The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-04-02
REPORT NOT SEVERE
BUT AT THAT STATE FAIR MAN
AGEMENT CRITICISED SOME
Minnesota House Investigating Commit
tee Finds Evidences of Lax Business
Methods; Recommends That No More
Passes to Grandstand Be Given; Sec
ton Regarding Privileges; No In
ventory of Property.

Careless business methods i'm some
particulars are charged to the managers
of the state fair in the report of the
special house committee named to in
vestgate the big Hamline institution,
says The Minneapolis Journal The re-
port was submitted today with the sign
atures of the committee, j. r. Johnson
of Fergus Falls, Elmer King of Little
Falls, Thomas kneeland of Minneapolis.
Oscar Christensen of st. Paul and Dr. j..
r. Phillips of Mortified.
The report is not severe i'm its criti-
cisms, but contains several statements of
lax financial management The commit
tee found that no bonds had been given
by the secretary and treasurer for 1909,
although since its inquiry the secretary
has filed a $40, 900 bond and the treas
mittee finds that even under bond the
officers cannot be held liable for the sur
plus funds on hand, since they are de-
posted in banks by resolution of the
board of managers. The deposits draw
three per cent interest, but ii is alleged
they are placed in banks in which mem
bers Of the board hold stock
Superintendent of Amusements.
The report finds that B. +. Gregory
was employed last year to superintend
amusements. at a salary of $4,000 a year,
but was not required to give his whole
, time, and that he purchased all the fire
works used last fall from the Gregory
| Fireworks company of Chicago, i'm which
he is interested. No bids seem to have
! Dttn asked, ana MT. represent
! ed both the society and the said Gre
cory Fireworks company i'm this trans
action" the report reads.
The board is criticised for not pro-
tecting the insurance when buildings are
, let to outside parties. The board of con-
troll places the insurance, and should
thinks the committee be properly mott
fled of each subletting. so as to get the
necessary permit from the insurance
companies Otherwise it might be i'm
possible to recover i'm case of loss.
The committee seconds the recommen-
dation of the public examiner that a
better system of bookkeeping be installed
and recommends that a competent book
keeper be employed during the entire
year.
No inventory of the fairs property had
committees. One has now been taken,
and it is recommended that this be done
annually.
Cut Off Grandstand Passes.
No more passes to the grandstand will
be given hereafter, if the committees re-
port is followed. On the subject of adj
missions the committee says:
The records for 1908 show that there
were issued for that year 47.276 general
admission complimentary tickets, 49O4S
grandstand complimentary tickets, 81, 900
helpers general admission tickets to ex-
hibitors. cOncessioners, etc. 1856 badges.
All of these tickets We're nontransfer-
able and could only be used by the
owner thereof. The report of the super
Vi SdttS SHOWS tlldt there We're
taken 1876 general admission compli-
mentary tickets. 11,416. grandstand comp
limentary tickets. 3l.S17 general admis-
sion helpers tickets. 25.551 general ad-
mission on badges, Il, $50 admission on
grandstand badges.
The total number of paid admission
tickets was 251 059. and the total num-
Der of paid erandstand tickets 12S, 297.
Ihere are good reasons for refusing to
issue or allow anything but paid admis-
sions to the grandstand, and we recon-
mend that the board of managers here
AFTER refuse to allow anything but paid
admissions thereto.
Deals in Privileges.
Under the head of privileges the re-
port says:
Theoretically. the privileges have been
sold or granted to the highest bidder. but
the evidence shows that the sale of sal
privileges was left entirely to the suDer-
lntendent of privileges, who i'm many in
stances. sold the same without receiving
DluS Tor them, and in some instances re-
iuslng bids for larger amount and SELL
ing the privileges for a smaller amount
the character of the party receiving the
privilege being taken into considera ton
The evidence shows that i'm 1904. r. F.
Jones OF Minneapolis made q contract
with the board of managers for the use
OF the racetrack and necessary grounds
Tor the holding of an amateur event on
August IL, and u.s. The board contends
and the evidence shows that said Tones
violated the conditions of said contract
and that the board Cancelled his contract
returned TO him the money deposited and
refused TO him the use of said track and
grounds.
In its search of the records. the com
mlttee was unable to find the original
diatt OF the bylaws adopted i'm 1888.