The Audubon Agricultural Society.

The primitive efforts of all societies of this character have a similar history, they emerge from the most trifling beginings [sic beginnings] out of the unnoticed efforts of a few courageous men, to the robust institutions of a county. The first fair worthy of record was held at Audubon, in the fall of 1879, the gross receipts being $711.61, with expenditures about equal to the receipts. I. A. Shingledecker, George Gray and E. J. Freeman, were the moving spirits in this first endeavor, aided very enthusiastically by the town and country. From that time to this with no backward step the society has marched right along to its present excellent condition, until now we boast of one of the neatest fair grounds in Iowa, with the best half mile race track in this end of the State. The fair of 1891, under the able management of E. J. Freeman, B. F. Howald and W. H. Neff, placed for all time the society on a footing so strong that its future success will simply require good careful management to keep the society on the high road to continued prosperity, the pride of all our people. The receipts for 1891 were about $1,800.

The society became last year a member of the Western Racing Circuit, and presented a field of horses that amused, interested and pleasurably surprised even old horsemen, for the attending horsemen from far and near were outspoken in their praises of the excellent treatment they received. The fastest mile ever made over the track, was by Golden Wing, in 2:27, flat, the closing day of the 1891 fair; the track being 111 Feet long. Allowing to all in any way concerned their full need of praise, it remains only to be said that to the untiring efforts of B. F. Howald, E. J. Freeman and W. H. Neff, each in their respective spheres of president, secretary and superintendent of the speed ring the society is bound to move forward to high honors and abundant prosperity. The purses hung up for the speed ring for 1892, will bring to the fair next fall a field of racers that all attending the fair will be proud of, and that growing interest in the turf exercises will fast assume proportion here that will make Audubon the envied of many larger towns.