The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1872-12-05
STATE FAIR ASSOCIATION
10 the Stockholders of the Planters Man.
stfacturers and Mechanics AsssOciation
Of the State Of Mississippi:
GENTLE MKN =:

/ y 1se otole q MisssssiPPl:
GENTLE MEN,
r RAcognizing the propriety of suggestion
q when have been made by different partie,
Stockholders of the Association and other,
looking to a full and explicit statement G
Tue nhanc1al operations of the Association
the Board of Control, at a recent meeting
, appointed Committee of five StockhoIder
70 examine the books and papers OF the AS
ISOLATION, and report to this meeting
dhose gentlemen-Messrs. A. j. Kerr, Gen
y. Eyrlch, Gus Asher. f. Steinberg and j
Il. Lake, were appointed, first. because the,
: are not members of the Directory anc
second, because of their peculiar fitness 70
the lnVestl CATION proposed. Such a repor
Is que alike to the Stockholders. the Direc
bOra, and TO the public Tor without the full.
est confidence and the heaTtiest co-opera
ton, no enterprise of this kind can be sue.
cessfully established.
AS your Secretary for three years, tax,
aoVantage of this occasion to present Won
win fuII report of my stewardship, anC
VIII take the liberty of making suggestion.
IN reference to the future policy OF the As
soclatlon, and IN reference TO the means
necessary to relieve it of mbarrasSments
which have attended it from the beginning
Commencing with 1869, l will give sep.
arate statement of each Annual Fair. show
ing the receipts and disbursements, and the
DEBTS O. Gated from time to time.
1t will be recOliected that in the spring OF
| loo9 the prOpriety OF re-establiShing An
| hual State Fairs at the Capital, was agitat-
ed. After many consultations, a Stock
| Company was organized, aud stock tn the
amount OF about Sc 800 90 was subscribed,
mostly by citizens OF jackson. Based upon
| this subscription. contracts were made for
| the erection OF buildings. and Improvement
| OF the grounds. An efficient Directory,
| Win Col. j. NJ. Wess0n. as President and
MT y. IL. Echols, as Secretary, pressed for
ward the preparations for the first Annual
Fair i'll November. Not having at their
command sufficient funds to buy lumber
and pay for labor, they persevered under
those difficulties which usually attend d
want of credit Rather than see an enter
! prise so well begun fall through, the name.
OF creditors of the Association show that
there were SOME who were able and willing
| TO meet he most pressing demands of the
Association from time to time. The debts
| created BY that first Fair are still unsatis-
/ ned, with the exec ption OF a few hundred
| dollars in items paid at different times.
am not in possession of any detailed
| data in reference to the first Annual Fair
and only refer To il in general way, in
order that the Stockholders may more fully
| comprehend the origin and nature of the
| main Indebtedness of the Association |
| have personal knowledge that my predeces-
sor, Mr.. EcholS, some time after the close of
the Fair OF 1860. did submit to the Directory
d complete statement of the receipts and
expenditures of the first Fair, and that such
the Directory at the time. My recollec-
tlon9 ot that Report. and papers III my pos
session, enable NE To present the following
as a schedule OF dissatisfied oblig atoms, due
since 1859 the interest not being included III
either item:
j. q T. Green, borrowed money $2,506 IL
Taylor & Fulmer, material and
labor, ... sol 40
VIM. Is. Taylor 81 Co., hauling, etc, So 90
7. c. Newcomer, hardware. 80 10
miums, ......... $50 90
John II. Echols, Secretary, ........ 600 90
- for wagon hire and
sundries, .......- $50 IL
printing, -. 249 90
j. Ii. Boyd, sundrIes, ......... 30 90
PEI sons 81 Bailey. ............... ) 90
T.. f. FluSser, freight, ... IL 90
Estimated balance on music, 100 90
Joe. q jeff Bell, surveying, % 90
Robinson u Stevens, SundrieS. nails
MISUNDERSTANDING. 43 25
q. D. Subway, sundries. ..... SO
Total, ...-......... $5.27s AZ
The total receipts of the first Fair were
estimated at $3,400, which was mainly ex
pended for labor, premiums and other
items incident to the Fair. For the So
500 stock subscribed and paid in 1869. the
Stockholders were furnished a two-story
building, two hundred feet long, a machine
shed, a mile of good plank fence, and other
improvements sufficient i'm amount TO make
up the difference between the actual outlay
and the actual value. The improvements
left by the Fair of 1869, have been VariOusIy
estimated at from twelve to fifteen thou
sand dollar. so that if the Fair Of that year
was sustaining, the improvements made
are the best exhibit for the debt created.
To expect that any subsequent Fair can
realize enough profit to discharge this debt.
three years experience proves that il is ex-
Stockholders address themselves to some
more speedy and certain measures for the
discharge of our obligations, the sooner will
the success and perpetuity of the Associa-
ton be assured. jealous, or charge the State
Fair Association with being "a money max
ing machine for itself and fits officers but
the figures and the facts herewith submitted
show that while the local advantages of
al Annual Fair are considerable, the ex
penSeS and risks and labOrS attending the
same are honors and emoluments rather TO
be declined than sought. The original pro-
jectors, as well as the present Stockholders,
never contemplated making the AsSOcia-
ton merely local concern. There is not a
single stakeholder who subscribed with the
hope of realizing anything further on his
investment than the privilege of annual adj
mission to the grounds. There is but one
salaried officer in the Association, and he is
promised good deal more than he GETS
Not a single Director has ever received a
dollar. direct or indirect, for time and labor
devoted to the Association. The Directors
and believe great majority of the Stock
holders, are imbued with the idea that it is
a most praiSewOrthy public enterprise, that
should be maintained by private contrib =
tions and by public aid, when necessary
They are willing that every dollar of in
come, shall be discussed back to the public
in the way of premiums, improvements, and
in meeting the expenses incident to each
Fair. The annual presence here of several
thousand visitors duringsFair week. in
business and social aspect, is deemed ample
equivalent for such generosity and public
spirit on the part of local stockholders. The
people of the State, notwithstanding I'M
ceasing opposition in some quarters, have
manifested good wishes for the enterprise,
and all that is now requisite is a ''long pull,
a strong pull and pull altogether" to-
wards placing its credit at par.
Leaving the Fair of 1869. / shall now take
up the Fair of 1870 when entered upon the
office OF Secretary. With the debt above
enumerated, staring the Directory in the
face, it was resolved nevertheless, early in
the summer of 1870, to make preparations
for the second annual exhibition. The citi-
zens of Jackson were called upon by COM
mittee, and the sum of 1882 80 was adj
vanced as loan, to be paid out of the pts
of the Fair. A detailed statement herewith
submitted shows that there was expended in
the way of permanent improvements during
that summer, for
Grading Race Track. -..-.-.... $1205 50
Lumber .....-...-... Jos 10
Carpenters. ........---.- .--..--.--.. 254 ~
Hardware. ......- ..-..--.---- ia ~
Hauling and freights .....- lob 80
Incidental expenses ........-.-- los 40
Snndries - II %
Total $23I6 81
In order to meet these expenses. DR.. Whar-
ton, President OF the Association. generous
lv added $3.50 90 to the loan of 1852 90 by