The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-05-29
NEW FAIR GROUNDS
TRYING TO SECURE GRIsW0lD
PARK FROM THE COUNTY.

Directors Of the Fair Association Have
Plan to Secure the Park on West Gene
trail Avenue VIII Have to Get a
Majority of the Voters to Sign Petition
in Order to Get the County Commits
sioners to Accept the Park IN Lieu
of the Money Which Is Due From
the Bank
The new fair association appointed a
committee cUsis:irg OF Messrs. Sam
Hess. B. B. Herndon, president; Sid Ash
ton and H. G. Toler. secretary. to visit
Griswoid park and see if it was large
enough and could be put in shape at a
nominal expense Cor a fair. The COM
mittce asked DIR. Fred l. johnson. who
was president last year Of the Gentle
mems Driving club, to accompany them.
The committee found that the park was
adequate for a. purposes. The fair as
socia ton have a great scheme which if
they are successful in carrying to the de-
Sellers well known project. The scheme
which they propose is that the county
commissioners accept Griswoid park from
Receiver Ewing for the amount due the
county from the defunct Wichita Nation
al bank. The park will then be given to
the Sedgwick County fair one week ir
each year: the balance of the time the
park can be enjoyed by the citizens of the
city and county and other affairs that re-
quire track or large tract Of shaded
ground can use the park. AS the law al
Cows the county commissioners 10 give
$500 pc; ar1um for the maintenance Of a
county fair, the present fair association
directors will not ask for the $500 h.y l7ill
let it go for payment on the parlE. as
fire ex-bank is said to owe, the county
something like $4,000. the $500 would be
exactly per cent on the money invested.
AIRY other association O. clubs using the
grounds could be charged small fee for
the use. AS the county has no taxes to
pay it would seem to be a very plausible
and feasible scheme.
The cd fair association have in the
past paid $500 per annum for one weeks
rent of the fair grounds in the south part
OF the city. If the present plan is found
to be agreeable to al and no serious OBJ
stacleS are encountered the new fair as
sociaiion viii erect grand stand on the
south side of Griswold park. The judges
stand and the starting place for the races
will be, Of course, il front of the grand
stand. A drive way will be built under
the grand siaad, which will enable bug
gies and teams to drive through and
wat5l the races from the west side of the
track. A grand stand with seating ca
pacity OF 800 will be erected, which will
NOT cost more than $500. The stalls for
the race horses and the fire cattle, to-
gether with the exhibition halls, will be
70 the west of the track. A foot bridge
will be built across the Little river 10
Riverside park to where the street rail-
way passes. This will enable those who
do not care to hire horse and buggy to
go to the fair at small cost, and will a.
80 bring them within a block of he
grand stand, which is two blocks nearer
than the stand il the old grounds south
of town.
The new association have raised by
subscription something over 81. 900, which
will be enough TO put Griswold park in
splendid condition and leave a good bal