HE FAR**
Gardew
VOL. LXV
INDIANAPOLIS, JANUARY 15, 1910.
NO. 3
AGRICULTURISTS IN SESSION.
Annual   Merlin;:   of   the   Indiana   State
Board of Agriculture.
The fifty-eighth annual meeting of
the Indiana State Board of Agriculture
was called to order by President Oscar
Hadley. Hon. Lew Shank, mayor of
the city delivered one of the best addresses of welcome ever delivered before the board. He assured the board
that he would stand by them in every
proposition to build up the State Fair.
He compared the State Fair Horse
Show with that of New York City and
told the board that our show was even
better than that in the great city. He
thought more attention should be paid
to decorating the buildings. He was
also willing to assist the board in getting our next legislature to appropriate
money for erecting new buildings on
the State Fair grounds. President
Hadley  then   delivered   his   address.
President Hadley's Address.
Gentlemen: The policy of progres-
SlWness which the Indiana State
Board of Agriculture has, from its beginning been steadily developing has
shown itself to greater degree than
usual in the last year. No element in
Indiana is advancing in an intellectual
and material way more rapidiy than
the agricultural forces of the State.
The Board is, I believe, keeping abreast
with them in this advancement and
we should continue to move forward
with them in the years to come. In fact,
since it is the purpose of the Board to
develop the agricultural resources of
Indiana, no effort to lead the farming
element along the highway of general
improvement should be spared by our
organization.
Our last fair was doubtless our most
important one in both magnitude and
quality. In point of patronage, too, it
was high in the list of our own State
Fairs. It gave every promise of making new records all along the line and
did make some new marks in several
ways. Every day but one showed an
increased attendance over corresponding days of former years. This one
day was Thursday, when the heavy
rain of the night before held back the
attendance and probably cost the fair
fifteen or twenty thousand dollars in
feate receipts.
The night shows in the Coliseum
were the most successful that have
ever been held there. The programs
were more extensive and more entertaining both to people from the city
and the farm, and the financial returns from this source were considerably larger than at any former fair.
On each evening but one, several hundred people were turned away by lack
of seating capacity to accommodate
them. It is evident that the night
shows can he made one of the larger
sources of the fair's revenues and the
programs should be continued on the
highest possible scale of excellence.
The possibilities of the Coliseum as
an earner of money were further tested
in October by a circus given for a week
by the Murat Temple Shriners of Indianapolis, when the arena was used for
the performances and the horse barn
was occupied as quarters for the performers and their horses. The two
buildings were as readily adapted for
circus purposes as for State Fair uses.
It was demonstrated at that time, as it
has been on former occasions that a
heating plant for the Coliseum is one
of the important improvements needed, and I trust that the Board will undertake this work at the earliest possible  time.
The wisdom of the Board in extending the system of cement walks and in
oiling the roadways proves itself year
after year. After the  heavy rain of
arrangement could be made with the
Indianapolis Water Company to extend
its lines to the Fair grounds for fire
protection.
The fair grounds during the years
have been highly favored with patronage as a training place for speed
horses. They came from all over the
country in larger numbers than ever.
A blacksmith shop was erected by the
Board  for    the    convenience     of    the
Southdown  Wether,  Grand  Champion Wether of International Laive Stock Exposition, 1909.      Owned by  Sir George Drummond.
last fair week, visitors found that they
could get from building to building and
about the grounds without discomfort.
The cement walks should be extended
over the grounds as rapidly as possible
and the investment will year after year
pay dividends in the way of comfort to
an   increasing   attendance.
Last year the Board policed its fair
for the first time with its own force of
men, and it was a highly successful experiment. It made clear the important
fact that the Board can year after year
have its own police force and do it as
economically and with far more satisfaction both to the fair and its patrons
than under the old method. The
thanks of the Board are due to Captain
Frank Wilson and his efficient force,
and also to the Board of Safety of Indianapolis for the favor of sending one
of its chemical engines and complement of firemen to the grounds during
the fair.
The first fire to occur on the fair
grounds for several years was experienced the last week of the year just
closed, when three training barns and
several valuable horses were destroyed
by a cause not within the control of
the Board. While the material loss to
the Board from this lire was not serious, it gives us evidence that the greatest safeguard that we can have from
fire and storm 1, to continue the policy
of making our buildings of indestructible material.    It is possible that some
horsemen and the hotel has been in
continuous operation. The tracks and
barn accommodations have as far as
possible been kept in condition that
both trainers and horses might make
satisfactory progress with their work.
It is very important that the Board
continue its efforts and improvements
to the end of making the fair grounds
the best appointed training place in
the country.
The successful administration of the
Board's affairs from year to year depends upon the spirit and energy of the
officers and members in the support
they give the President. He to a very
large degree leans upon them. A notable factor in the success of the year
that is closing has been the fidelity and
energy shown to the President by the
other officers and by the members, both
in the service as individuals and while
on committees.
Committee on President's address
was appointed by Vice-President I. N.
Brown: M. J. Niblack, D. C. Reeds
and J. L. VanNatta.
Committee to wait on Governor was
M. A. McDonald, D. C. Reed and J. L.
VanNatta.
J. O. Thomas, of Rushville, representing the Gate-men of 1909, presented John C. Haines, Superintendent of
Admission   with   a   ring.
Committee on credentials was J. E.
McDonald, Digonier; M. A. McDonald,
West Lebanon and    Thos. A. Coleman,
Rushville.
Governor  Thos.     Marshall     made  a
short   address   to   the   board.
Secretary   Chas.   Downing     read   his
report as  follows:
Financial     Statement   of   tlic     Indiana
State Board of Agriculture as shown
by tlio Secretary's report for the year
ending January 31,  1009:
Receipts.
From  loans $35,954.15
From   appropriations 10,000.00
From fair 90,413.55
From rents,  picnics, etc      2,860.20
From other sources  441.35
Total $139,669.25
Disbursements.
Members    per   diem $   4,237.70
Salaries of officers and clerk
hire .      5,640.00
Improvements   and   repairs. .   16,035.65
Loans repaid, interest and insurance    28,915.44
Postage,     telephones        and
telegraph          1,278.84
Freight  and   express  453.41
Printing and stationary   ..   ..      1,983.(56
Advertising         9,217.31
Assistant  Superintendents  and
judges      5,890.96
Police, Firemen and  Meals. . 919.88
Supplies  for  fair       3,426.87
Premiums 50,401.00
Miscellaneous 11,515.01
Total $139,915.13
Liabilities.
New   Horse   Barn   Bonds. .. .$75,000.00
Note   to   Cap.   Nat'l.     Bank,
due Feb. 9, 1910    10,000.00
Note   to   Cap.   Nat'l.     Bank,
due  Feb.   19,   1910       5,000.00
Note   to   Cap.   Nat'l.     Bank,
due Feb.   16,   1910      5,000.00
Total $95,000.00
Statement of Fair.
Receipts  from  all  sources. .. $90,413.35
Disbursements.
Premiums $50,401.00
Special attractions and music     8,791.00
Telephones,  postage,  freight
and    express      1,732.25
Printing and  stationery   ....     1,983.06
Advertising      9,217.31
Judges and Assistant Superintendents         5,890.96
Police, firemen and meals. . .        919.88
Supplies  for  fair      4,202.31
Special  tickets redeemed   . . .        171.50
Members    per    diem    and
clerk   hire   during   fair....     2,174.37
Refunded   entry   fees  220.00
Protested   checks   returned.. 261.06
Total $85,954.70
Net  earnings $     4,458.85
Treasurer J. W. Lagrange read his
report   which   was   accepted.
The auditing committee consisting of
Ed. S. Tuell, Corydon, John L. Thompson, Gas City and Knode Porter, Hag-
erstown, reported that the books of
both secretary and treasurer were
found  correct.
Eugene Funk. Bloomington, 111.,
made a short talk to the board in regard to corn shows and educational
corn-growing railway trains and lectures.
C. M. Fleischer, Chicago, Secretary of
the National Association of Exhibitors
aod Breeders, talked to the board
about what exhibitors  thought  of  the