The Donaldsonville chief., 1917-10-13
SUCCESS OF OUR FIFTH ANNUAL
FAIR,

In the face Of some exceedingly un--
favorable conditions the fifth annual
fair Of the South Louisiana Fair AS
sociation, held at Donaldsonvllie on
the four days beginning Thursday'
October 4, and ending Sunday, Oc-
tober 7, was in several partlcalars'
and conspicuously in general average
of results, the most successful OF the
series Of these interesting and Valua-
bic exhibitions.
The most notable Of the drawbacks
and shortcomings by which the man.
agenent of this years fair were con-
fronted consisted Of the entire lack
Of cattle exhibits and the sparse dis
play of hogs and other live stock.
Owing to the unfortunate tact that
Ascension parish is not tlck-1ree
territory, owners Of cattle from terri
tory which has been declared free
from ticks would not have been per
nitted to exhibit their stock at talrs
in other tick-free localities It they
had exposed the animals to infection
by bringing them to the Donaldson
vile fair. Of course, numbers OF 10
cal cattle might have been assembled
for exhibition, but the display would
not have attained an adequately hlgn
standard and it was therefore deemed
best to dispense with this feature OF
the fair entirely. 3,
This elimination Of cattle resulted
in curtailing the hog display, since
many of the cattle owners also breed
hors and would have brought along
their swine had they been able TO
show their cattle. Furthermore,
Lewis H. Martin, agricultural demon
stration agent for Assumption parish,
was working up the hog display ana
would undoubtedly have filled the
swine barn with q creditable collec-
ton, when at the eleventh hour ne
was called to New Orleans to serve as
demonstration agent, and it was too
late to secure a substitute Tor the 10
cal fair sufficiently familiar with the
work and the prearranged plans to IN
sure satisfactory result.
Notwithstanding these and some
minor disadvantages, the exhibits
were good and few complaints on this
score were heard. From the stand
point of agricultural products, house
hold and domestic economics, manu-
factures, floral and horticultural ex-
hibits, better babies and amusement
features, the fair was notably praise
worthy, and well deserved the new
records set for attendance and finan-
cial income.
The great crowd assembled on the
closing day was several hundred In
excess Of last years big throng,
and was doubtless the largest gather
ing of people Donaldsonville has ever
been called upon to handle and enter
tain. AS a consequence OF this IN
creased patronage the gross receipts
were considerably larger than those OF
any of the previous fairs, and are be-
lieved to be sufficient to enable the
South Louisiana Fair Association to
pay all its debts, including the bal
ance due on the land occupied by its
plant, besides leaving a small surplus
as a nucleus for next years exhlbl-
ton.
There will no dissent, we are con-
fdent, from the statement that to the
indefatigable exertions and great per-
sonal popularity Of President Lewis
E. Murrell the gratifying need Of
success achieved by this years fair
was mainly due, and it would be diff
fcult to oyer-praise his splendid work
in behalf Of this important semi public
enterprise. His colleagues Of the
directorate and management gave him
intelligent and earnest cooperation
and assistance, and all are entitled to
a share Of commentator for the re-
suits of their combined efforts; but
we feel sure these gentlemen and Ia
dies will concur in our tribute to
President Murrell for his tireless and
invaluable services. It is to be hoped
he will be prevailed upon to retain
the presidency of the association for
at least another term, and we can
think of no other one thing that
would tend in an equal degree to in
spire public confidence in the per-
manence of the fair and assure the
prospect of a repetition in 1918 of
this years encouraging success.