New Ulm review., 1920-11-24
COUNTY i | : FAIR !! II HAS | I
| SPLENDID GROWTH
BIG IMPROVEMENTS MADE IN
| RECENT YEARS. MORE
/ CONTEMPLATED.
THIS YEARS EVENT ECLIPSED
ALL PAST EXHIBITIONS.
ANNUAL MEET.

ClaC mas passed since Cne OrganlZdUlCn
Of the Brown County Agriculture
Society, a splendid growth and ger ,sl
progress is revealed and the 1920
County Far stands out as the highest
achievement attained to date, both as
to attendance and financial standing.
While the cash balance at the close
Of the fiscal year may not be as large
as those of some bygone Fairs, yet the
total assets Of the Society are greater
by a considerable sum than at the end
Of any previous year in its history.
Figures Are illuminating.
Twenty years ago, the net profit Of
the Brown County Fair was 1886. As;
in 1919, banner year, it aggregated
$3.50, while the 1920 event showed
a net gain Of 81, 899. "a for the Society's
treasury. The surplus from each
County Fair is utilized for making
needed improvements on the Fair
Grounds and the stockholders have
never received any dividends, as
private gain is not the object Of the
organization. !, .z-
The total paid attendance this year
was 11,4S3, as against 10,105 last
year. Entries in the various depart
ments aggregated 1876 in 1920, com
pared with 1868 for the previous
years event. " .....
improvements in Recent Years.
In recent years a number Of sub
stantial Improvements have been COM
pleted on the Fair Grounds in this city.
During the past few years large and
substantial new poultry house, built
Of cement blocks, and suitable
ladies' retiring room of brick were
constructed. The year 1920 marked
the undertaking Of the most substan-
tial construction work carried out for
many years, when the splendid new
grandstand, costing $7,564, and the
modern new hog barn, costing $3.50,
were erected. There was also an ex-
pense of $727 this year for extension
and repairs to the electric lighting
system at the Fair Grounds, while
the sum of $270 was invested in tents,
stands, etc.
Structure Too Small.
The steady and marked growth Of
the Brown County Fair makes it
necessary to arrange for more or less
important Improvements on the
grounds practically each year. 1t was
believed by some that the new grand
stand and hog barn had been planned
on too large "a scale, but this years
fair proved the opposite to be true, as
the former structure was far too small
to accommodate the large crowds,
especially on the second day, and the
hog entries were so numerous that
they could not all be housed in the
barn, although no less than so pens
had been provided.
New Buildings Planned.
At the annual stockholders meeting,
which was held in the Commercial
Club rooms here, last Wednesday
evening, plans for future Improvements
on the Fair Grounds were discussed
at length. 1t is proposed to erect a
modern women's building, which would
be devoted exclusively to exhibits of
women's and children's handiwork,
household and school activities and
possibly fruits, while the present ex-
hlbition hall would probably be turned
over entirely to mercantile exhibits
and vegetables. Tentative plans pro-
vide for one-story building with base
ment, the latter to be used for pre-
pairing and serving meals to County
Fair visitors. This woulda prove a
decided innovation and one that would
be popular with the out-of-town
visitors. The estimated cost of this
structure is approximately $11, 900.
These details have not as yet been
completed, as the Fair management
desires to wait until it has been de-
cided how large the proposed structure
will be. 1t is likely that the new
building will be erected in time for
next years County Fair.
The impetus given the hog depart
ment of the Fair by the erection of the
splendid new hog barn, has demon
strated that the farmers of Brown and
neighboring counties appreciate mo
dern conveniences arranged to house
their exhibits at the County Fair,
and the management favors encourag-
ing this friendly spirit. 1t was en-
phasized at the annual Stockholders
meeting that the horse and cattle
departments OF the Fair would show a
similar material increase if proper
housing accommodations were pro
vided, and the matter of constructing
adequate horse and cattle barns was
given due attention by those present
at the meeting.
The board of directors were en-
trusted with plans for both of these
rgoposed new Fair buildings and these