Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1905-10-17
Lewis and Clark Exposition, a d
Mr.. Goode was not the origina-

MI. 0OOuG Was uOl luS OllSlEd-
tor.
When Mr.. Goode was made
director general it was with the
concise and definite understand
ing that before taking action he
would consult all committees in
the different departments and
notify them OF meetings.
This plan was carried out until
ninety-days before the opening of
the Fair, when Mr.. Goode aban-
doned calling committee meet
ings and took the bit in his own
teeth.
The executive and sub-com-
mittees put up with this treat
ment until just before the open
ing of the Fair, when a general
meeting was called to extract
from Mr.. Goode financial state
ment of the affairs Of the Exposi-
ton.
Mr.. Goode stated that he had
been to busy to prepare an exact
statement, but said the Fair
started practically free from debt
and that all debts were paid ex-
cept the pay roll of the current
month, amount not specified. He
was asked what the expense of
maintaining the Exposition
would be, and he answered it
could easily be kept within
81, 500 per day, and would not,
he thought, exceed $2, 900.
A few days later the auditor
presented a record showing the
Fair $50, 900 in debt.
The statement of the Fair for
JULY and August shows the ex-
penses to have been practically
81, 900 per day, Notwithstanding
the assertion made by Mr.. Goode
of easily keeping the expendi-
ture inside of 81. 500.
In the middle of August ad-
vertisements for bids for bnilding
the stock sheds were sent out
and opened by Messrs. Goode and
Huber without calling the Build
ing and Ground committee into
consultation.
| The unfortunate lowest bidder
was notified that his bid was ac-
cepted, but the contract was moi
ready to sign. He was told tc
go ahead, however, without de-
lay, as only twenty days would
elapse before the sheds must be
completed. The contractor wen,
ahead, ordered material, teams,
ETC., and two days later was mott
fed to stop proceedings as it hao
been decided to put up the pen:
: by 'tforce'' work.
The contractor is now prepar
ing to sue the Fair Management
for breach of contract, and NJ
doubt will recover damages.
Bat the end is not yet. 4
: committeeman hearing of thi
transaction and being of an in
vestigating turn of mind foun'
that the contract for building tn
stock pens had been let subse
!, quent to the opening of the pub
!. lie bids to Messrs. Huber an
Scott, two OF the Fair officials.
The public would like to hav
this little matter explained.
This irrepressible committee
man, while at the Fair ground
= investigating the stock pen dea'
fell foul of the secretary's des
and found the auditors repol
showing heavy bank overdraf
and then began an investigate
: into the financial affairs of th
Exposition.
; He found that Mr.. Goode
. verbal report to the committe
before the opening of the Fa
/ was false and misleading. +
l. found that subsequent to Il
t. making of the statement ther
q had come in bills to the amour
5. of $14o, 900 that had been char
e ed to the pre-Exposition perio'
$, making the indebtedness of tt
'e Fair on opening day practical
a $I74, 900 instead of a nomin
le $25, 900.
lg Mr.. Goode is going to be {
g lowed to explain this slight di
crepancy.
e. As soon as this little matt
t. was brought to light this san
to irrepressible committeeman wre
a. a personal letter to each of t
as members of the board of dire