Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-09-03
COUNTY FAIRS BIC
ATTRACTION IN i. S.
1000 Planned Between Now
and November 80 Will Draw
Millions of People.
BY j. G. ROYLE.


NEW YORK. September 3.-The
great Sesqucentennial exposition now
being held in Philadelphia has drawn
exhibits from all over the world and
is bringing visitors from every section
Of America. But in the aggregate the
citizens who will visit this great
show are only handful compared
to those who will be attracted to the
State and county fairs throughout the
country this Fall. When 1t comes to
drawing the crowds and spending
and making money nothing but the
circus is equal to the appeal OF. the
county fairs. the season Tor WHICH Is
now about to commence.
Over 1000 county and State fairs
are planned in the United states De-
tween now and November 30. over
%, 900, 900 people will pay ADMISSION
at their gates. admission money alone
aggregating more than $1O,OO0,ooo. IN
Pennsylvania alone AZ county falrs
will be run in opposition to the pls
international show in Philadelphia
and II is not believed their recelpts
will be cut a particle by the attrac'
tons of the exposition there.
$4,000, 900 for Food.
In the county fairs alone VISITORS
will pay at least $50,OOO,OOo thls Au.
t,,mn for things to eat. The not dos
owes much of it's popularity to the
county fair. The peanut growers ol
Virginia and South and North caro-
lima and Georgia would have their
receipts cut materially were the 1airs
to he discontinued. Distributors OF
bananas, cocanuts and ice cream cones
will reap a harvest, while oysters Will
go into stews at the daily rate OF thou
sands Of dozens.
The Sesuuicentennial exposition un-
doubtedly is going to have perma,
nent effect both on the taste ano
trade of America. Nothing is SO caicu.
lated to improve the architecture OF
this country as a careful study or
the colonial structures reproduced
here. The foreign nations with eX'
hibits will enhance their trade with
America. New and original machinery
designs on exhibition will go far to
revolutionize industry, but the expo
sition has not increased the sales OF
Philadelphia merchants or augmented
the profits of local hotel prOprietOrs
to any marked degree, although nearly
a million and a half people have en-
tered the gates.
The county fairs, on the other hand
mean opportunity for seasonal shop
ping for entire districts. They give
the farmer chance to market his
products under the most favorable
auspices and provide q social inter
course that far outbulks even the
chautauquas In the country districts.
Aids Thoroughbred Racing.
The amusement concessions at the
State and county fairs have resulted
in the building up Of the carnival
companies, which now are as firmly
financed and as much a part of the
business and investment structure as
the circus or the movies. Horsemen
declare that the county fair has done
as much or more to develop the thor
oughbred horse and improve both run.
ming and harness strains than all the
jockey clubs in the Nation. The races
"in the sticks" probably are witnessed
by larger audiences than visit the
great race courses Of the cities.
The county fair has unQuestionably
done as much for the development of
aviation as any other one thing ex,
cept the war Long before the pres
ent generation was born the balloon
ascension and parachute jump was a
fixture of nearly every county exhibit
ton. and in late years the stunt flyers
have performed more spectacular feats
over the heads Of rural gatherings
than ever We're attempted on the
French and Flanders battle front, SO
far as actual flying is concerned.
Automobile dealers and agricultural
implement manufacturers have no
hesitancy in crediting these gather
ings with full share in the prosper
ity which has come to those branches
Of American industry.