The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1889-11-30
A SPIRITED MEETING.

| The Stockholders of the Cee.i County Ag-
| ricuituraI Society Discuss it, Interests ami
| Eject New Managers.
A meeting of he Stockholders of the
Cecil County Agricultural Society was
held on Monday last for the purpose OF
reorganization. A large number of prom
inent citizens from various parts OF the
county were present. Among the mum
Der we're, DR.. r. c.. Mackall, Aaron j..
Kitchener, G. w. Cruikshank, E. E.
Ewing, R. G. Thackery, Clinton McCul-
Tough, Morris Dunbar, John S. Writ,
Frank S. Everist, Jesse A. Kirk, Adam
r. Magraw, Daniel Bratton, Henry X.
Torbert, George W. Mccullough, r. L..
Thomas, Frank r. Scott, Joseph Steele,
II. G. Mcdowell, George A. Blake, John
Gilpin and john Nj. McC!enahan.
On motion of George A. Blake, Esq,
H. R. Torbert, Esq, was called to the
chair and Justice John Partridge was ap-
pointed Secretary on motion of Clinton
| hcSullouRu, Isq.
| Mr.. Torbert on taking the chair made
few remarks regarding the object of
the meeting. He favored radical reor-
| ganization, but wanted it understood that
he had no personal objection to any men,
Der of the present management. The
society had arrived at a crisis but he did
not believe it had survived tho period of
it's usefulness. We have in the Whining
ton fair strong rival. While we should
| not get too far away from the legitimate
objects OF the fair, yet the Society must
cater to all classes. He favored the with
drawal of special privileges to stockhold-
ers.
George w. Cruikshank, Esq., thought
the management should not be branded
on rumor He called for a report of
the financial condition of the Society as
none had been published since the last
fair.
Treasurer Blake read statement show
ing the receipts of the last fair to be
So, 1923 20. Of this amount 81 001. so was
grand stand receipts, So, 321 IS was re-
ceived for admissions, 81, 644.47 for priv
ileges and 81 ATT so from tickets sold by
the Pennsy lvania Railroad Company.
The expenditures amounted to So, 2S5. SO,
showing the profit of the exhibition to be
81, 1927 The total Indebtedness of the
fair at this time is s14, 649.4 OF this
amount S12 557 IS is on two mortgages
with interest and the remainder is float
ing debt. The first mortgage is held by
the Mutual Building Association of Cecil
County and the second by the widow of
the late Arthur w. Mitchell, one of the
founders of the fair. The possessions OF
the Society consist of the fair grounds
and about $500 in personal property
thereon. In answer to question the
treasurer stated that So, 055 was paid for
premiums on the races and the entrance
fees paid BY horsemen amounted to
s., 442. so.
State Senator elect John s. Writ, said
the Society had been laboring under debt
for years. Last year it only went on by
the managers borrowing 81, 600 on their
individual notes. Losses by the spring
fair of 1885 had crippled the Society in
such manner that it never had recoy-
cred. He had an abiding conviction that
it was only question of time until the
fair would wind up disastrously and not
by any fault of the managers. lie thought
the proper thing to do was to wind up
the business and let the property of the
Society go as far as it would to pay its
indebtedness. Then if there was suffi-
cieut interest start new society.
The Stock holders have been we'll paid
by the privileges they had received. Mr..
Writ spoke of the horsemen always OBJ
tanning their premiums on the day OF the
races, while all the losses fell on the peo-
pie of the county. The fair was largely
dominated by the horsemen and it was in
danger of becoming jockey club instead
of an agricultural fair.
The horsenen were the preferred cred
itors II the people won't put money into
| a new fair they wont support one that is
already bankrupt. He moved that a
committee of five be appointed to audit
the accounts of the present Society and
start a new one.
Mr.. Blake did not think the fair was
in such desperate straigbts and suggested
a scheme of funding the debt. If Mr..
Wirt's motion was adopted there would
be no more fairs in Cecil County.
Clinton Mccullough, Esq, thought it
pity tha at any such action as suggested
by Mr.. Writ should be taken. He thought
the fair was in as good condition as for
five or six years past. He thought the
fair could be saved by economical man.
agement.
&C. Thackery, Esq, very cordially
endorsed the views of MIR. Mccullough.
If the present fair went down there would
be no other as the confidence of the PEG
pie in the ability of the men to run one
successfully would be gone. He thought
there we're various little leaks 1t would
be we'll 10 try little new blood. Fake
horseraces such as one at the last fair
where two horses were permitted to start
when the rules of the Society explicitly
stated that unless three were on hand to
start there should be no race, should be
stopped. This race alone cost the So
ciety several hundred dollars
Mr.. Cruikshank said half of the out,
RACES of the horsemen on the Society had
not been told. He had been in position
to know what he was talking about.
It as'brought out in this discussion
that the entrance fees in the races hao
they been paid would have amounted tt
more than the premiums paid, There
was a deficiency of about half the amour
owing to owners of horses not paying thu
fees.
Mr.. John NJ. McClenahan thought thu
suggestion of Mr.. Writ was the place t.
start. The Building Association would
soon own the grounds if matters KEEP
going as recently. He suggested that !;
committee of Stockholders be appointed
to assist the managers but did not max
any motion to that effect. After som
more discussion Mr.. Writ withdrew hi
motion.
On motion of R. @. Thackery, Esq,
:, the Stockholders proceed to elect twelv
managers with the following result: z
5 Porter Lusby, 142; George S. Wooley