The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1883-09-05
FAREWELL TO FAIRS.
Reunion Of the Northern Ohio
Fair Directors.
Mr.. Sam. Briggs Extends the Hospitality
Of Congress Lake to His Brother
Directors.


Fair Association ph9nixed, and the
Cleveland Driving Park Company arose
from its ashes. Mr.. Sam. Briggs was
secretary of the association most Of the
time. He is now General Manager of
the COnnOttOn Valley Railway. 1t Oc-
Cured to him that it would be pleasant
to have reunion of the old directors
and as the GASES in the association de-
seTt were the yearly dinners on the
grounds he decided to give a dinner.
Mr.. David Dunham, of Bedford, who was
the steward of the association and whose
sumptuOus dinners were the especial
delight of those permitted to enjoy them,
Is now. by a singular coincidence, major
dOmO OF the dining hall on the COnnOt-
ton Valley Railways charming picnic
grOuni at Congress Lake. Nothing
could be more appropriate, therefore,
than to have the reunion and dine with
Steward Dunham. SO Mr.. Briggs select
ed dya when no excursion party would
be at Congress Lake and issued invita-
tiOns to the directors to have reunion
and dinner "in ancient form"
At nine o'clock yesterday morning a
special train of two coaches, one priv
ate car we'll adapted to pleasure party,
was in waiting at the new COnnOttOn
Valley passenger station on Ontario
street. When the train started a Plain
Dealer reporter found the following gem
tlemen on board: DR.. j. p. Robson, for
ten years president of the. Northern Ohio
Fair Association; Hon. II. B. PAYNE, ex-
member of Congress; Hon. j. II. Wade,
president of the Valley Railway; Presi-
dent William Edwards of the Cleveland
Driving Park Company (the butterfly
developed from the fair eaterpillar);
Manager Sam Briggs of the COnnOtton
Valley, eX-secretary of the Fair AssOeia-
first secretary of the Fair Association ;
eX-City Treasurer Everett, treasurer of
the Fair Association from its Organiza-
tiOn to its dissolution; City Treasurer
Thomas AXWOrthy, Mr.. George W. Short
and Mr.. David McClasky, of the CleVe-
land Club, the race wheel within the
fair wheel; Mr.. Benjamin LamsOn, Su-
perintendent of the Fair Association
during most of its career; Governor j..
W. Fitch, General James Barnett and
Colonel s. Bliss, of the OTiginatOrS of the
fair enterprise; Judge j. M. Jones, of the
Common Pleas bench; Mr.. Isaac Rey-
nOlds, of the Lake Shore Railway; Mr.. j.
II. Collins. Jr., broker, and Mr.. George
StOwell, the last named the ADVERTISING
agent of the fair, now passenger agent
of the Connection Valley Railway. On
the route the party was Joined by W. A.
Lynch, Esq, attorney of the COnnOtton
Valley Railway, and at Congress Lake by
Louis Schaefer, Esq, of Canton, one Of
the Stark County FAIR Association. Mrs.
DR.. Robson accompanied the excursion
lists to Congress Lake to pay visit to
Mrs. Dunham.
The journey kOwn was made at mod
crate speed and Messrs. j. III. Wade, H.
B. Payne, and others, occupied the open
space at the rear of the private car to in
spect the narrow gauge road en- route.
Congress Lake was reached between
eleven and twelve o'clock. The company
divided itself, most of the gentlemen
making a cruise of the lake on the neat
little steamer. One of the others subsi
dized a lad to hunt up fishing tackle and
row him to the further side of the lake,
where he spentIthree-quarter of an hour
getting sun burned and catching four
diminutiye fish. He afterward figured
up the expense and found that the fish
cost him eighteen and three-quarter
cents apiece, but he had his sport.
After inspection the picnic grounds
were pronounced the most attractive in
Northern Ohio. Those who were there
for the first time expressed most agree.
able surprise and highly cOmplimented
the railway company for its enterprise in
fitting up the grounds so handsomely.
At one o'clock dinner was announced
and capital feast it was, made as near
like the old fair dinners as circumstan-
ces would permit. Every one present
enjoyed himself in the heartiest manner
conceivable. From the hour the train
left Cleveland the gentlemen had forgot
ten their business cares, laid aside con-
VentiOnallties and dignity, and were as
frisky and frOlicsome as parcel of lads.
The merriment was at its height at the
banquet table, and after keen appetite
had done its worst with the bOunteOus
feast, spread in true "ancient form" by
Steward Dunham, over three hours were
spent in pertinent speeches and Tehear-
sing "reminiscences. OF course DR.. Rob-
isOn was master of ceremonies, and he
likewise was true to the "ancient form"
any one who has ever dined with the
directors at the fair grounds need not
be told what that Is. His impressive
ness of speech, his introduction of speak
ers and comments upon them and their
sentiments were just as they used to be.
Almost every one was called out to say
something, and the responses were ap-
propriate. Brilliant wit flowed in an
uninterrupted stream, and the enjoy
ment of the occasion was epitOmized
on the way home by Mr.. Edwards's que
ry: did you ever have so good a tune
in your life?" After the opening re-
marks by DIR. Robson, who sat at the
head of the table, facing Mr.. Briggs at
the other end, Hon. Fl. B. Payne was
called out for the first speech, which
gave direction to the current of humOr
which followed from Messrs. Wade, Ed
wards, Briggs, Lynch, AxwOrthy, Short,
Lamson, Everett, McClasky, Barnett,
Bliss, Judge Jones and others. Midway
in the list Mr.. Louis SchBfer of Canton,
was called upon, and responded with a
bright speech, that kept the table in a
state of uprOariOus hilarity. He said he
was sadly disappointed. He had been
invited to the Obsequies of a defunct as
sOciatiOn, but it was the merriest funer-
al he ever attended. 1t was the first time
he had heard a corpse preach its own
funeral sermon. But since corporations
have no souls, the association need not
fear future punishment, and he advised
the gentlemen to keep on with their
pleasures. He then related his expert
ence in fair matters, and sat down in a
cyclone of laughter. At the close of the
Ceremonies" it was unanimously re-
solved to have these reunions annually,
and Mr.. Schefer was elected 20 member