The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1895-01-31
HORSEMEN WIN.
THEY GET THE FAIR GROUNDS
FOR ONE YEAR.

/
and the Bicycle Club, July 3, 4 and 8,
But IL is n Question If They Want it
Embarrassing Position for Both
| Organizations.
There was considerable amusement, for the
onlookers at the meeting of the Agricultural
society Tuesday afternoon. The horsemen
wanted the lease Of the grounds for the year,
| the Canton Bicycle club wanted the grounds
| for their State meet, July 3, 4 and 8, and the
Knights of st. John wanted the grounds on
the 4th of July for their prize drill. The
| Agricultural Society wanted to give il 10 all
| three so as to make everybody happy.
A committee of the horsemen and of the
| Agricultural Society had meeting Monday
| evening and discussed the proposition submit
ted by the society as given in Mondays NEWS
| DEMOCRAT. This proposition the horsemen
could not accept. They made the society a
proposition, to have the exclusive control of
the grounds for one year, the society to put
the track in proper shape in the spring, the
! horsemen to pay $500 for the same or if the
horsemen put the track in shape to pay siO0.
The Agricultural Society and a committee
composed of J. c. Welty and A. NJ. McCarty
representing the horsemen, finally agreed on
terms Tuesday afternoon by which the horse.
men get the entire control of the grounds and
buildings, except the Art hall, Floral hall and
the cattle and sheep barns. The
horsemen are to put the track in proper
shape in the spring and to keep the same in
repair during the year. The horsemen get all
| the grass, and the use Of all the horse barns
| The Agricultural Society reserve the control Of
all the other buildings. The society also re-
serve fair week and July 8, and 8. Fair
week the horsemen give up all the grounds in
cluding barns, but July 3, and they have
the use of the barns only. The horsemen arc
to keep man in charge ofthe grounds the en-
| tire year and return the grounds in as good
condition as they get them. The horsemen
| also agree to allow any pIcniCs or family re-
unions to be held on the ground free of charge
No Intoxicating liquors will be sold. For this
| privilege the horsemen are to pay $500 for the
year. The reason for the reduction in price
was on account of the society reserving July
| 3, 4 and D.
After the horsemen had secured their lease
the fun commenced. The Bicycle club had in
| proposition to rent the grounds for the three
open dates at $25 per day, while the Knights
of st. John offered $3.50 for July with the
| privilege of using the grounds on the Bird and
5th to erect and remove lunch stands, etc
Both societies were represented, the
| Bicycle club by g. i, McMurray
| and Guy Tilden and the Knights by
! Sanitary Policeman James Sell. Numerous
efforts at compromise were made by out
| siders, but the representatives of the two
| societies could not agree. When the Agricul-
| tural society announced its decision it was to
the effect that they would rent the grounds to
| the two societies for 5000 for the three days,
| and if the two societies could not agree, they
could rent to neither. This seemed to be the
| only way out for the Agricultural society, but
Mr. McMurray could not see it that way, and
stated that it was probable that the offer would
not be accepted by the Bicycle club. The diff
fculty lies in division of the two societies of
the expenses and receipts for the 4th of July
The local commandary of the Knights of St.
John want to admit the visiting Knights, in
uniform, to the grounds free. 1t is expected
there will be about l 200 of these. The Bicycle
club free list will amount to about 100. Both
organizations want the use of the track. The
Knights say they can get through by 2:30, but
| the club want to start their races at 2 p. M
| This makes another hitch. If the visitingde
| cations of the Knights arrive in Canton in the
morning, and the parade gets started on time
| they could get through with their drill by2
and leave plenty Of time for the races But if
| trains would get late and the parade be slow in
starting there would be no telling when the
| drill would be finished. These matters could
all be adjusted if the two societies could only
| get together. In case the Bicycle club should
abandon their meeting it is quite probable that
| the horsemen will pay the other 5000 and give
a three days race meeting on the grounds.
| The Agricultural society did the best thing
they could do under the circumstances. 1t was
a wise thing to rent the ground for the year
to the horsemen. as the grounds will be kept
| in good condition and record made for the
new track, which will be valuable in the
| future. While the rental seems low yet the
cost of putting the track in shape will be con-
siderable. The estimated cost of doing the work
has been placed at from 1925 toS $500 and it will
be the work Of one man and team every day
to keep the track in proper shape, after 1t is
once put in condition. This and the expense
OF watching the grounds to prevent trespass-
| ing will have to be done by the horsemen. 1t
| is expected that large number of horses can
be secured for work over the Canton track and
at the meetings to be held here during the
| year, numDer OF IaSt recOruS Will DC mdue
which will all add to the value of the track as
drawing card in the future.
1t is hoped that some arrangement will be
made between the Bicycle club and the
Knights of St. John, whereby both organiza-
tons may receive benefit. The Knights
meeting and the Bicycle club meeting will be
big affairs. Both organizations will be at
heavy expense and it is unfortunate that the
dates conflict.
The Bicycle club met Tuesday evening and
discussed the situation in terms that were not
measured. The boys felt that the Agricul-
tural society had left the matter in very
poor shape. 1t cannot be seen by the Bicycle
club men how joint affair with the Knights
of St. JOhL can be success, financially, for
either organization, with the expenditures in
creased and the receipts going two ways. The
club members feel very friendly towards the
horsemen and towards the Knights of st.
John, but think that the Agricultural society's
decision that both organizations or neither can
have the grounds on the dates named, is very
unfair. 1t leaves matters in shape that neither
organization can go ahead. Should a decision
be reached that Joint affair would not be
profitable neither society will get the grounds.
committee was appointed to meet with the
Knights of st. John and consider some propo-
sitions. The meeting will be held Thursday
evening.
In apy event the Canton Bicycle club will