The billboard (Jan-June 1899)

.~SBM2b iWtti VHU I^VBlVt-Q WU mi UI(JJ> ^S ■«•• ,;3i mm' 8^1 .iSllL- SBfl IE- ^^ X m n the billboard: Are= Country Fairs a Thing of the Past. We are often told that they are, where, the society is struggling for an existence with grounds burdened with debt. This has been the exact situa- tion in our own case. It also has come about from a lack of interest, and while the officers can not make a fair without the support of the people, the interest-"must originate in the of- ficers. It has been customary with a great many to get out a catalogue from ten days to two, or perhaps, in some cases, three weeks, before the fain-.print 1,000 to 3,000 copies, .mail forty or fifty of them, hand out a few more, leave some of them with stores to hand out, send a few to directors to 'hand out, use little or no space in the local columns of local papers, print in the catalogue the same list of direc- tors, superintendents, year after year. l>0j>er cent, of whom do" not take any interest in the fair, nor make any ef- fort whatever to work up their depart- ments. Such fairs.don't and can't pay premiums, and are out of date; a thing • of the past, so far as any usefulness is concerned. Managers of live fairs will print their catalogues early, have carefully prepared regular premiums, many spe- cials, every" superintendent pledged to take hold and fill up his department, -directors who will become and remain members, of the society and give up some, time and energy to the working up of the fair. Catalogues out early, and mailed put We mail in April a catalogue into every family in the county.' The advertising will more than pay the entire expense. We are securing the best of attractions. Our opening, day will be children's day. We will charge then a nominal en- trance fee. and spend twice the amount they- pay for special attrac- tions t to- interest,them. _We will have an evening fair one night. Two or three times during the sum- mer and fall before the fair we will get out special large editions of some of our local papers, giving a large amount of the space to advertising the features of our fair, and a copy of the paper mailed, into the home of every family In.the county. We will use the bill boards about the -county freely. We will guarantee to buyers of privi- leges a certain large number of admis- sions to our gates; if we fail of the number, aereeing to refund then money paid for privileges in propor- tion. I do not believe that the day of the country fairs has passed, but that for the properly conducted fair there is ample room, and abundant prospects of success. " Yo^rs trnir. A. H. FOSTER. Sec'y Allegan (llich.) Fair. We are 'nfrnred iht a number cf Amerl-an turfmen hove signified their intention of go- inr to Venezuela. f-»r the sorlnfc rases there. The cut come of this venture will be looked »<r with''nrprest. as it is an entirely new de- parture In, the racing world. Th"v idea of hoIoHnjr a V.k fair, and race meeting en -the .'grounds of the Rochester r » ri v4 ng Park is not yet abandoned, thougfc . the Legislature seems loath to make an ap- propriation for that purpose. Maxion; -led.,- is to have a new twenty-five- thousand-dollar track. The steel grand stand at Monmouth Park Race Course was recently destroyed by a storm. Tbia was the largest building of its kind in the world, and great regret attends its toes. - The bui'dlng was 700 feet long bv 210 feet wide, and had a seat'.ng capacity of 12.000. Its cost, including dining room and furnishings was PSO.'GOO. whether It will be rebuilt is uncertain. The Haynes-Apferscn Co.. Kokomo, Ind., are negot'atlng for horseless carriage priii- !«"*ea at fairs. They manufacture motor car- Look Ahead. If Yoti are Going to the Paris Exposition. About one year hence the great rush to the Paris Exposition will set in with full force. The indications point to a crowd beyond the abi.ity of the steamships in service even alter due allowance has been made for all the additions possible. Commissioner General feck estimates the American visitors at 500,000, and some are be- yond h-m in their figures. But. assuming that his figures are right, how will a crowd of this size find accommodations on the ocean T «se-s? It is a problem not easy of solution. The ordinary summer travel averages about SO.OOO a year. Of this throng 50,000 are tour- - ists and sightseers. The rest are people, who are compelled to make the trip. To handle this regular trade there are in service some- thing like 100 ships, and they are taxed al- most to their full capacity, especially those of the best class. To handle 420,000 additional wit! require 525 ships. Where will they be found? They can not be taken from other lines, for the business instinct of men in charge will not permit them to slight regular busi- ness, even for a temporary gain. And, in ad- dition, the business on regular steamship lines not running to France will be increased by reason of the exposition, and the owners will find it more profitable to look after reiru- uar business than to make a. few trips across the ocean to catch the little transient trade. Ships can not be built, for time prevents, and in addition there would be no place for them after the rush was over. Further, the freight of the ocean liners makes up by far the most important part of the receipts and there would be no freight for the transitory ships, and the passenger receipts would not pay the expenses. In this connection a word of caution may i.:not be amiss. .Beware of the clubs ottering tto take you over and hack for *100. cwlth some luxuries on the side. There Is no prob- ...ability that trips of this kind can be arranged unless you travel on tramp steamers, entirely unfitted for passenger, trade. Some of the schemes are schemes pure and .simple. The promoters ask for monthly pay- ments of $5 or *10, with a forfeit if the tour- ist withdraws. These pa>ments at interest .; bring in a tidy sum, in all probability, when the time comes the money will be refunded, with the plea that the accommodations to be had are insufficient, or eome otter excuse will be devised. Deal only with old estab- lished lines. You will have to pay well, but that is the only way you can get across and back with any comfort, and, considering the crowds, you will not be any too comfortable even then. If the estimates of the probable number of visitors are correct, or even approximately so. there will be plenty of disappointments for thousands of those who have long hoped to see the great exposition. Lem P. Harris, Secretary of Ohio Centen- nial and Northwest Territory Kxposition writes as follows: "Exposition matters are growing every day, and we already have over three million of dollars in sight from all sources, with more coming. The entire expenditure of money at the Omaha. Exposition, which was truly a very nice show, amounted to but fifteen hun- dred thousand dollars. So, with the three-, millions in sight and the prospects we al- ready have, with time to take full advantage of them, there.is no question but what our exposition will be all that is hoped for. Fair Notes. Several of the larger cities have been agi- tating the question of holding. expositions for the purpose of showing the products of our Colonial possessions, yet no city but Omaha can successfully and fully do so, be- cause no other city is properly equipped in the way of buildings. And for an exhibit of th's kind, much housing room is necessary. Syracuse. N. Y-, is to have a big time in September. Masons will gather there from all parts and no fewer than 10,000 are ex- pected. The conclave of the Knights Tem- plars will last three days, September 24, 26 and 27, and at least 5.000 Knights are ex- pected, mest of whom will be accompanied by families or friends. MISS GERTRUDE WILLIAMS, Secretary Bristol County Agricultural Society, Taunton, Mm. ; The ground* and buildings at Omaha, which were prepared at a coat of two million* of dollars, are now .almost- ready for the open- ing of the Greater American Exposition, al- though, the opening is not to be until July 1. Of course, the people of Syracuse are al- ready .thinking and planning for the event. . A big parade is to be one of the features. Theodore M. Barber.has charge of the ar- rangements for this part of the program, and Edwin C. Talcott ,1s Secretary of the Executive Board. . On March 2, the rules were suspended In the House, and a half million dollars each was appropriated for the Pan-American Ex- position at Buffalo, and the Ohio Centennial at Toledo. The success of these two gigantic undertakings ia now assured. The horseless carriage will beat a merry- go-round to death as a money maker at the fairs this season. Several are In the field and applying tor concessions. The exact lime for holding,the Kxposition to celebrate the Louisiana Purchase has not been decided upon-; the only certain thing is that the said exposition will be held some time at St. Louis. Oould Napoleon visit the vast and now powerful empire be ceded to the United States a century ago, he could feel . that he was Indeed a prophet when he said: "This accession of territory strengthens for- ever Che power of the United States," The .exposition should now be the pride of every • American fceart. Some one has said of this cerebration, that the world will be our guests and we must snow them "how It's done In . America." Los Angeles.. Cal.. has at last completed all arrangements for It* great Prr Harbor Jubilee. This Is to be held April 25-28. and . the inhabitants of that part of the world will suspend business for that length of time, and go Into celebrating with their whole hearts and souls. On the first day there will be held a formal reception of,the invited guests, when everybody will try to-get acquainted with . everybody else. The second day. wlH witne«s the formal commencement of work on the . breakwater, followed .by a great barbecue, participated In by at least 20,000 people. Then there wIM be floral parades, water . carnivals and other attraction's. It is no wonder that the Inhabitants- feel like holding this immense celebration, for they have been working and waiting .for eight long years for the National Government to Improve San Pedro Harbor. and at last the T fruition of their hopes Is in sight... It means . a great deal to Los Angeles and all Southern . California. The World's Fair at St. Louis Is beginning to be put into shape,.and an Executive Com- - - mittee to have charge of the preliminaries, . has been appointed. Funds must be had. ~ ant} although tne bonded Indebtedness of the ' ' city is already J2.50O.C00 above the limit pre- : scribed by the charter, yet the committee of ; attorneys reported that there were three ways of Retting around this little matter. As a general th'ng we believe In sticking to the ' laws laid down in the charter, but in a case like this, we believe in an amendment of the • . charter. The fellows that got It, up probably . did not take into consideration the fact of ( cur wanting to rive St. Louis a rpring house . cleaning, and invite the world Jn to see.her. Frontispiece-- Dr. William P. Wilson. Director of the .-, Philadelphia Commercial Museum,- was • educated at. the Agricultural College.of : Micliigan ami .at Harvard- .Univen-ity,-. where he was afterwards instructor in botany for several -years. .He also spent ; several years in the Universities of Ger- many and Italy, receiving .the degree-of - Doctor of Natural Sciences from the Uni- versity of Tubingen. For several years = he was Professor of Botany and Director of the School of Biology in the University ! of Pennsylvania.. In 1893 .he conceived , ; the idea of founding, a Commercial Mu- . ■ seum with the raw product* exhibited by- different nations at the World,'*. Fair, at Chicago. He Secured tthe authority of the City of Philadelphia, and succeeded in having donated .to the. proposed Mu- * seum. the large collections exhibited by nearly every country, especially the Span- ish-American countries. The Philadel- phia .Commercial Museum is due to hint and his constant labor and activity. He is a man of unur.ual intelligence and marked executive ability, with the faculty >f imparting to those .around hint his earnestness in the work. Dr. Wilson is a careful worker, and it is through his care and forethought largely, that Hie success- ful pla.n of organization of the Mmeuni- has been carried out. He tins visited Europe several .times,, traveling through England. France, Germany, -Switzerland, Italy, and other countries for- the purpose of studying tl»e economic and trade rela- tions. He recently visited Mexico for the special purpose of getting accurate infor- mation about the resources and trade conditions of, that country, to be. used in the work of. the Museum, and has since that time traveled through Venezuela, for the same pur J The Whole World on.Ball Bearings. The announcement that the "roller.skating craze" is about to sweep over u.u auuu y again will attract public attention to the manner In wh.ch the dUcoNery 01 the ball bearing principle has revo.utlouiztd mechan- ical conttiuctlcn In a vasfnutnoer of indus- trial activities. So universal has become the adoption of this principle in a.i devices where it is desirable to do away with friction that the world may be said at this time to be actually moving along on ball bearings. And now It has taken hold on the roller skate and threatens to revive a pastime that at one time took all the cities and towns by storm. Palatial rinks ar« nelng erected all over the country, and old ones are being remodeled and repaired. When the people find how easy it is to glide along on ball- bearing roller skates, it is believed by enthu- siasts that the rinks win not be large enough to hold the skaters. No one can deny that roller skating, if properly conducted in well-managed rinks, is a healthful and Invigorating exercise. It would not toe etranga.lt the mechanical device known ax the foot cycle, which has already placed a large percentage of the human fam- ily at cycling afoot, would become as much of a craze as bicycling. This is a swift moving age. The ball bear- ing principle is destroying the friction of life. We are moving along more rapidly each year and wttb less expenditure of human energy. Perhaps the twentieth century will find the entire human family gliding along in ballbearing shoes. Muncie's Big Show. The Elk's Carnival and Street Fair at Kun- cle, Ind., grows in magnitude £V<?ry day. It will be quite the biggest thing that that en- terprising city has e\er undertaken. This entertainment will be as far ahead of the ordinary street fails as day is of night. In this exposition there will be displays of art, and entertainments of the very highest and best quality. The organization that the committee has contracted with, is one of the best ever gotten together to give entertain- ments. They carry with.them over 100 people together with camels, elephants, donkeys and freaks. It is expected to have a merchants" and manufacturers - display that will eclipse any- thing ever given or undertaken in Indiana. Local manufacturers and merchants are all thoroughly aroused. The carnival proper will be on Charles street west or High to the Mounds at Proud street, and a part of Howard street on the Mound will also be utilized. This part of the city will be decorated In a brilliant manner, and at night will be illuminated with many thousand varied colored electric lights, both the arc and incandescent being used. J500 500 ..... 500 500 500 500 500 Washington (Pa) Fair. ■ Offers $3,500 in Stakes - Julius .LeMoyne, Secretary of-Washington, Pa., Fair writes that the- association offers the following stakes st their meeting, Sep- tember 26-28. 1S99. viz.: • No. 1—2:40 Pacing. 3 in 5 No. 2—2:45 Trotting. 3 in 5 No. 3—2:28 Pacing. 3 in 5 No. 4—2:28 Trotting. 3 in 5 No. 5—2:l» Pacing. 3 in 5 No. 6—2:17 Trotting. 3 In 5 No. 7—*-Mi: e _Runnln, 2 in 3 The conditions are as follows, viz.: All above stakes for $500—no more, no less. Money divided. 50, 25 15 and 10 per cent. Nominations close April 1, 1899. Entrance 5 per cent. 5 per cent additional from win- ners—payable 15.00 April 1, 15.00 May 1.J5.00 June 1, $5.00 July 1 and $5.00 August 1. 1S99— at which last date horses must be named. Nominations transferable on or at any time before August 1. 1899. The association reserves the right at any time to declare off any or all of above stakes not filling satisfactorily and will refund pay- ments on same. A horse distancing the field, or any part thereof, or a walkover, to receive but one money. National rules to •«•»• em. except Rule 9. Section 2 (barring hopples) and Rule 28 (Drivers' License). wiv:ch are waived in above stakes. In stake No. 7 for runners, horses, mares and geldings 4 years and over to carry 114 pounds, under 4 years 108 pounds. •EMkfcMfedARD AOHILLB PHI LION the marvellous equi- librist arid originator writes as follows, viz.: "I like vour publletatlon, and I don't hesi- tate in telling you that It reaches the'peopie I do business with ten times more than snv other paper in the country. If it continues to Improve as it has In the past 2 years, I wouldn't be without It if the subserlntlon price was twenty times what It really Is.", Kansas City has been holding a local trade exposition. This baa been held, not in some large hall or public place especially set aside for the purpose, but In the various stores and working places of the city. The particular end In v|ew has been the exploitation of strictly home-made products, and every prom- inent merchant in the place has so decorated bis store and embellished his show windows as to strongly emphasize the home Idea. The Wlqton Motor Carriage Co., of Cleve- land,. O.'. want to hear train fair .managers who wtll grant concession* (or anto-moblle carriaaat. Paris Exposition Notes. Russia is going to make a great equine disp.ay at the Paris Exposition. The Czar has a.ready decided to send sixty head, rep- 1 renting twenty different types peculiar to the Russian Empire. V .*. '; - Of course the United States does not ex- pect to get left in this part of the program. Ferdinand W. Peck, Commissioner Gen- eial tor the United States to the Paris Ex- position, ta.d in a recent speecn at the An- nual Convention of Manufacturers, that other nations had appropriated nearly three times as much per square foot of space to be oc- cupied as the united' States had yet done. Instead of the $650,000, he thought that at least $1,400,000 would be needed. We would caution Feidinand not to worry; the United States is not going to get left. Mr. Peck took occasion to deny the rumors that the Exposition might be postponed until 1901. The National Association of Manufacturers at their recent meeting, deliberated upon and voted upon- the question of holding thir next convention at Paris during the Exposition. The'motion was lost, however, and Boston wes decided upon as the next best place in creation. Boston may object to what might almost be termed "second choice," but we hope under the circumstances that the asso- ciation will not be given the cold shoulder. Half a million dollars has been appropri- ated by the Commission for an International Llie Stock and Agricultural Show at the Universal Exposition. The Billboard Is a Good Advertising Medium "The Billboard" is a good advertising me- dium, as witness the following letter from popular Frank Kenney, Secretary of the Louisville Driving and Fair Association: Gentlemen—I beg to enclose herewith our check for $1.00, to cover subscription for "The Billboard" to date. In this connection allow me to thank you for the prominence you gave our meeting last year, and'will ask you to drop from your list of fairs our ad- vertisement fcr 1899. The fact of the matter is, we do not hold a fair at all. but conduct a trotting meeting, with no fair features at- tached. I must say that "The Billboard" is a great advertising medium for fairs, as I received no less than 1,000 letters up to date from at- tractions that wanted to get on for exhibi- tions. Trusting that some of you will be down to our meeting this fall, I remain. Yours very truly, FRANK N. KENNEY, Sec'y. te. 1 Purely Personal. Saying? of Secretary and Fair Manager. HARRY C KEEFER. Secretary of the Frederick, Md., Pair, says: "I consider "The 'Billboard" one of the best and most useful papers that comes to my office. It improves every month." EDWARD McMAHON has been re-elected Secretary of the big Central Canada Exhi- bition at Ottawa, Ontario. They are going to make the fair at Baton Rouge, La., a corker this year. E. M. Muse. Secretary, and J. Wise, Treasurer, hold over from last year. A. H. FOSTER. Secretary Allegan (Mich.) Fair, writes: "I think we have already made most of our contracts for attractions, al- though! of course , we. will, be ready to con- alder propositions from .first-class attractions :-*ir^t-uifeto the middle of September. We ' are golngfto make our fair a hummer, and we are going to guarantee to buyers of privi- Jeges not less than 25,000 admissions to our gates." ' L. LAMKIN, JR., Secretary of the Jackson County A. and M. Society of Lee's Summit, Mo., Is also one of the publishers of the Lee's Summit Journal, the only paper in the south half of Jackson County, and the best adver- tising medium in those parts. ...THE... NASH HIPPODROME COMBINA- TION can be engaged for fairs, traction parks, and summer resorts. The entertain- ment furnished by this organization is very highly spoken of. See advertisement in an- other column. THE NESS CITY (Kas.) FAIR will open on Thursday. September 14, for three days. This Is the only Thursday opening that has ever been reported to "The Billboard." The seventy-eighth annual at Lowville, N. Y.. this year. What a proud headline on the bills. Think of it It Is hardly likely that there is a person living who can remember the first. FRED. M. WILLIAMS, President of the Douglas County Agricultural Society rt West Superior, Wis., Is the active spirit of the fair at that point. In a recent letter he says: "Your paper Is of great value to fair man- agers. 'You are up to date, and should re- ceive the support of fairs throughout the country In the matter of subscriptions and advertising. We are planning tor a good big show this fall, and It our plans as laid out now carry, we will give the people of North- ern Wisconsin and Minnesota the best fair ever held In this locality. I will advise you later fully regarding our plans. We want some good "special attractions. It you can give me any pointers In this direction it will be appreciated." .J-^A. BROWN,.Secretary of the Rich. HI1U (Mo.) Fair Association, writes that their fair has-been a failure, financially, for the last thre» seasons. "Rich Hilt il evidently « mis- Bomer. ED. F. BADMINGTON has been re-elected Secretary of the Rockville (Conn.) Fair. T. B. CUTLER, of Eureka. Cal., writes that Eureka will undoubtedly have a fair every year hereafter. They say that Eureka is iso- lated—out of the world, etc.—but the bill . .beard we illustrate in this issue does not look ' much like it. W. A. DENNIS, Secretary of the Queen City Fair Association. Springfield, Mo- writes: "The banks guarantee us to pay all obligations each year. This enables us to secure the best of everything in the racing line." PALMER CLARK, of St. Joseph, Mo., has spent the past winter in Chicago. Under date of March 13 he writes: "I have seen but two copies of your journal this winter, one in December and the last issue. If the latter is a fair sample, believe you have quite a future, and that no one in the amusement line can afford to be without it." Rhode Island. State Fair Association Selects the Latest Dates on Record. (Special Correspondence.) Providence, R. I., March 3, 1899. The new management of the Rhode Island State t-a-r Association has decided to hold the annua! exhibition this year at a later period than has been hitherto customary. •1 he dates for the affair will be October 9 and the four days following. It is presumed that the weather at that time will be cooler than in September and thus make the conditions more favorable for keeping the live- stock on- exhibition. The heat experienced duiing the last September fair was decidedly prejudicial to the health of the animals and it is desired to remove this objection. It may be said that the plans having for their ob- ject the betterment of the State Fair of 1S9S are now in course of arrangement- The pre- mium list has been carefully revised and the amount of money to be awarded has been largely increased in every department, more particularly in the live stock classes. The matter of special attractions at the fair will receive special attention this year and even at the present time the management is nego- tiating for new features. Paris. World's Fair—The Feature of the Big Show Determined Upon. (Special Correspondence.) Paris, France, March 6, 1899. The Exposition Board formally decided upon the clou (pronounce it kloo) of the big fair. Your readers will be surprised to learn that it is nothing more nor less than the automatic sidewalks, a minor feature of the Chicago Fair. A host cf ideas were presented, but the moving sidewalk found the most favor. It may prove an attraction in the eyes of Europeans, but Americans will hardly give it a second glance. H. B. Smith, the bill poster of Washington C. H-, O., has purchased the exclusive priv- ilege for a circus and menagerie at the Washington Fair and wants to hear from, showmen. The New York Herafd, of August 23, 1S98, said: "The Toozoonin Arab Troupes appeared in one of the most interesting performances of its kind ever seen in this country. All of the seven men are possessed of great strength and agility; and they dashed around the stage in-^a. way that stirred the spectators to ntneated cheers They are without ques- tion Qie quickest men who have ever ap- peared in public here Not even the tradition- al cat could turhtuztore rapidly 'than these men. Thetr* guns"ind costumes are all gen- uine. Sie Hassan Ben A.i who brought this troupe to this country knows exactly what the American public want in the way of en- tertainment. The Toozoonin Arabs have proved themselves to be a high-class novel- ty." Managers of fairs who are looking tor a special feature will do well to correspond with Sie Hassan Ben Ali. His advertisement will be found in another column. Rockville. Conn., has appropriated $4,500 this year for special attractions and the speed ring. The 'West Durham Agricultural Society, of BOFwmanville, Can., is getting out an exten- sive premium: list this year, and besides the usual premium's offered for cattle, bees, fruits, vegetables, etc.. they are offering prizes in their fine art department for decor- ative painting on china, glass, celluloid, kid, velvet, etc, and for map drawing and writing by the school children. We do not see why such things are not made more of a feature in all fairs, especially the work of the school children. All people have Johnies and Maries going to school, and wl! ltake more interest In the display of Johnnie's map. or Mary's vertical writing copy hook, than In anything else. Interest is the one thing desirable to make a fair, or anything else for that matter, a success. The ladies an* children should have as much to interest them as the men. We regret to learn that the Fair Association of Morgan County, III., has become Insolvent, and that their grounds were sold at half their value to satisfy a judgment of $5,000. The mile track at Peoria. 111., was a>» soUt under a mortgage recently, but bought in by a number of the old stockholders, who . will reorganize and. give a meeting In July. "Of course we want "The Billboard." We .'neejt It lit .our business.; Gives very valuable information. "Wohu Rose, Winona, Wis. 13 We extract the following from a communi- cation just received from the Secretary ot the Dryden (N. Y.) Agricultural Society. "1 am much interested in the *"air Depart- ment of your paper, and' consider it well worth the money. On our lair grounds we are expecting to build an exhibition house for poultry, large enough to show at least two thousand bhds. It has occurred to me that we could get some good designs for-such a building through your Fair Department- As ail agricultural societies are building or mak- ing improvements all the time. I believe any suggestions in this line would be of interest to your readers. Our fair buildings- are in hne. snape, and we have one of the iine&i floral halls for exhibition purposes, and in fact, for all purposes, that 1 have ever seen. If you should conclude to go into this branch cf fair work, I would send you "a plan of our hall. Very truly yours, J. B. WILSON, Secretary Dryden Agricultural Society. (We should be very glad to take up the line of work suggested by Mr. Wilson, and will endeavor to do the department justice.—Ed- itor.) AOHILE) PHILION has been engaged as the principal feature of the Sells-Forepaugh -Circus for four'weeks at the beginning of the season, viz.: two weeks in New York, one in Brooklyn and one in Philadelphia, after which he will be a', liberty to negotiate with park and fair-managers. His season Is almost half booked already. His address is 137 Ash street, Akron, O. New mile tracks will be constructed at Marion-. Ind., and Jacksonville, Fla. At the latter place a club Is being organized with a capital etock of $100,0(0. The Northern Indiana, and. Southern Michi- gan Fair Association has given up the ghost, owing $2,200. A newly formed racing asso- ciation; will occupy the grounds. C. W. Harvey, Secretary of the Dodge County Fair Association, at Beaver Dam, Wis., says: "I think ail parties managing special attractions should advertise In "The Billboard." ' I have no doubt that our fair will select a special attraction from those that advertise in your paper. To Give a Big Street Fair. (Special correspondence.) Crawfordsville, Ind., March 14. A mass meeting was held to-night prepara- tory to holding a street fair this fall. A. F. Ramsey was re-elected President and W. W. Morgan, Secretary. It is the intention to give the biggest street fair in the State about the first week In October. Nothing but legiti- mate amusements will be allowed, but there will be a plenty of these. Committees will be selected at once. The usual county fair will be 'held in September .and both associa- tions will work in perfect harmony. "The Best Attraction Ever at our Fairs," Say the following well-known Secretaries: The Celebrated Arabia. BaotiletMiM Educated Horse. BEAUTIFUL. No other acts like his.. A Marvelous exhibition. The Most Wonderful Horse in the World. To Pair Managers i At our iSqfi .fair, we had as tbe leading at traction, the Wonderful Educated Hone, Reauti ful Jim Key, and though we have s"en other . educated horses, he certain, v is peer of them all. His act is entirely new. He actually Reads, Writes, Spells Counts. Figures, Chances Money, Files Letters. Raises the Flaif. and ntanv other < quailv seeming impossible Xeats. and all al the command of the astonished and deliphted * udieuce. "We have never had at any of our fairs any attraction tint the papers devoted j*o much space to. that the teachers in the schools sent the children to see. and that caused so much favorable talk and comment. People came the second and third time to see his wonderful acts. It is certainly the best attaction we eier bad. Signed by .■CM.TARI... Jno Guild Muirheid, Inter-State Fair. Tren- ton. N. J. A. W. DeLong, The Great Allentown Fair, Allentown. Pa .*u~ H. A. Gronuan, The Bethlehem Fair, Bethle- hem, Pa H. C Keefei, Frederick Co. Agr. Fair, Freder- ick. Md. Geo. P. Bager. The Hagerstown Fair, Hagers- town, Md. G. K Webb, Winston-Salem Street Fair, Wins- ton, N. C John Nichols, Noith Carolina State Fair, Raleieh. N. C. A. Vf. Give, South Carolina-State Fair. Colum bia, S. C The best attraction we ev«r had at the Pitts- burgh Exposition.—I. J. FiUpatrick Secretary. The leading attraction at Atlantic City, whet he was the sole attraction in the Scenic Theatj for six months. Spring and Summer, 1S98. DATE BOOK open for iSjj-jFeb. 1st, (Engaged at Paris Expo Jt^Jn, 1900J! : The nest drawing, attraction* for Parks. Fairs, and Expositions in Ameiica, all say. -Address quickly. A. -R. ROGERS, 7S Maiden I*ne, New York City, THE BiLtBOARfc TM6 BiLLfeOARD