The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-08-07
Baldwin Augusta Fair.

- INV al aug uSLd Z dill
On the 18th ult., the resignation of Mr..
A. M. Bowman. the President of the
Baldwin Augusta Fair, . was laid before
the Board in the following letter:
SALTyILLE, VA, July Odd, 1884.
To the Board of Directors of B. A. Far.
Gentlemen Being no longer in posi-
| tion to properly discharge the duties of
President and Director of your Associa-
tion, in justice to those who have so re-
peatedly honored me, and DESTROYS of pro-
noting the interests of an Association for
whose success / have earnestly struggled
for the last ten years, | hereby tender my
resignation of these positions to take effect
ut once.
From the foundation Of your Society
the labors of your Board have been most
discouraging. Early deprived of the val
liable counsel of your illustrious founder,
heavily encountered with debt, often
wounded in the house of your friends. y
slandered and derided by those whose duty
1T was to uphold your hands, whilst many
OF your annual fairs were seriously him
dered by Indictment weather, yet you are
not without cause for cOngratulation.
Notwithstanding the many difficulties YOU
had to encounter, the debt of your AssO-
citation has been reduced from over S., 900
when entered your Board to considerably
less than s.. 900 at the present time whilst
the prospects for the future are such as to
warrant the belief that clear weather dur
ing the coming fair will put it upon its
feet and start it on long career of pros
perity and usefulness.
L cannot retire from your Board without
due acknowledgment of the faithful SER
vices, earnest fidelity, and self-sacrilicimg
devotion, to the interests of the society,
OF every member of your body, and with
ont whose earnest cooperation all my eff
forts must have proved failure.
With sincere regard for each member of
your Board, and my best wishes for the
success of your Association, | an.
Your obedient servant,
A. NJ. BOWMAN.
MIR. Bowman S resignation was accepted
and the following resolution was adopted
RESOLVED, That in accepting the resigna-
ton of A. Nj. Bowman, President of this
Association, we do so with regret, and we
desire to bear testimony to the efficient
manner in which he has discharged the
duties OF both Director and President
during an unusually long term of service.
The Board then proceeded to the election
of president, and upon the motion of Capt
Pratt. Col. Ash. w. Hartman was chosen,
and Mr.. Hugh f. Lyle selected as director
In the selection of Col. Hartman the Di-
rectory have placed at the head of this
Institution Il gentleman peculiarly well
fitted from experience and from his known
energy, to direct its affairs. At the or
ganization of the Society in 1867, the
County Court, in accordance with the
terms of the Charter, selected ten Di-
rectors and apportioned them rs follows
man; End, James Henderson and Geo. L.
Antrim Sd, Marshall McCue and +. o.
Palmer; 4th, Samuel Finley and James
Walker; 5th, VIM. A. Burke and VIM. NJ.
Tate.
1t will be observed that Col. Hartman has
thus beer continuously connected with
the Association from its organization,-
having been reelected from time to time
and is, therefore, better acquainted with
the whole history of the Society than any
other member. We bespeak for the Colonel
and his energetic assistants all unusual
success for 1884. and are satisfied that eve-
rything will be done to add interest to the
Fair. Mr.. Bowman, the retiring Presi-
dent, should have the thanks of all who
feel an interest in the Fair for the zeal and
intelligence which he manifested while at
the helm, in the management Of it's affairs.
During his administration, the debt was
largely decreased and the Society put upon
substantial basis. We hazard nothing in
the assertion that to-day, financially, the
Baldwin Augusta Fair is in better condi-
ton than any. sister organization in Vir-
ginia and all that is necessary to add to
the interest and usefulness of this Asso-
citation, to which our people owe so much,
is that they shall warmly second and en-
courage by their presence and pence, the
efforts of the Directors.