The age-herald., 1901-09-26
Meetingo of Directors and Stock
 holders Held Last Night
10 RAISE $5,OOO GUARANTEE
Robert Jemison Offers to Be One of Ten Men to Contribute the Amount-Arranoe to &c.,
 cure Promoter.

It was practically decided last week that no fair would be held here this fall, but last night the board of directors of the State Fair Association met at the Commercial Club, reopened the question and took steps that will result, it is be- lieved in having an exhibition begin on Monday, October 2S, next.
 In the absence of the acting president of the association, Mayor w. M. Drennen, Secretary John W. O'Neill. upon the re- ceipt of information that the lessor of the fair grounds would not allow the lease to hold unless a fair was held this year, called a meeting of the board for the purpose of considering the matter and taking some action. Stockholders of the association other than the directors, as well as citizens in general, were invited to be present and take part in the dis cussion, and quite large number re- sponded
 Members of the board who attended were Oliver Chalifoux Robert Jemison, M V. Joseph, D. J. Fox, w. H. F. Mos ley, Ferd Marx, T. s. Pounds and Mir. ONeill and among the stockholders and others present were Moxie Fies, Sam Gaf- ford A. J. Krebbs, s. H. Barron, w. H. Jones, M. L. Bennie, James Leath, c. E. Meglemry, M. Wilson and Charles Rob- erts.
 MT. Chalifoux was called to the chair, and H. A. Richardson acted as secre- tary.
 Discuss the Situation.
 After the chair had explained the situ- ation and the object of the meeting, there was a brief discussion as to the feasibili- ty of undert aking, this late in the sea- son, fair this year. MT. o'Neill said 1t would be bad thing for the association to forfeit its lease and loose all the im- provements that had been made upon the grounds To this proposition the meeting seemed to give its assent.
 MT. ONeill said he held in his hand let ters from farmers manufacturers and midway people, making inquiries about the fair, and signifying their readiness to take part in It.
 1t Is Not Too Late.
 MT. Jemison said 1t was not, in his opinion, too late to arrange for a fair, provided the right sort of man could be secured to promote" it or take charge of 1t. MT. Joseph, MT. Fies, MT. Fox and others agreed with Mr. Jemison. MT. Jemson said he would be one of ten to guarantee $5000 with which to run the fair. If there was any money left after the expenses were paid, the guarantors would get 1t. If 1t was run without profit and the S5o0O was used up then the guar antors would pocket their loss. MT. Jem- ison said he would not be willing to go on the street and solicit subscriptions that the guarantee plan was the only one that he would approve He believed that instead of losing the amount guaranteed, the guarantors would make money by the operation. The question was whether ex- hibits could be secured and a promoter found who would be competent to man. age the fair.
 At this point MT. O'Neill read two let ters. The first was from T. H. Martin, secretary of the Southern Interstate Fair, in which he said that the fair at Atlanta would close October 26 and the fair at Savannah would open November 6; that two weeks between the dates named could be given to Birmingham and that in this way the State Fair As- sociation would have the benefit of a rac- ing circuit which would include horses that could not be had without this cir cult. The second letter was from J. H. Mcknight. It was dated South Calera, Ala, and was addressed to his friend, A. J. Krebbs. MT. Mcknight wrote that he had had large experience in the man. agement of fairs In the states of New York and Pennsylvania, and would be glad to promote a State Fair in Bir- mingham. He was a newspaper man, he said, and had been in charge of the New York Tribune's fair department for number of years. This fact, he thought, would give him decided advantage, as he could write up the enterprise in good style; could, in fact. act as his own press agent. He concluded by asking MT. Krebbs to lay his letter before the association MT. Krebbs being called upon to tell what he knew of Mir. Mc- Knight said he took pleasure in endors- ing him. He knew him as a successful man in managing the colonization society at South Calera. He spoke of him as man of excellent address and of wonder full energy, and was. he thought. the very man the association needed at this juncture. A telegram, he said, would bring Mir. Mcknight to Birmingham to- day.
 Send for MT. Mcknight.
 MT. Krebbs' remarks were listened to with close attention, and MT. O'Neill was requested to wire to Mr. Mcknight and ask him to appear before the board of