The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-10-11
KEEN SYNDICATE
HAS MADE SALE
Kos Harris Has Bought the
Fair Grounds.
PRICE PAID WAS S1O,598
That VIII Not Prevent a Great
Fair Here.
PRICE PAID WAS S1O,598

, The movement to buy the fair grounds
and to organize an association that would
hold great fair in this city every year
came to a sudden halt last evening when
it was whispered around that Kos Harris
had bought the fair grounds of the
Keene Syndicate.
1t has been known for some time that
Mr. Harrisaheld an option on tho. grounds
but the men who were working on the
fair project had no idea that he would
buy ii because of the length of time the
option had run. After the m;ltter had
been considered some OF the citizens
who are helping along the movement to
establish great fair thought this sale
OF the grounds would not defeat their
object.
Coler Sim is the agent for the Keene
Syndicate and when seen he confirmed
the report that the grounds had been
sold. He said that he did not know who
was the real buyer and that the con-
tract was made with Kos Harris as trus-
tee. He said Mr.. Harris had put up
money on the option on the grounds and
. before the option had expired had come
TO close the contract That was all that
he knew about it.
Kos Harris was seen in his Office and
when asked about the fair grounds he
said
4 did I went TO Afr. Sim about one
year ago 10 buy the fair grounds and
was told that !. B. Chandler held an OPP
ton on the grounds which would not ex-
pire until the 18th day Of last April, and
hoe 10 bafo
time.
Just as soon as Mr.. Chambers time
expired for completing his trade I went
TO Mr. Sim and secured an option on the
grounds until the 10th of this present
October. I paid him $500 at the time /
secured the option. and 1 have closed
the trade and win pay the balance OF the
money when the deed is made out and
ready to deliver
Mr.. Harris refused to state who was
interested in the purchase, but said that
he had bought it to make money on it,
and If the horsemen wanted it for a fair
grounds they could buy it of him. He
said 1t was for SALE and when asked at
what price, he said that he hail paid
$1059S for the grounds and that ON the
4th day of last July he was offerefl S2,e00
for his option and had refused it. He
said the track alone had cost $500 and
the whole cost of the grounds tc the
Keene people was over $4,000
Il walked down West Douglas avenue
last SPRING said Mr. Harris. "and L
saw a man starting big three-story
brick building next to the Missouri Pa
cific depot. 1 asked him if he was not
afraid to put up building like that; down
there without first having secured
renter for it. He replied: Wei. now, if
what you fellows have been saying about
Wichita is true. it is all right; and if you
have been lying to me, it is all wrong.
He went ahead with his building and
has it rented before it is finished. Now,
If Wichita is what we think it is. / guess
nv investment in the fair grounds Is all
right There are about 100 acres in the
b tract. and 1 guess it is worth $U0 an
acre ] am agent foc forty-acre tract
of land out this side of Fairmount that
belongs to an eastern man. a short time
ago I sent him a bid OF $50 an acre for
the land He wrote me to refuse the bid
because land in that location ought to be
worth more than farm land
\ reporter for the Eagle called On Els
berry Martin of the Kansas National
bank. and l. S. Naftzger OF the Fourth
National bank, who have been foremost
In the agitation in favor of buying the
fair grounds, and asked what they
thought of the sale - AIR. Harris. They
seemed TO be somewhat surprised. but
both of them said that would not dGfeat
the object because if he would not sell
them the grounds for reasonable price
they could buy somewhere else
S =. Amidon said that the people OF
this city were in favor OF holding a sood
fair here every fall and they ought 10
go ahead now that the thing has been
started. He said that just as soon as J.
B. Chandler returned an association
would be formed that would secure fair
grounds all right He said the horsemen
all liked the fair grounds and that was
the place He lad no doubt that they
could be secured at a reasonable prize
He was in favor of going ahead and
making great fair here AZ Wichita that
would be the biggest thing in the state
END is NOT YET.
Dawson Goodyear Case Is Again in