Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-09-18
Local Comment

81 We will never have better weather
for our county fair than we had this
week. 1t was ideal. We will have
better fairs and larger attendance,
because we always improve on our
fair little each year and there will
be more people. but 1920 can be
will be moro people. but 1920 can be
registered now as the year OF ideal
weather for the Marshall county fair.
The fair this year was notable for
the improved character Of it's enter
tanment, It's concessions, and it's food
supply. Most Of the Objectionable
concessions and food vendors have
been cut out. and still the fair offers
more to attract people than it ever
did. The entertainment was so de-
cidedly worth the price Of Admission
tho the night fair is crowding the
day fair in popularity.
4
The exhibits set another high
mark for comparison All they lack
ed was suitable buildings in which to
be shown. Marshall county's fair
should tear down and rebuild ON a
larger. more modern and Harmonious
plan nearly every exhibit hall and
and barn that it has. An architect
who specializes on county fair build
ing should be employed to design a
complete new fair, and the entire
plant should be rebuilt. New capital
can be raised by q stock selling cam
paign, for there is new generation
of men in business now and on the
farms since capital stock was sold
to finance what we have. Marshall
county deserves 100000 plant, with
sales pavilion that can be used thru
out the year, and one immense ex-
.hibit hall that can he heated for a
mid winter fair, and which could be
used for convention hall ii the need
ever arose. This hall could combine
all the merchants and automobile ex-
hibits under one roof, with a rest
room in the balcony, a band in the
loft, and flood of sunlight into the
interior. If we should have a COM
.pany of the national guard we could
rent the building to the state tor an
armory and derive revnue from 1t.
In q stock selling campaign the busi-
ness men Of the town could finance
the exhibit hall il the people Of the
country outside the city could finance
the stables and barns. A new am
iphitheater and race track could be
financed by mortgaging the revenues
from the grand stand until paid for.
Marshall countys fair needs to
launch a building program somewhat
after the state fair plan.
s. Enlargement Of all exhibit halls
and modernization is necessary be-
cause half the fair attendance in tho
future is to be at night. Many
people now go to the fair at 4
O'Clock, and remain until the night
entertainment is over. Before it be-
ging they pass their time viewing the
exhibits. They are deprived Of half
the fair because the art exhibit,
agricultural hall, school exhibit, and
live stock barns are closed or are
dark. These exhibit halls, enlarged
to accommodate the demands upon
them, should be lighted so that
people could visit them in the even
ing as we'll as during the day.
City and county boards should
realize that the total vote to be
registered and counted this year is
going to be nearly double what it
has been in the past because Of the
women. We have had congestion at
the polls before and all-night ses-
sions by the judges who count the
vote. Unless provision is made for
smaller precincts, more export
counters, or extra help, election
boards will be the better part Of .
week counting the vot. Now is the
time for city and county boards to
plan what can be done within the law
and next winter the Legislature
should tackle thefjob Of establishing
election auditors who should begin
counting the ballots at noon on cleo
ton day under oath and penalties as
to absolute secrecy.
&
The local police have been doing
some good work of late In appre-
hending criminals, but the safety OF
the public demands that the town be
cleaned of all It's suspicious char
acters before they have had time to
commit their crimes. A local clean
ing is what we want now, even If we
nave to use detectives to locate oar
men. Let's make our unwelcome
guests as uncomfortable as we can.