On motion, a vote of thanks was tendered the University management for use of chapel for meetings of the State Board, rooms for use of committees, and museum for corn exhibit. Adjourned sine die. ARTICLES OF AGREEMENT EXISTING BETWEEN THE NEBRASKA STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE AND THE NEBRASKA EXPOSITION ASSOCIATION. This agreement, made and entered into this 13th day of February, A.D. 1885, by and between the State Board of Agriculture of the State of Nebraska, of the first part, and the Nebraska Exposition Association of Lincoln, Nebraska, of the second part, witnesseth: That whereas, the said State Board of Agriculture did heretofore, to-wit, at its annual meeting on the twenty-first day of January, 1885, by a vote of a majority of its members, agree to accept the proposition of the said Nebraska Exposition Association, made in words and figures as follows, to-wit: "OFFICE OF THE NEBRASKA EXPOSITION ASSOCIATION, "LINCOLN, NEB., December 31, 1884. "To the Nebraska State Board of Agriculture: "GENTLEMEN-Referring to an advertisement of your Secretary, Hon. R. W. Furnas, dated December 25, 1884, asking for sealed proposals to be submitted for locating the Nebraska State Fair for the next five years. "The Nebraska Exposition Association of Lincoln offers for the purpose and time named its grounds upon which the State Fair was formerly held for several years, with additions thereto, containing about 150 acres of lands well adapted to your purposes, situated one-half mile from the city limits and one mile from the business center of the city, having the main line of the B. & M. railroad leading to the entrance to the grounds, with side-track already established, together with the race track, two large buildings suitable for display of agricultural and horticultural products, ticket office, dwelling-house for headquarters of your honorable board durang holding of the fair, together with other conveniences thereon; and said Nebraska Exposition Association agrees with your honorable board that if you locate the Nebraska State Fair upon said grounds for the years 1885, 1886, 1887, 1888, and 1889, that it will erect all the necessary stables, pens, sheds, and other buildings necessary for the accommodation of exhibitors at said fair, including what is commonly known as a fine art hall of proper size and dimensions; that it will build substantial fences, and make all other improvements necessary for the successful holding of said fair as may be required by your Board of Managers; that it will furnish abundance of water at convenient points on said grounds; that it will maintain and keep in repair at its own expense all the buildings, fences, and improvements on said grounds during the years above named, reserving, however, the right of occupying at all times, except during the time required by your board for the holding of said fair; and that it will comply with any other reasonable requirements, not herein specified, which may be made by your board; and if this proposition is accepted said association will give bond in any sum for the faithful performance of all the agreements herein contained. "Very respectfully, "THE NEBRASKA EXPOSITION ASSOCIATION, Now, therefore, the said State Board of Agriculture, by its duly authorized officers, does hereby agree, in consideration of the covenants of the said party of the second part herein. after set forth, that the annual Fair or Exposition of said State Board of Agriculture shall be held on the grounds of said Nebraska Exposition Association near the city of Lincoln in the month of September of the years 1885, 1886, 1887, 1888, and 1889. And the said Nebraska Exposition Association, in consideration of said agreement, does hereby covenant and agree with said State Board of Agriculture, that it will make the following improvements upon said grounds and furnish the following facilities for the holding and accommodation of the said annual fair: 1st. That it will enclose said grounds with a substantial tight board fence not less than seven feet high. 2d. That it will build in a substantial manner stables and pens for live stock as follows: 75 Box Horse Stalls, each 7 by 12 feet. 75 Box Horse Stalls, each 6 by 12 feet. 100 Open Horse Stails, each 5-3 by 12 feet. 300 Open Cattle Stalls, each 4-two-thirds by 12 feet. All of said stalls to be provided with good waterproof roof, strong partitions, a ventilator 12 inches square with sliding shutter, and a feed box to each stall. 225 Hog Pens 5-3 by 6 feet, floored, good water-tight roof, with a feed trough to each pen. 125 Sheep Pens of same size as Hog Pens, but without floors, with feed trough to each pen. A Speed Barn or Barns with 40 box stalls suitable for speed horses, with shelter for vehicles. A Poultry House 24 by 48 feet. A Fine Art and Mercantile Hall, center at least 44 feet square, with four wings equidistant, at least 24 by 44 feet, with light and ventilation, the location of said building to be determined upon mutually by the representatives of the parties hereto. Said building to be supplied with necessary tables and shelving. A Power Hall 32 by 192 feet. A Horticultural Hall, the present building of the Lancaster County Agricultural Society to be repaired, and the east and west wings thereof to be extended 16 feet each, with skylight · lantern, half glass and half solid, for light and ventilation, to be supplied with necessary shelving and tables. The present Agricultural Building to be repaired, and lighted and ventilated by skylight lantern as above, for the proper accommodation of Agricultural Exhibits, said building to be supplied with necessary shelvingand tables. The present dwelling-house to be remodeled and repaired to conform to the plans of the Chairman of the Board of Managers of said first party, for offices for the President, Secretary, and Board of Managers, and the basement thereof fitted up for police uses and purposes. The present Treasurer's office to be put in proper repair, and removed to the entrance to said grounds, and a ticket office to be furnished in connection therewith. A Straw Shed 16 by 32 and a Hay and Grain Barn 16 by 42, enclosed and roofed. A Bee Yard 30 feet square. Privies in such number, and at such locations as may be required by the General Superintendent. An Amphitheatre to seat 1,500 people, including a private or reserved section to seat 110, well secured, built and constructed so as to guard said first parties against claims for damage by accident. A Judge's Stand and Band Stand and Ticket Offices for Amphitheatre and quarter stretch. An ample supply of water, with hydrants of sufficient number and at convenient points. A side-track, shoots, and platforms for unloading and loading stock, and a platform for passengers. A driveway north of the race track not less than 40 feet wide. The race track to be put in good condition and properly fenced. The necessary driveways to be left as may be designated by General Superintendent. In witness of which the said State Board of Agriculture, and the said Nebraska Exposition Association, each by its duly authorized officers, hereby sign this agreement in duplicate, this 13th day of February, A.D. 1885. S. M. BARKER, Chairman Board of Managers. President. TO THE MEMORY OF HENRY BAXTER NICODEMUS, LATE MEMBER NEBRASKA STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE, AND BOARD OF MANAGERS. BORN IN FREDERICK COUNTY, MARYLAND, SEPTEMBER 6, 1846, DIED AT FREMONT, NEBRASKA, JUNE 4, 1887. AT REST. METEOROLOGY. INTRODUCTORY.. The factor of meteorology, in connection with crop products, and consequent general welfare, does not seem so important to the general observer, or casual thinker as it really is. Its influence is of great significance. Hence, as composing important pages in this report, the author avails himself of the valuable monthly exhibits made by Sergt. Geo. M. Chappell, of the U. S. Signal Service, Omaha, and Prof. Goodwin D. Sweezy, Director of the Boswell Observatory, Crete, kindly furnished by these officers, and by Geo. D. Carrington, for the county of Nemaha. A careful study of these tables, and particularly of the maps showing the rainfall in different parts of the state, cannot fail to be interesting and beneficial. NEBRASKA WEATHER SERVICE. As composing a valuable portion of this, my Annual Report for the year 1887, I am indebted to Prof. GOODWIN D. SWEZEY, Director of the Boswell Observatory, Doane College, Crete, for his monthly weather bulletins and crop reports, also for the electro-plate of the observatory and the descriptive rainfall illustrations. JANUARY. The month of January, 1887, has been remarkable for unusually low temperatures, for absence of rain, and for light snowfall, although the number of days of snow was as large as usual. PRECIPITATION. The precipitation has been most deficient in the central part of the state, being a small fraction of an inch of melted snow, representing only a few inches of snowfall. From southern Pawnee county only is reported more than an inch of precipitation; in the eastern and western parts of the state generally a little less than an inch. On the whole the precipitation has been less than for any January of the past ten years. TEMPERATURE. The mean temperature of the month has been 13.10, which is 4.6° below the normal. The average noon temperature has been 23.50, the normal for noon temperature of January being 27.4°. There has been an unusual number of cold days, there being thirteen days in which the thermometer went below zero, against an average of 8.6°, while every day the temperature went as low as the freezing point. The highest temperature recorded was 59.5°, on the 21st, at Crete, and the lowest was 30° below zero, at Valentine, on the 6th. Three severe cold waves prevailed-the first on the 1st and 2d, when the barometer rose to the unusual height of 30.944 inches at the central station, and the temperature reached the lowest point of the month for the eastern part of the state, being -21.8° at Crete, -21.9° at Omaha, and -22° at Lincoln. The second passed on the 8th, when the lowest temperature of the month for the western part of the state was reached, -30° at Valentine, and -21.4° at North Platte. The third cold wave, less severe than the others, passed on the 18th. WIND. No very severe windstorms have been felt, the highest velocity reported being 44 miles, at Valentine. MAP. With February we begin the publication of a monthly map, showing the distribution of rainfall over the state. A number of new stations recently secured in the northern and western parts of the state make it possible thus to represent with considerable accuracy the relative abundance of rainfall in different sections. ASTRONOMICAL REPORT. During the month of January three new comets have appeared, in response to the patient search of astronomers with their "comet seekers." The first of these was discovered by Dr. Thome, at Cordoba observatory, South America, on the night of January 18th, in the southern constellation of Grus, or the Crane. It is at present a telescopic comet, but growing brighter, and it is pretty certain to become exceedingly brilliant as it approaches the sun; it is thought that it may become as bright as the great comet of 1880. It is, however, too far south to appear in our sky, being forty-four degrees below the equator, and so not rising to view in our latitude. It is, moreover, moving at present to the south-east. The second, a small comet, was discovered by Mr. W. R. Brooks, of Phelps, New York. It is about twenty-three degrees from the north pole of the sky at the end of January, and moving south-east. The third, a faint telescopic comet, was discovered by Mr. E. E. Barnard, of Nashville, Tenn. |