The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-03-03
President of Valley Fair As
sOciatiOn Again with
Same Assistants
WARM DISCUSSION
ABOUT ATTRACTIONS

1t Is Expected That the Dates of
the Fair Will Be September 10, 20
and 81.
In the annual meeting of the Valley
Fair association, held this morning at
| II 0 clock in the parlor of the Brooks
! House, the old board of officers was re-
| elected unanimously, the secretary be-
ing instructed to cast one vote for the
election. When the roll of shareholders
| was called by Treasurer F. c. Adams
/ at the opening of the meeting p
! Shares were represented
The officers elected are: President.
| Q. F. Benson of Brattleboro; vice pres
idents, f. l.. Houghton of Putnev and
+. III. Babbitt of Bellows Falls: secre-
! tary and general superintendent, W.
A. Shumway of Brattleboro; treasurer.
Frederick c. Adams of Brattleboro:
executive committee, o. F. Benson,
chairman, ex-officio, A. B. Clapp, w. a.
Shumway, L. +. Holden and r. H..
| Briggs; auditors, H. b. Chamberlain.
ii. T. Wellman and George l.. Dunham
! President Benson, in opening the
meeting, said that while the fair
opened and closed with rainy davs. in
all ways except the weather. it was
the best fair ever conducted by the as
soe1ation. The exhibitions of Morgan
horses and others was never before so
good. The association finds itself con-
/ fronted with debt of So 400 of which
about $1,000 is directly chargeable to
the weather. There is no reason to be
discouraged but rather members should
get together and this year put the bal
i ance on the other side of the ledger.
/ tsNnHIfTpnE
parking automobiles, there should be
some additions to the cattle sheds.
new agricultural building and an under
pass under the track and a midway
properly managed. but, all these will
come IN good time with a continued be-
lief at home that the fair is a good
thing for Brattleboro and for the sur
rounding territory.
The reports of the secretary and
treasurer We're read and approved with
out debate. Treasurer Adams said that
/ ne did not believe that it. is possible
to increase the revenues now received
from concessions and for privileges as
he believed they are about at the top
notch and that the only increase in re-
celpts must come from increased at
tendance.
E. c. Crosby asked how the premiums
paid compared with those paid by other
fairs and President Benson replied that
they compared favorably with all fairs
IN this vicinity with the possible ex-
ceptioh of the state fair. On cattle
and horses they are not quite so high
as five or six years ago, but these aud
all others are as low now as they can
be and not materially hurt the fair.
ii. B. Chamberlain read the report
of the auditors, which was accepted.
/ Dennison Cowles moved that the see
retary east one ballot for the re-elec-
tion of the old board of officers and
! this was DONE
II. B. Chamberlain wanted to know
If 1t were not possible to have the
time for the fair shifted one week and
escape the equinoctial storm. President
Benson replied that there is hope of a
revision of the schedule of fairs so
that the state fair will come last and
the Brattleboro fair be advanced one
week in date but this has not been
brought about. He did not believe that
the week of the local fair is necessarily
one that means rain
+. G. Crosby urged that the younger
people of the section take hold of the
fair and do more of the booming.
Carl s. Hopkins asked if the officers
had ever considered having a speaker
OF national reputation present. Presi
ucilt benson feplled that 1t had been
considered. He told of attending the
/ Greenfield fair where no attention was
paid to a speaker. 1t is hard to get
people at a fair to listen to an address.
/ President Butler of the Greenfield
fair said having a speaker is a mistake,
based on his experience.
W. I'll. Gocher, secretary of the
American Trotting association, said
that IN Connecticut they had found
where speaker could be secured who
was an exhibit he was worth some
thing. President Taft and Col. Roose-
welt had each been worth about $4,000
to the fair in Hartford Secretary
Daniels was frost and champ Clark.
who was paid $3.50 to speak there, did
not amount to 30 cents.
Lyman E. Holden said that he could
not hear a word the lieutenant gov
ernor of Massachusetts said at the
Greenfield fair. Secretary w. A. Shum-
way was opposed to having a speaker.
President Benson said that last year
the directors voted to have a parade,
but encountered lack of interest. The
board of directors believe a parade one
of the best features of one day of the
fair and he served notice that the
; board would start early enough this
year and have a committee energetic
enough to put one through. A nigh.
carnival may be continued, if desired.
, he said but it does not mean to the
fair what a parade does His remarks
were applauded.
| Mr.. Holden wanted to know the
n e