Omaha daily bee., 1888-01-11
FAIR AND EXPOSITION.
The Association Holds Its Annual
Meetin0-The Fair Abandoned

The Association Holds Its Annual
Meeting-The Fair Abandoned.
The annual meeting of the stockholders of
the Omaha Fair and Exposition association
was held yesterday afternoon Mt the chamber
Of commerce with Churchill Parker, the
president in the chair. OF the sos shares 326
were represented. The report Of J. H. Nc
Shane, the secretary, showed the gate re-
ceipts Of the fair for the year 1887 to be
$50, ,164, against g, ,O26 for 1886. The report of
the treasurer, Mr.. H. G. Clark, showed the
expenses for the year to be s29, ,Sl5. l6, and the
total receipts a., 2,Ol3.9S. In making the bal
ance the insurance money was not included
The financial success of the last fair was de-
clared to have been unequaled by any other
fair ever held in the state
On motion of Mr.. Black, Messrs. Gibbon
and Hartman were appointed as an auditing
committee to examine the books of the treas
urer and secretary.
The president then read his annual address,
which congratulated tho association on its
success.
The election of directors was next an
nounced, when Max Meyer asked the prcsi-
if the stockholders had not better decide
first whether they were going to continue the
fair before they proceed to the election of
any further officers. The president replied
by admitting that there had been some talk
of abandoning the agricultural and other ex
hibits connected with the fair, and said that
discussion of that question would DO now
in order. MIR. Martin, of Arendorf & Mar
tin, was opposed to the continuance Of the
fair except merely the racing exhibit, as the
fair as usually conducted had not mot with
the cordial cooperation of the people, and
that the capitalists had been cold and rem
dered no assistance whatever. He said the
association had only one-quarter the capital
it should have.
Joseph Garneau, ir, said it was now impos-
sble for the society to hold complete agri-
cultural fair, and was in favor of holding
simply race meeting In September. The
fair then would be no worse than the Lin
coin fair, and all the association asked for
was an equal basis. He therefore made a
motion that the association hold q race meet
ing, and as good a fair as possible minus the
agricultural exhibit till the expiration of
their present two years lease.
After some further discussion this motion
was unanimously carried.
The president next appointed Messrs. Glib
son, Martin, Falconer, Nels Patrick, and
Van Ford . committee to select five direc-
tors They recommend for that place Messrs
Churchill Parker, Il. Kitchen, H. G.. Clark
James Garneau, ir., Max Meyer and J. H.
McShane. Messrs. Meyer and Garneau
begged to be released from such an appoint
| ment and Messrs. j. ]. Brown and G. Il.
| Goodman were nominated instead. The nom
MIR. Clark, as chairman of the committee
appointed TO look up desirable location for
the future fair grounds of the association
after the expiration Of the present lease, re-
ported that as yet none had been
found that would prove suitable at
price that the board was willing
to recommend to the stockholders. He said
that q bill was now before congress to sell
Fort Omaha, and he thought that if proper
efforts be put forward by the association and
citizens that it is possible these grounds
| might be gotten and donated for agricultural
and fair purposes; and if not they might at
least get them at a nominal figure. No plans
had been matured, but it looked as though
| it might be feasible thing to do. Certainly
| there are no better grounds in or about the
| city of Omaha. They comprise eighty acres
of level ground, and nearly all the buildings
would come into play for fair purposes. Upon
being asked if there were any other grounds
which the committee had in view he replied
that they had been considering the Parker
| tract, eighty acres of ground lying about
| forty rods northeast of Fort Omaha.
| The report of Mr. Clark was favorably re-
| ceived by the stockholders, after which the
meeting adjourned.