patronize his own show Divi.
bends q not be paid on stock with
~ rood part of the revenue being eat
en away through the pass channel.
More was learned about what such a
FIR will mean to this state and the ad-
5toining part Of the n to the south
and about the methods employed to
bring about such an exposition than at
INV OF the former sessions and every
one on the committee feels that 1t Is
. 80.
Holcombe's Work.
Mr.. Holcombe's proposition Is that
he viii contract to furnish plans Of or.
r~snization, financing and assist in the
plans. specifications and surveys, su
pervise construction, prepare n nan.
4 the first fair and guarantee a first
class. clean, moral show in every re"
spect for q sum which in the commit
tees opinion, Is entirely satisfactory
for they recommended the closing OF
the same. This recommendation was
adopted and Mr.. Holcombe' was in
structed to prepare and present a con-
tract for further execution.
Following the meeting Mr.. Holcombe
said: II am much pleased to have
closed an arrangement for a fair at
Ottumwa as it fits in we'll with the
circuit composed Of Ottumwa, Burling-
ton. Galesburg, Aurora, Kankakee,
Moines, Minneapolis. Milwaukee,
Springfield. ILL.,; Sedalia, Mo-; Hutch
tnson, Kas.; Oklahoma City, Okla, and
other places. This means that Ottum-
va will entertain many Of the best of
the state fair exhibits besides the
leading harness horse trainers of this
country. These, together with the To-
cal exhibitions OF education, fine arts,
textile fabrics. domestic science, live
stock, etc, will give Ottumwa a fair
that will at once take it's place among
the leading expositions OF this conn-
try.
with education and agriculture as
the foundation upon which the fair is
built. due care will be given to the
amusement end and a list OF high
class features will be provided. These
viii consist Of the best in vaudeville
and circus world. No fair is complete
without a midway. This will be pro
Yided on q magnificent scale but will