The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1916-11-11
FAIR DIRECTORS MEET.
Resignation of secretary-Manager
Vickers Accepted with Regret.

ViCkeTS Accepted with Regret.
t A meeting Of the directors of tn
= South Louisiana Fair was held Oc
20 for the purpose of receiving a re
3 port on the recent fair, awarding tn
capital premium of $3.50, and actin
, on the resignation of Secretary-Mar
ager R. S. Vickers.
The report of the treasurer, Will
not yet complete, showed that the gat
receipts of the 1916 fair approx
, mated $500, an increase of about 6
per cent over last years receipts an
more than double the receipts in 1914
The report showed that there are nov
eleven buildings ON the fair grounds
which with the permanent improve
ments and the twenty-five acres o
land comprised in the enclosure rep
resent an investment of abou
$22, 900.
i The following letter from Secre
tary-Manager Vickers was read:
i tDonaldsonville, La, Oct. 20, 1916
"To the President and Directors O.
the South Louisiana Fair Asso
ciation:
/ "Gentlemen:-Permit me to sub
nit herewith my resignation as secre
tary manager of your fair association
to go into effect Immediately upon the
election and qualification of my sue
cessor, or in default of such election
at the end of thirty days.
'Theareasons that impel me to this
decision We several, but / trust it will
be deemed sufficient by you for me
to say that it is no longer humanity
possible for one man to occupy the
| dual position of principal of the Don
aldsonville High School and secretary
manager of this fair, and at the same
time do justice to either.
"The fair has now reached stage
in it's development when it requires
the undivided attention of manager.
Its rapid growth as shown by the fol-
lowing figures proves that it has be-
come an important factor in the agri-
cultural and industrial development
of south Louisiana, that it is logically
situated, and that it can be built up
into much larger institution preg-
nant of permanent good to our sec
ton.
In 1913 the total gate receipts
amounted to $1,000; in 1914 to $2400:
in 1915 to $1,000, and in 1916 to
$500, practically an increase of so
per cent each year. The permanent
buildings on the ground, now number
eleven, which, with the other improve
ments and including the land, repre-
sent an investment of about $4,000.
However, much remains to be
done. Both an agricultural and
school building are sorely needed.
Further delay in providing proper ex-
hibit facilities for these two most inn
+ portant t. departments vii seriously re-
Before long provision will have to be
made for additional space for swine
and cattle exhibits, as was demon
strated at the recent fair.
And so it will be from year to
year. The fair cannot afford to mark
time. It must grow, and grow stead
lily to eventually succeed. All of this
means increasing work for the man.
ager. and for me to attempt longer to
combine the exacting duties of high
school principal with the ever-grow-
ing work of the fair will result in still
more mistakes and oversights than
occurred at past fairs and finally spell
failure and disaster.
II trust it will not be considered
unwarranted or presumptuous ON my
part if at this juncture / suggest that
in order to assure the permanency of
the fair it is absolutely necessary to
place. it on sounder financial basis.
The fair is in excellent shape as such
institutions go, but the hand-to- o-mouth
existence it has led, with no reserve
fund to fall back on in case of adj
verse conditions, is hazardous in the
extreme. Furthermore, the possess
sion of sufficient funds to form bud
get Of expenditures and to do neces-
sary work at the proper time instead
of having to depend entirely on the
action of police juries ard crowd all
building Construction in the last few
weeks bee0re the fair, will obviate
much of the confusion and unneces-
sary expense that have characterized
all of our past fairs.
I'm conclusion, permit me to ex-
press the qualification which | shall
always feel because of my most pleas
ant association with the gentlemen of
this board. It is needless to express
my regret at severing these official
relations, and to assure you that am
actuated only by the most urgent mo-
tives. Respectfully,
"R. s.. VICKERs."
The rasiunat;op of MI. yioLare z1yac
accepted, to go into effect at the end
of thirty days, andaRe was given
vote of thanks for his services.
A committee composed of Messrs.
Walter Lemann, Waiter Godchaux,
Leo A. Marrero, Lewis E. MurreH and
Geo. Fl. DeRussy was appointed to
formulate plan for placing the fair
on a firmer financial basis, with in
structions to report at a special meet
ing of the directors to be called for
that purpose.
It was found impossible to reconcile
the conflicting claims of the parishes
Of Jefferson, Iberville. and Assump-
ton with respect to the capital pre-
MUM of $3.50 to the parish winning
the greatest number of points, and af-
ter much discussion it was agreed to
postpone the awarding of the pre-
MUM until next year.
October Weather.
The month just closed was charac-
terized by an unusually large number
4. L l.