Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-07-08
HOMECOMING EVENT
IS THING OF THE PAST
Was Attended by Tremendous
Crowds Two Days.
Hundreds of Former Residents Spent
a Very Enjoyable Week, in
Spite of Bad Weather.


six-day home coming carnival and
4th of July celebration have come
and passed into history. and it IS
safe to say that seldom, If ever, have
a set of committees contended with
more discouraging drawbacks in
an affair of this kind than those
which beset the men who have had
the management of this event in
hand.
First of all, in the conduct OF a
street carnival as it is commonly
understood, is the securing of a
carnival company-a combination
of tent shows, open-air performan-
ces, merry go-round and kindred
amusement acts with which to
entertain the public who attend the
carnival. These cost a lot of money.
Two years ago a company Of this
kind was secured by giving them a
guarantee of several hundred dol
lars and contracting that they
should receive practically nine
tenths of the money taken In by
their shows; also that any addition
al shows that might come here of
their own accord should pay the
lions share of the license fee charg-
ed this carnival company. AS 1t
finally turned out the carnival COM
pany brought only a few very
''bum" attractions and nearly all
the really good shows were thoge
that came independently, and yet
the carnival company got the pro-
ceeds and carried away over thous-
and dollars of good money, while
the committee and business men
generally went down into their own
pockets and paid the bills of expense.
This year, owing to recent state
law. which taxes all travelling shows
$50 and all carnival companies 800
for a license to do business in Wis
cousin. the committee failed up to
within a few days of the carnival to
locate a single carnival company
within the states borders. Nego
tiations had been in progress with
Co.'S. in Chicago, st. Paul and else
where, which demanded most exact.
ing and exhorbitant terms, but a
contract was finally entered into
with the Kemp Carnival Co. which
was rated as a large and reliable
company, the committee having to
agree to pay state and city licenses,
furnish SIS worth of electricity,
free grounds, etc. allow the company
to retain practically all of the
receipts charged for admission to
the shows, and pay a neat sum
besides for the open air attractions.
These excessive terms were acced-
ed to simply because no better
could be had, and then at the last
moment the carnival company
treacherously betrayed the commit
tee by violating their contract and
failing to appear, as was stated In
last Wednesdays Herald.
AS last desperate resort meet
ing of the committee was held and
a man conversant with show
matters and acquainted with show
people hurried to Chicago on fast
train Tuesday night, with pledge
from the committee that they would
guarantee any sum of money neces-
sary to secure as good lot of shows
as could be obtained on such short
notice. and that the shows must be
here and ready for business by
Thursday noon.
Mr.. Schede, who went as the
committees representative, and who
is a Snowman himself, doing strong
man" specialties, wired the commit
tee that he had been successful and
would arrive here with. his people
on the noon train, Thursday, which
he did.
In the meantime tents were tele-
phoned for from Madison and
came by express Wednesday even
ing, were set up that night and
provided with hastily prepared
stages and seating arrangements,
so that during Thursday, Friday
and Saturday very good ten cent
shows were given several times
day and enjoyed by many hundreds
of people. OF course the committee
had to stand for more or less criti-
cism and Ill natured and sarcastic
remarks from people who did not
lift finger or pay cent them
selves toward the success of the
celebration, but this was to be
expected, as it is always the case,
but all fair-minded people will have