The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1892-02-18

many coming TO town TO attend the
September meeting were lured into game
of some kind, and relieved Of the means
wherewith to pay an admission fee, and
thus never went near the grounds at all,
1t is estimated that the association lost at
least 800 in patronage ithad rightly earned
by advertising, correspondence and person.
al solicitation in this way Another cause
of light patronage was the outrageous
prices demanded by bus and hack drivers
for transportation from the hotels to the
race track. After the September meeting
many persons came to the executive board
and stated that the transportation charges
kept them away from the grounds. That
fifty cents was demanded for transportation
each way, which in many cases was re-
fused and their patronage lost to the as
ISOLATION.
The association hes n remedy for this evil
and can easily apply it. If the bus and
hack drivers will not hereafter stipulate to
charge only reasonable fee, then the as
ISOLATION can easily hire teams and impro-
wise buses, and run them with drivers and
conductors. 1t is believed that fee of ten
cents will pay the expense of hiring teams,
busses and men.
Another evil seems the prevalent desire
to see the races without paying anything
for the sight; and fence sealing and gate
running has been frequent and at times al
together too common. This can be effect
ually stopped by stringing wires on posts
along the west line of the Agricultural So
ciety's grounds, from the southwest corner
of the tract to point where the road leads
to the grounds and then parallel the road to
the gate; this will effectually stop any fence
scaling, and turn styles at the gate will
end gate running.
The custom of pass giving has grown I'M
til it has became burden, and positive
source of loss of revenue. Just where to
draw the line is perpleXing question, and
one that calls for the Soundest discretion of
an officer in charge of the pass patronage.
At the September meeting some of the
horsemen dishonored their privileges, and
sold their passes, they then gained en-
trance to the grounds by falsely claiming
that they had lost their passes.
This can be remedied by the purchase of
buttons marked owner ''driver'' or
rubber" as the case may be, and furnish
each party entitled with one. The cost of
these badges is small and the saving would
be considerable.
At the September, meeting not less than
one hundred adults daily evaded payment
of all admission fees by hook or crook.
All of these suggestions are presented to
the stockholders with the recommendation
that the future board profit by the expert
ence of the outgoing committee.
In conclusion, the executive committee
cannot forget the many acts of timely help
and assistance rendered by the stockholders
of the association and others not directly
connected herewith None of the COM
mittee can lay claim to great proficiency in
either breeding, training or racing horses,
and this committee has done no more than
would an equal number of stockholders
under similar circumstances have done"
But the fact remains that an interest in
training and breeding driving horses
has been awakened in the minds of
our people; it is also true that this interest
is intensifying. 1t is the province of the
association to foster and cultivate this very
feeling and assist in all honorable ways to
further its development, 1t is believed
that if we pull together in this undertaking
we can, in a short time, witness results
that will surprise the most sanguine horse
men and lovers of horse flesh
If the association shall in the future con-
tinue to stimulate this desire for speedier
and more perfect equines, it will have
answered its highest purpose and accom-
pIished the result intended by its founders
Very Respectfully Submitted,
GEO. E. DARLING, Sec'y. !
Feb. Is, 1882 -... ST.. re.~~s .. f.ss-se