Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 190, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 August 1915 — INDIANA STATE FAIR’S RECORD [ARTICLE]

INDIANA STATE FAIR’S RECORD

It began without a fair ground of its own in 1851. It now has 214 acres of ground, the most valuable in the outlying district of Indianapolis, paid for out of the earnings of the fair. Its property is owned by tne people of the state. It is not a stock corporation. It turns all of its profits back to the state. . . It has a clean record with the State Board of Accounts, which has appraised the state fair’s property at $750,000. It has had one building appropriation from the legislature SIOO,OOO for the livestock coliseum. The state has, therefore, acquired a $760,000 property but has invested only SIOO,OOO. It has had paid attendance of 679,479 people in the last six years. It has paid nearly $250,000 in cash premiums in the last six years, practically all of it going to Indiana exhibitors. . It wee organized to further the educational interests of Indiana farmers and it has never deviated from this policy. It is managed by the State Board of Agriculture, of sixteen members, who are elected by the officers of county and district fairs. Members of the State Board of Agriculture serve without salary, being paid only a per diem for days actually in service. The Board is accountable to the legislature, and cannot sell or incumber the state fair property without the consent of the legislature. The fair has the largest and best appointed coliseum of any state It has the largest and beet equipped horse barn in America, with 875 stalls. <rt_ j It has street car, interurban and steam road facilities not equalled by any other state fair or exposition in the United States. , Its imperative needs are a machinery pavilion, a women 8 building, a cattie barn, a general exposition building, a new poultry building, modern streets and a sewer system. It needs the enthusiastic support of all the people that it may become a greater force in the upbuilding of Indiana's farming interests.