The Columbus weekly dispatch., 1908-11-19
NO MORE
COUNTY FAIRS
STOCKHOLDERS OF MISSISSIPPI
AND WEST ALABAMA FAIR
ASSOCIATION TO SELL
ALL PROPERTY.
Buildings VIII BE Torn Down and
Grounds Divided Into City Lots.
and Then So4d-No More
Fairs VIII Be Held.

: There will no fair in Columbu
next fall.
This fact was definitely settled a
a meeting of the stockholders of tn.
Mississippi and West Alabama Fail
Association which was held ar ths
courthouse Monday morning, and a
which a resolution empowering the
board of directors TO tear down the
buildings and sell the grounds te
the best possible advantage was
adopted by practically unanimous
vote
At a meeting of the stockholders
which was held on November Sth
the reports of the secretary and treas
urer showed the association 10 be
deeply in debt, and it was generally
understood at that time that the
property would have TO be sold and
the annual exhibitions of the aSsocia-
| tion discontinued, but a few OF the
!. stockholders thought that by pursu-
/ ing more progressive methods the
fairs could be made to pay. and after
the matter had been discussed at
! length it was decided to appoint a
committee to make a thorough in
veStigation of the finances of the as
sociation and see if it was possible
to devise some plan by which the in
debtedness could be paid of and the
organization remain intact.
A committee, consisting of DR.. r
S. Curry, Hon. il. Sturdivant and
Mr.. w. Fl. Carter, was appointed to
make. the investigation as outlined
above, and at the meeting which was
held last Monday Mr.: Carter, who
acted as spokesman; stated that. the
committee, = after having carefully
gone into every phase of the matter.
could, think of no practical plan by
which the Indebtedness could be paid
off and the association restored TO
soIyency Mr. Carter presented
statement Showing the total indebto
edness of the association to be about
s6,IT0. OF this amount $5,44S.32
is due the Merchants and Farmers
Bank for. money borrowed and ac-
crped einterest thereon and the re-
niafnder is due officers Of the asso-
citation. and Sthe public generally
None of the officers have received
their salaries for several years, and
besides a number of miscellaneous
bills the association owes several
hundred dollars in premiums on ex-
hibits.
After Mr.. Carter had submitted his !,
report showing the condition OF the
associations finances, there was a I
general discussion of how the money
could be raised and the organization
continued, but while many ideas were /
advanced none seemed entirely prac-
ticab1e, and it was finally decided to 4
sell the property, and after paying I
off all Indebtedness, dissolve the as
ISOLATION.
Col Walter Weaver offered a res
olution providing that the grand
stand and other buildings be torn
down and the lumber sold and that
the ground be divided into city lots
and sold to the best possible adran-
tage This motion prevailed, having
carried by a practically unanimous
vote.
A number of suggestions were of
tered as TO the best plan for dispos-
ng of the lots but it was finally de-
,ided to leave these details to the
directors, and at a meeting OF the
BOARD held directly after the stock
,olders' meeting, President Arm
strong appointed d COMMITTEES, con-
;isting of DR.. John Oliver, Mr.. e S.
Moore and Mr.. W. S. Muslin, to look
after the work.
AS stated above. the mortgage on
he property is owned by the Mer-
hants and Farmers Bank, and when
he action of the meeting was report
ID to the bank officials 1t was found
hat they objected to dismantiing the
air grounds. SO the buildings. for r
he present at least, will remain In
act. and an effort will be made to
dispose of the property at It stands.