The Portland daily press., 1897-09-03

lCuE SldTu6TS duU uuC 1doACS, VIM WIZ
dresses reaching to the tops of their boots,
swung themselves into the sulkies with
the ease of old drivers and they sent their
horses throughltwo heats in an exciting
fashion. When the racing had gotten
fairly underway, however, shower came
trotting for the afternoon was abandond-
ed. Later, after the track had somewhat
dried off, there was parade of decorated
bicy cles. The number in line was small,
but the effect was pretty. Many of the
riders were children and young girls and
in some cases the decorations OF the
wheels, in which flowers and ribbons
were plentifully used, showed much
taste and skill. Local pride was aroused
by the balloon ascension and parachute
jump, the aeronaut Ferdinand Stevens,
being Lewiston man, who has already
drowning man. Stevens went up first
and did number of daring gymnastic
feats from the trapeze bar. He assembled
to great height and came down inside
the track, almost on the spot from which
he started.
After all, the great event of the day to
the members of the association was the
annual meeting this evening. To begin
with there was the knowledge that a new
president and secretary must be selected,
as both President Jerrard and Secretary
Twitchell had declined on account of pri-
10 oil Kkory \
otherwise have received. Then it was
whispered that the question Of how to
run fair might be brought up. AS q
matter of fact it was touched upon only
| in relation to the question of member
ship, but many had thought it would be
brought forward in other ways.
The talk of the town this week has been
the policy of the old management in ex-
cluding from the grounds many of the at
fractions which figure at the fairs. Some
there are who have not been pleased at
the reported rejection of bid for the
privilege of selling pools on the races
The story is that as high as $4,000 was
offered for the concession. The fact that
one of the things advertised as a great
attraction proved lugubious failure
and did not tend to allay this sentiment.
That was the horseless carriage race in
which the two competing automobiles
moved around the track at snail's pace
and even at that rate one gained
enough to distance the other. Another
interesting bit of gossip is that when
the trotting race with women drivers
was proposed, an objection was prompt
ly raised on the ground that it might not
be proper. This objection was, however,
oyerruled.
The meeting was held in the municipal
court which was crowded to 1.-THE doors.
President Jerrard was in the chair.
Treasurer Eveleth presented a partial re-
port, showing receipts Of S15, ,698.97. OF
this S13, ,470.03 is still in the treasury.
The mortgage indebtedness is 5000.
The discussion OF the evening began
when DR.. Smith of Auburn suggested the
expediency of suspending the taking in
of new members for the next five years.
The life members are not dying off and
If new ones are added SO many will get
in on life members tickets that the gate
receipts will be too small. DR.. Smith
said that he didn't take anyssstock In the
talk that by the addition to the ranks Of
the life members from other parts of the
state the fair would be voted away from
Lewiston. DR.. Smith embodied his sug-
gestion in motion. ~
| Charles Emerson, Esq, said that as
only one life member had been voted in
this year he thought that the fair would
be in no great danger even at the end
of five years. The fair was saved from
bankruptcy by the action of several hun
dred citizens of Lewiston and Auburn
who became life members when the fair
was brought to this city.
2. A. Gilbert of Greene raised point
of order that as the suspension of the
reception committee involved an amend
ment to the bylaws, the motion of DR..
Smith was out of order.
Ex-Gov. Alonzo Garcelon, who is still
vigorous speaker, at the age of S5, made
spirited protest against what he termed
an attempt to make the association a
close corporation by denying to
the people of Maine the right to become
members. DIR. Garcelon hoped that the
time would come when all the rival asso-
Citations in Maine would join this one.
DR.. Smith explained that he put the
matter before the meeting to get an ex-
preston of opinion, and he got it, for lis
motion was overwhelmingly voted down,
notwithstanding the point of order.
Then Mr.. A. f. Gerald of Fairfield
moved to reduce the life membership fee
from 500 to s1O B. F. Hamilton, ESQ.,,
of Biddeford was the man who sprang
the same point of order this time and
in doing so he moved that the trustees be
committee to revise the bylaws and
report at the next annual meeting. This
was passed.
Mr.. Gerald renewed his attempt to get
the matter to vote by moving for an in
formal VOTE Then somebody demanded
business votes instead of boys play.
In reply to questions by Mr.. Charles