Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1891-03-12
VOL. XLIII.


Next August or september Wlen the
County Agricultural Society holds it's
annual fair, it will be in location
entirely different from where it has
been held for years past. The acres
of ground on Vine street, with all its
fair Associations will soon change
ownership, and instead of being the
place where thousands gather an
nually to witness the exhibits, the
races, etc, it will be the location for
numerous fine homes.
AS advertised by President Robbins,
special meeting of the Cumberland
County Agricultural and horticultural
Society was held at the Court Hous g
Friday afternoon, Mr.. Robbins call
ing the meeting to order shortly after
two o'clock. The attendance was very
large, the house being well filled. Mr..
Robbins made neat Introductory
address, and the minutes of the last
meeting were read and approved.
Then the matter of changing the To-
cation for the holding of fairs come up.
Mr.. Robbins stated that the Society
had but one offer for the ground on
Vine street. Walter H. Bacon, the
well known lawyer and real estate
dealer, had made bona-fide offer of
$4,000 case for the grounds The
Executive Committee presented a
resolution which had been passed by
vote of nine to two, which recon-
mended the selling of the present
grounds of the Society for the most
advantageous figures, and purchasing
the property Of Samuel Coombs, on
Fayette street, or the property of the
late Geo. Pierson, on the Deerfield
pike, just north of the Central Rail-
road. Mr.. Robbins stated that the
Coombs property contained twenty
seven and half acres ard the price
asked for was $500. The price for
the Pierson property which contained
forty-three acres with good house
and barn upon it, was $4,000 The
buildings could be moved from the
present grounds to the Coombs prop
erty for about $1,000, or about 81 1000
less than they could be removed to the
Pierson property. But it was esti-
mated that the improvements on the
Pierson property could be sold for
about $4,000 which would more than
make that property the cheapest, if it
was as desirable.
After good deal of parliamentary
sparring, the report of the Committee
was received and came up for discus
sion.
The discussion lasted all the after
noon. 1t cannot be attempted to give
the arguments presented for and
against the scheme by those who took
part in the debate. President Robbins,
Surrogate Fithian, Ed. Hires, Mr..
Sheppard and Mr.. B. B. Elwell pre-
sented strong arguments for the sale
OF the present grounds. All these
gentlemen urged that the present
grounds were unfortunately located
SO that necessary arrangements for a
successful meeting was out of the
question. Then too they all argured
that the change was advantageous, be-
cause 1t reduced the debt of the So
clety from about $4,000 to about
$4,000.
For the opposition, VIM. B. Trench
ara, Alex r. Fithian, Chas. s. Fithian
Mr. Stathems and Morris Bacon, were
the most prominent. In their opinion
the Society was better located now
than 1t would be after change was
made. The present grounds were very
valuable and fast becoming more so,
and it was folly to throw away these
grounds and take new ones, just for
the purpose of pandering to the inter
ests of the horsemen,
This discussion, heated at times, ran
on until about five O'Clock when vote
was taken and amid the greatest en-
thusiasm the resolution to sell and pur-
chase elsewhere was passed by rising
vote OF eighty-two to twenty-five.
The matter of disposing of the
present grounds for the most advan-
tageous price was left to the discretion
Oh the Executive Committee, as was
aiso the selectian of the new site.
resolution was adopted that the
la'f eh's year, should be held three
days Instead of two.
FSAnp DSs1p~