Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 8.djvu/360

 352 GEORGE H. HIMES. "CORRESPONDING SECRETARY'S OFFICE, "Salem, Oregon, October 9, 1861. 1 ' Proposals will be received at the office of the correspond- ing secretary until January 1, 1862, for the place of holding the second annual State Fair. Said proposals must state the situation of the ground, the amount of land enclosed, which must include the track ; the amount of shedding for stock, with the number of stalls, with size of building for the reception of fruits,- machinery, and other articles; also, seats on the ground to seat ladies during the exhibition of horsemanship, etc. ; also, a small building, suitably finished inside, with ade- quate fixtures, near the gate entrance, for the secretary's office ; and how the grounds are situated as to water for stock and other purposes; also, judges' stands. The proposals must be signed by responsible persons, with a guarantee that the grounds will be fitted up according to the proposals." In response to the foregoing the agricultural societies of Yamhill, Lane and Linn counties made proposals for the fair ; and on December 2, 1861, W. J. Herren, president of the Marion County Society, sent out a call for a meeting of that body to be held on December 28, "to make such arrangements as to secure to this county the State Fair of 1862." At this meeting it was found that the Marion County So- ciety owned eight acres of land about a mile northeast of Salem; that there was an indebtedness of $3,714.50 against it $2,100.00 for land, and $614.50 for improvements. A committee of three was appointed to provide relief, and at the same time to secure the location of the State Society at Salem, and accordingly a proposal was submitted to the board of managers of the State Society, which was accepted by that body on June 17, 1862, and on July 15, 1862, it was an- nounced that the second State Fair of Oregon would be held on the Marion County Fair Grounds on ' ' Tuesday, September 30, 1862, and continue four days." On September 18, 1862, at a meeting of the State Society, the question of permanent location was considered, and a vote thereon taken, which resulted as follows : Salem, 65 ; Oregon City, 2 ; Eugene, 1 ; Corvallis, 1. Salem having received a majority over all other places, was declared to be the perma- nent location.