The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-05-21
TIME TO DO SOMETHING
The Fair Association Directors Wait
ing for the Business Men
IL to Move. /
Unless the Subscription IL Raised
There Will Not BE Any
RacinR.
Anaconda Stands Ready to Take the Va
cant Dates Should Helena Not
Hsve Amy Meeting.

No movement has yet been made toward
insuring the Montana State Fair assooia-
tion against loss In Case o race meeting 10
held in Holenn this summer The direc-
tors announced s,me time ago that unless
the merchants md business mon of Helena
made up what would be equivalent to
the amount the association lost last
year there would be NO race meeting
this year. The loss at the last meeting
was about 81. 800. and this In spite of the
fact that the pool privileRes brought the
association something over SC, 600 in the
way Of commissions. The purses both for
running and trottine races we're large
enough to justify thu best class Of horses
in striving for them, n the premiums
given to exhibitors at the fair hsipsd swsll
the Expenses to large proportions. This
year there will be no fair even II there
should be a race meeting It was
decided to make shat announcement in
ample time to save intending exhibitors tho
labor and expense Of preparing for 1t.
With this outlay cut off the chances Of the
associations income running bohind its
expenses this year will be materially re-
duced. Still the expenses will DO heavy,
with good sized purses and the number Of
employees 1t is necessary to have about the
grounds. The directors feel that they have
run the association a. far into debt ~ they
think they arc justified. The losses Of the
past few years have amounted in the ag-
RreRats to about $4,000. While It 10 posi-
BILE the association might come through an
other meeting without increasing debt. yet
1t 10 a risk the directors do not care to take.
With a guarantee from the merchants and
business men sufficient to cover n posi-
BILE loss. il would not DO too
late even now to get up a week of credita-
Bile racing, as the dates have been assigned
Helena, and the horses and their owners
would be just as we'll off by spending that
time hero as they would be il they were
forced to remain idle. The directors do
not care to be misunderstood in the mat
Ter. There must be sufficient subscribed to
cover a loss not exceeding that of last year.
What is moro, If with the receipts and sub
scriptions there should be enough to pay all
expenses. and something left over. the re-
maindsr will be applied toward liquidating
the present indebtedness.
A direct intimation has boon received
from Anaconda to the eject that that city
stood ready to take up and fill the dates as
signed to Helena. In case ii should be de-
cided to have no race meeting here. In
oV4O WO4Ao AlO pkdOvlOUklY
begins the circuit. will, in such an event.
end it also. This would give Anaconda
about three weeks of racing while Helena
has none. Many people. including those
who q k no special interest in horse rae
ing, think 1t would be an unfortunate thing
that Helena should 60 without that sport
this year. They regard II as doubly unfor-
tunate that Anaconda should fill in the gap
left vacant by Helena's failure TO have a
meeting.
A prominent member of the Montana
state fair, speaking of the matter, says:
IF patriotic motives will not induce the
merchants and other people to subscribe
the amount needed, then business reasons
may. A meeting brings to the city hun
dreds of horsemen and others who are in
tsrested in racing. 1t means SO much ex-
pended for each man and SO much for tho
The greater part, If not all the amount
subscribed. and perhaps even more, comes
back through the various channels and 10
put in circulation right among our
people. That 10 the business view of IL.
Now for the patriotic view. Helena has
never missed a fall meeting in twenty
eight years. There could DO no worse
time to begin than now. BY the time the
date assigned for the Helena meeting ar.
rives there will very likely be a number of
officers and soldiers located at Fort Harri-
son. No class of people enjoy horse racing
moo than the soldiers. Times may not be
as brisk as one might wish, but Helena is
In just as good a position az any city
and a much better position than most OF
them. 1t seems to me the results would
more than justify the amount asked to be
subscribed"