The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1909-12-08

John Lacy of the fair grounds was
relieved from duty by the fair COM
mission Friday and the published rea-
son was that "of the s35, 900 appro-
priated for improvements and main
tenance for the coming two years
over $4,000 has already been ex-
pended. Kloeber says that he has no
doubt that $500 at the outside
would cover all the Improvements
hat have been made If the money
had been economically expended. Mr..
Lacy himself. according to the books,
has drawn s4,S7S.13. OF this amount
he was paid s1,1S3.5O for the use of
two teams since April 1, for which
the commission has furnished drivers
and feed"
No Question of Honesty.
Under the commission rules every
voucher sent in to the state treasurer
must bear the signature of the secre-
tary and president of the state fair
commission. Asked if it was intend
ed to suggest that the difference be-
tween the $4,000 and the $4,S73 ex-
pended by Mr.. Lacy had as many
people thought was implied, been
misused by other members of the
commission DR.. Kloeber said such
was not the case.
Il want to be plain about this mat
ter" he said Understand, pri-
marily that the former president is
out of the question. He was as able
and upright a man as there was to be
found but he was also busy one. He
could not give his time in detail to
the management of the fair The re
suit is that the fair has not got
value received for its money. Every
thing is there all right so far as the
vouchers and all that are concerned.
There is no question of honesty in
volved. There has been, however.
bad mana cement. The money of
which you ask has been expended for
materials but the buying has been
done loosely For instance: Con-
crete work requiring about 100 bar
rels of cement has been contemplated.
The cement has been purchased three
or four bags at a time at the highest
retail price.
Want All People to Inspect.
Il wish every citizen of North Yak
ina and every citizen of the state who
can would go to the fair grounds and
see what We have there. We are
really in a worse position than we
would be If nothing had been under
taken. The work is half done, so
per cent of our money is gone and
we have the alterations still to carry
out. If nothing had been touched we
would have had our money and
grounds that are not torn up or rather
not half altered.
e 1--WE want the public to inform it.
self on these things. for, like us, they
will be surprised to learn of them
The public thinks that we have re-
established grounds and $4,000 in
money on which to hold the fair of
next year. We have neither and we
are almost discouro gcd. No charges
are made AGAINST anyone. The SIM
pie fact is that there has been cxtrav-
aEance ana laXity.
Books in Fine shape.
"Anothor thing ! want to say i
that the books of IT. T. Spencer. act
ing secretary, are in perfect condi-
ton. Mr.. Lacy has vouchers for ev-
cry cent that went through his hands
In fact everything is all right except
that the state has MT GOT work %,
improvements to represent the expcn-
/ 1iture. Take the case of the team
hire paid to Mr. Lacy as an illustra-
/ ton. That amounted to $1.1S3.5C
since April I, last. Now under GOO
management four horses to do thai
work could have been procured for
say $500. The work would have beer
lone and the state would still have
the horses as an asset and nearly
5000 it has expended on that one
item alone.
1--WE propose to ask the state foI
an auditing and that it t9ke an in
ventory of its holdings and apprais,
their value. We want the state anc
the public to know what we are re
ceiving. Some day we will have tt
hand it over to our successors anC
we want it's records clear.
For myself. I propose to make m!
home here. I do not want to explain
for the balance of my life about TIT
pointed to as the man who had $25,
600 with which to make a fair whei
| haven't it. Finally, | want to sa,
that | firmly believe that Mr. Lacy j
an honest man and competent one
think also that he was allowed to-
much freedom and he didn't know
exactly how to use it"
superintendent LaCy's View.
superintendent Lacy last nigh
stated to The Herald that he had n
system Of go. X" as stated. He ha,
vouchers for everything and coul,