Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-10-20
NO MORE ROOM FOR
STATE FAIR PARK
PUBLIC LAND COMMISSIONERS
REFUSE TO PURCHASE FLEm-
ING TRACT.
COMMITTEE OF STATE soAR0 OF
AGRICULTURE 2 TO I ON
PROPOSITION.

Madison, Oct. IA
The commissioners of public lands.
Secretary of State James A. Frear.
Attorney General Frank L. Gilbert
and state Treasurer A. II. Dahl, yes
terday fatty refused to purchase ad-
di.ional land for state fair grounds
under the provisions of the act Of the
last Legislature appropriating $4,000
for that purpose.
The committee of the state legisla-
,ure which met with the commission
ers to discuss the matter was made
up of President George McKerrow oil
Pewaukee, George Wylie of Morrison
Vile and William McLaren of Nil
waukee-three doughty Scotchmen.
by the way. The committee was di-
vided in its demand upon the COM
missioners, Mr.. McLaren seeking the
negot iation of deal for the purchase
of what is known as the Fleming
tract, consisting of narrow strip OF
some three or four acres of low
marsh land adjoining the fair grounds.
The other members of the committee,
Messrs. McKerrow and Wylie, were
in favor of buying another tract OF
ten acres TO the west OF the grounds
at $1,000 per acre. Their proposition
was submitted in the form OF ma
jority committee report as follows:
ITO the commissioners of public
lands of the state of wisconsin.
Gentlemen: The undersigned
members of a committee appointed
by the Wisconsin state board of agrl-
culture to consult with you with ref
erence to the purchase of lands to be
added to the present state fair
grounds, beg leave to report, that the
portion of the tract of land known as
the Fleming tract which is offered
for your considera ion, is, on ac-
count of location and character OF
land, untitled for the use for which
the board of agriculture requires
more land.
1--WE find, however, that the piece
of land containing some 10 acres, ~
ing across the street west of the state
fair grounds, and known as the
Cheney tract" is for sale at $1,000
per acre, and could easily be connect
ed with the present grounds, either
by overhead passage, or subway,
and would be available as a location
for a machinery exhibit or other pur-
poses.
I'VE, therefore, ask the commits
sioners to purchase this last de-
scribed tract with the required part
of the money app oprlated for the
purpose of purchasing lands for the
use of the board OF agriculture.
signed George McKerrow,
George Wylie.
Madison, Wis, Oct. II, 1909
lie ter; from Senator George b.
Hudnan and the legislative committee
on state fair were also presented and
after the commissioners had given
the matter consideration it was unan-
imously voted not o make a purchase
of either tract--for the present al
least,
The bill which provided for the
purchase of additional land for the
state fair grounds was one that orig
mated in Milwaukee and had no
sanction by the state board and
while it was promoted for the pur-
pose of selling to the state this par
ticular piece Of land known as the
Fleming tract, yet the specific provIs-
ion is not in the bill. The matter of
this purchase had been before the
state board Of agriculture and that
body had voted not to buy it and
Messrs. McKerrow and Wylie main
tain that in view of that action by
the board they could not enter into