The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1885-12-05

Ahhucl A100CluR OF JQ0 MdrylHQQ A8Tl-
cultural Society-The Affairs of the Soci-
ETY. in Rather Bad Shape.-The annual meet
ing OF the Maryland State Agricultural and Me-
chanical Association was held in Baltimore on
Monday, there being large attendance of the
members. The following executive committee
was chosen James L. McLane, W. R. Devries
and d. S. Fitzgerald, Baltimore city r. +, May
nard, Chas. 7. Cockey, T. Alex. Seth and E. Git
tings Merryman, Baltimore county A. M. Full
ford, Hartford county; E. B. Emory, Queen Anne's
county. Mr.. Frank Brown was reelected presi-
dent, with one vice. president from each county
and three from Baltimore city.
The annual report of the president was road
and adopted. 1t shows that the condition of the
Society is not good, but it was decided to hold
an exhibition next year. The report of Mr..
Brown is as follows:
! 81 regret to report that since the annual meet
ing of this association in October, 1882, we have
been unable to have quorum present at our an
nual meetings in the falls of 1883 and 1884; it
therefore becomes my duty to report to this meet
ing the results of the fair held at Pimlico in o.
tober, 1888.
"In order to hold successful exhibition we
found it necessary to remove the cattle sheds in
the rear of the grand stand as to give room
for the agricultural implement display This was
brought about by the Introduction into the grounds
of the Arlington and Pimlico railway, which &C.
cupies considerable space entirely through the
centre of the grounds. Owing to the bad weather
our receipts were necessarily small, but by the
sale of the stock your society held in the Airing
ton and Pimlico railway we were enabled to pay
off the Indebtedness of the society with the excep-
tion of $500, which was borrowed from the Mary
land Jockey Club, and my note as president of
the Agricultural Society given for that amount,
and which still remains an indebtedness of the As
ISOLATION. We have small cash balance of a few
dollars on hand. l regret that the majority of
our members have forfeited their,membership by
failure to pay their annual dues.
"In the falls of 1884 and 1885 we held a State
fair at Hagerstown in conjunction with the Wash
ington county and other county organizations
both of which were successful exhibitions but of
no financial gain to US, under our contract with
the Washington county Association they assumed
all responsibility and were entitled to all the ben
efits that were derived.
ga very important question presents itself to
your association In order to hold possession of
the Pimlico grounds we obliged to hold an
Inhibition at least in three years on these
grounds; two years have passed, and it is for
you to decide as to the propriety of holding an
exhibition in the fall of 1885, Under the lease of
the grounds to the Maryland Jockey Club in De-
cember, 1879, for the term of ten years at year
ly rental of $500 per year, this association obli
gated itself to hold exhibition at least in
three years, so as to remain in possession of the
grounds Shortly after this lease was executed
the officers of the Maryland Jockey Club decided
that to make their racing meetings successful 1T
was necessary to have a steam road running into
the grounds and in order that your association
might have the use of this railroad connection
during its exhibitions it became necessary for it
it to join the Maryland Jockey Club in building
this road, and also to give the right of way into
the grounds. Your association not having any
funds on hand that they could subscribe to this
enterprise, they were obliged to appropriate their
anticipated annual rental, and in order to make
sIolI H. o1rr 1okn
by the Maryland Jockey Club, and the proceeds
of the ten years anticipated rent subscribed
to the Arlington and Pimlico railroad. Since
which time your association has held two exhibit
tions at Pimlico, the receipts from both of which
failed to meet the expenditures, and your interest
in the railroad has been disposed of to meet the
DEFICIENCIES. In addition to this, as have before
stated, we have debt of $500, due to the Mary
land Jockey Club.
"Your association has no means of raising funds
except by its annual membership, which, as 1
have before stated, has been reduced to q mere
bagatelle, from the fact that we have no induce
ments to offer and no considerations to give the
members except the privilege of attending the
exhibitions at Pimlico four days in three years.
at is proper that I should say that the deficit
Of $500, as now existing, has not been brought
about entirely by failure to hold successful
exhibitions, but we have been obliged to pay
500 (nearly the amount due the Maryland Jock
ey Cub) for the benefits assessed by the Balti-
more county authorities for the opening of the
new avenue which borders on your grounds, be-
sides several outstanding open accounts which
were due when / took charge as president pro tenn.
"By a careful examination of this report, in
connection with the books of the treasurer, you
will find that if it had not been for the removal
of the catte-sheds, at considerable expense, in
addition to paying the benefits assessed by the
Baltimore county authorities for opening the new
avenue mentioned above instead of being $500 in
debt would have had good balance in the
hands of the treasurer.
"By the terms of the first lease to the Maryland
Jockey Club your association had the control of
the Pimco grounds the larger portion of the
year, the Jockey Club being in control for limi-
ted time in the fall and spring, sufficient to en-
able them to condition the track and make ar
rangements for their meetings, but under the new
lease, executed in 1879, your association surren
dered the entire control of the property with the
-aycention of the week in which they should de-
eide to hold their exhibitions. This, think, was
an error, when, considering the fact that during
the former lease your association received an
nual appropriation from the State of Maryland
of $4,000, and from the city of Baltimore $4,000
making q total of $4,000-both of which were
Cancelled by the acts of the Legislature and the
city respectively. So you see, from having an
annual appropriation of $4,000, as before stated,
with the control of the grounds for three fourths
OF the year, we were cut down TO one weeks con-
troll of the grounds, without any appropriation
from the city or State 1t is very plain for you
to see that it is impossible for you to be success
full in financial point of view, without some
sources for revenue. If, with the present rail-
road facilities, you had the control Of the grounds
during the summer months, between the racing
meetings (spring and falD of the Maryland Jock
ey Club, you would be able to derive revenue
from the receipts of some exhibitions that might
be given upon the grounds, besides the privilege
of use of grounds, which could be offered in
ducement to persons to become members of the as
ISOLATION, and thereby receive their annual sub
scriptions."
Baltimore County Teachers Associa-