Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1895-10-10
IN FAVOR OF A FAIR.
A Strong Sentiment Among
Business Men to Save
the Property.
A Suggestion That the Sale be
Postponed for a Short
Time.
Director Carnett OF the Alli-
anCe Company Speaks
Encouragingly.


Encouragingly.
The Alert is in receipt of communi-
cation on the subject of the late fair,
from Mr.. E. P. Wells. which is timely
for publication. 1t 10 as follows:
enclose herewith letter received in
June, 1895; it forcibly foreshadowed
sentiment aud condition that without
doubt resulted in a boycott Of our fair by
the farmers of the valley. am not pre-.
parea to say that in my opinion fair
without the racing features would have
been any greater success, but I am quite
confident that a considerably larger ap-
portionment for agriculture and live
stock premiums would have increased q
fair display, much larger attendance,
and very much friendller feeling.
am fully persuaded that if new
organization, or q new board, composed
in large measure of thoroughly repre-
sentative farmers throughout the James
River Valley at the head, would take
hold of this matter Immediately they
could raise the money to pay off the old
indebtedness and acquire all the property
of the present organization and make a
larger success OF the fair than has ever
been before. This is matter, however,
that would require the promptest of
action, as the present board has deter
mined to sell the buildings for the pur-
pose of paying the debts OF the associa-
tion, and I understand that one of the
leading buildings has already been sold
and is now being removed. One-half OF
the entire value of this property is in
the labor entering into construction, and
some Of the materials that would be
wasted in the removal.
am as certain as ever was of any
thing that if this community and this
county permit these buildings TO be sold
and our annual fairs abandoned that it
will be the source OF lasting regret and
lrreparable injury to us IN our repnta-
ton abroad.
The letter referred to above which
seems to describe the greatest obstacle to
the success of the fRir-the indifference
of the farmers-was written q farmer
who, seeing the prospects OF fair
for 1895 mentioned in the press takes the
opportunity to express himself as follows
to the assoclation:
To Fair Association: Please allow me
to say that 1t may be worth attention by
the fair management to cultivate q feel!
ing of warmth among farmers towards
the exhibit. say this for the reason
that when at my farm this spring l heard
it talked among farmers that the whole
impulse gravitated towards a show of
"trotting horses" and an overshadowlne
tendency in the past to make that ex-
hibit paramount to all else, leaving the
farmer with his exhibit of stock and
crop only meager premium not worth
his time and trouble. This may not be
the fact but the feeling should not exist
if possible to prevent in getting up the
list. Please pardon the intrusion, l
make it because l aal anxious for the
success of the fair.
These communications state the situa-
tion clearly and il business interests and
local pride do not want the fairs to drop
into oblivion and jamestown have no
big yearly event to draw crowds and
spread her reputation as center Of
trade and amusements some action in
saving the property to be offered for sale
Oct. l2, must be taken at once. There
are several plans proposed, any one of
which would answer all purposes aud
put the association on 4 substantial
footing.