Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1899-02-02
A NEW FAIR.
to Save the Agricultural Society
and its Fairs.

-
to Save the Agricultural Society
and its Fairs.
The forty y-sixth annual meeting of the
umberland County Horticultural and
Agricultural Society, was held in the
Court House Wednesday afternoon. 1t
was short session, but it may -be that it
was the most important held in recent
years, for out of it was born committee
that in two weeks may save the organi-
zation from utter ruin.
Ten years ago the court room would
have been pack ed with crowd of inter
ested members; Wednesday the attend
ance was less chan one hundred
President B. B. Elwell announced that
the Secretary would read the minutes of
the last stated session, and Secretary
Smalley presented the history of a year
ago. These minutes were promptly ap-
proved. -
The report OF the finances was made
by Treasurer Francis E. Mickle. He
stated that the report was far from en-
couraging. The society began business a
year ago with a balance of $l6.3l. There
w oo lOCOlNcu AIOlIl oil SOGTCSSs IT,.
The expenditures amounted to $lO69.99
leaving balance in hand of $97O5. The
unpaid bills. now due, were reported as
amounting to $473.l5. These were made
up of interest amounting to $3.50; prem
inms. $273.75; printing, $3o.65, together
with little bills. In addition, the salaries
of the Secretary and Treasurer have not
hpQp Y,oi6 xuh hriy fhn
debtedness in unpaid bills to $623.l0.
The first days receipts of the last fair
was Sl36l0 at the gate, and $26.4O grand
stand. The second days receipts were
S39239 at the gate, and $lll.04 at the
grand stand. There were ZIG annual
tickets sold at 81 each.
VIM. 0. Garrison addressed the society
at some length. He said that tho ffnan-
cial report showed that the society had
reached crisis, and something had to be
done. He thought in the offset that the
society's officers should be relieved of the
financial obligations they had personally
became responsible for. upon the good
faith of the organization. He was not an
officer, and felt free to speak on these
matters.
The Executive Committee were now
liable to an Indebtedness of $265O. This
money should be paid. He felt that the
way out of it was to establish the fair as a
stock company, with capital stock Of
$4,000. This money could easily be
reached by issuing 400 shares of stock at
$40, the money to be paid in during the
summer. the final payment to be made
by the first of September. Out of this
money should be pai0 the floating debt,
which would leave a balance of $1,000 to
start off the next fair. With money in
hand, there would be certainty of the
paying of premiums, which would in
sure large number of exhibitors. Then
the Mayor should be sent to Atlantic
City for his health, so that the fair could
be run to compete with other fairs,
Trenton, Bethlehem, Pa, York, Pa, and
all other fairs we're run with the attrac-
tions Of fakirs, midway pleasures and so
on, and the masses enjoyed them. He
did not favor running the fair wide open,
but fair could not be run as a Sunday
School. Some people wanted to see
pumpkins and potatoes, others wanted
horse racing, and others bicycling. There
were still others who wanted the usual
fair and if it could not be furnished here.
then our people would go to Trenton and
elsewhere.
Alfred Stathem thought that the ad
dress of Mr.. Garrison had the right ring,
and he would like to have more than one
share of the stock.
Edward w. Starn. as one of the Execu.
tive Committee, said that it had been
suggested that the society should take n
Salem county, and make the fair of both
counties. He thought the suggestion
was worthy of consideration.