Mexico weekly ledger., 1908-09-10
GHAU7AUQUANS
PIC MIC
GATHERING OFF PROMINENT MEN
AND VOlEN ARE MOST EARHB-
SIASfIC
OVER 100 WERE PRESENT AND
GATHERED ABOUT A JOLLY
CAMP FIRE-HoVEMEET TO BE
PUSHED TO SUCCESS NOW THAT
THE FAIR is ovER-MASs MEET
ING IN TIE COURT HOUSE SOON

nv a. 49, VIVA
1t was q jolly party Of over q humid
red Chautauquan's that gathered on
the old golf links near the Missouri
Military Academy, Friday evening.
speeches we're made and much enthu-
siasm aroused and definite moves dis
cussed that could beacted uponat the
next mass meeting.
The crowd gathered at five O'Clock
when a huge camp Gre was built to
boil the coffee. At six O'Clock q most
delicious luncheon was served by the
ladies during which the speeches were
made. The picnic did not adjourn
until long after the moor had risen.
Atty. Geo. Robertson acted as chair
man and the following spoke. Mrs.
Jennie Durkee, W. w. Pollock, the
Rev. G. NJ. Aker, the Rev. A. A.
Wallace, Mrs. S. P. Emmons, r. d.
Worrell, R, V. Montague, Mrs. J Nj.
Pollard.
The following Communication read
by Mrs. Durkee is from a practical
Chautauquan who has made a success
OF summer assemblies. The plan to
he followed by the local movement
will adhere closely to the suggestions
made in the letter.
Mrs. Jennie Durkee. Mexico, No.
Shelbyville, H., Aug, is, 1905
Dear Mrs. Durkee: am taking my
irst leisure moment to answer your
very interesting letter. In the first
place, experince has proven that
lone man"C haua1quas never succeed.
By one man, | mean assemblies owned
and controlled by a single family con-
Quoted chiefly for profit. Such an
enterprise should be owned by as
many business men as possible, with
out the idea Of profit, but for the
beneft Of tie town, investing all the
earnings in improvements.
When 1t is run for profit, all the
talent is employed with the idea OF
making as much money as possible,
and giving the public no more than
they have to, instead Of giving it all
they possibly can. The people soon
find this out, and they quietly with
draw their interest and support
In the second place no assembly
succeeds as a temperance proposition.
People are sick and tired OF having
nonsense hammered into them all the
time. 1t is worse than sickness. Ii
this state they hold five 10 seven day,
what they Gail q Temperance Chau'
tauqua" bringing all their talent
singers, speakers and a big raft o.
preachers for a certain guarantee
They are usually 6Zzles.
Neither does IL pay TO emphasiz
the religious idea TOO much. Mi
Douthit at Lithia makes the mis-
take Of filling his program largel
with preachers, and the patrons hav,
q right 70 object. Religion aud TEN
perance are only two very small dc
partments OF q well conducted Assem-
bly,.
Our people here began by buyin
the Fair Grounds for 5000. The
sold 500 worth Of stock 10 80 bus
ness men to pay for it, and bonded
for improvements, each stOckhoide
taking $500 worth of bonds. The
built an auditorium holding 5000 pei
sons for 5000, cement walks, a sma
lake and cement swimming-poo
They still owe several Thousand bu
are cutting 1t down every year an
making substantial improvements.
/ see no reason why the same thin
can not be done in Mexico. On th
first Sunday when Billy Sunday spok
the gate receipts for daily admisslo
were s1S65. They depend here largel
on one or two prominent men lik
Sam Jones was, or Billy Sunday an
VIM. J.Bryan are, to make them the
profit and they always do IL Tn
worst thing that can happen is
heavy rain on one OF the big Sundays
On. those days they put up a guarante
TO the railroads to get them TO ru
excursions. | think our people pa
about $1,000 each year for talent. Ye
terday they had Wells St Lou
Worlds Fair band for two concert
They paid them $3.50 and the dali
receipts almost paid for the attractio
yesterday. Everybody said the con
certs alone were worth the price {
the season tickets. Season tickets ar
sold at 81 so early in the season an
after that for s2.o0.
Asa rule they have round tabl
talks in the morning, lectures In til
afternoon and entertainments la tn
evening, the last Two always pre-
ceded by music. They wind up th
programs with moving pictures ever
night. That holds the crowds. Thei
theory here is TO have an ab1ndanc
Of music always and plenty Of amuse
ment at night. They sell from 1000 |
$500 season tickets before the meetin
opens,always have 1t late In the seaso
50 as not 70 interfere with harvest an
always turing moonlight. The sale 0
season tickets practically pays for th
talent In case they have a rain.
session. Their receipts for Concession
are large. They found it very prohta
able 10 buy and own their own tent
as the rent on such goods is high
They use board floors for nearly all 0
them and most all Of them have flies
The management Is In the hand q
an executive committee Of FIVE, eacI
one having charge Of some department
Or. WeSteryelt Is the one who employ
all the talent. The rest approve 0
what he does. His policy is to selec
the best from all the bureaus, rattle
than get it all from one; also to re
ENGAGED on the spot the best talen
1 that comes. and fill IN the rest of tn