The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1916-02-04
The A B CS
OF THE FAIR

The Blackfoot fair was established
in 1902.
&. The people who put up the money
received capital stock to the amount
of their respective contributions or
investments.
When more money was needed to
keep the enterprise going more stock
was sold in the corporation.
The men who bought the stock
generally bought it because the
board needed the money. None OF
them bought it for any profits af-
forded or promised.
Some of the men who bought
stock, did so because the directors
told them it might pay them on ac--
count of the rise in the, value OF
their property, due to the develop
nlent brought about by the fair.
1t was customary in the earlier
days of the fair to borrow money in
the fall to pay up the losses, and
then keep lookout for some new
man coming into the community with
some money, and get after him to
buy few hundred dollars worth
of fair stock. Out Of such sales they
would pay on the borrowed money
account.
In campaign years the old wise
boys of the fair board used to take
note of who was going to run for
office and tap" them to buy some
fair stock early in the campaign. It
gave them better standing with
''the boys" if the word was passed
out that he had shown his interest
in public matters and in the fair by
buying block of stock. The money
would be used. to pay ION that note"
at the bank.
When the fair stock fas all sold,
the old wise boys used to listen to
the grumblings of the fellows
who did not like the way it
was conducted and ask them why
they did not "get in" and help
to make it different or better. If
the fellow doing the grumbling pre-
dicted failure and said he wasn't
going to have anything more to do
with ii. they would ask him why he
didn't sell out and quit his kicking.
He would be pretty sure to retort
that he couldn't sell; that nobody
would buy fair stock; that anybody
would be darned fool to buy it con-
sidering the way 1t was run. Then
the old wise boys would tantalize
him further by telling him that he
wouldn't sell If he had buyer; that
he knew the stock was worth money
and If he had an offer he wouldn't
accent it. Then the wrathy man
would get ION his ear" and offer to
take about 25 cents on the dollar
and challenge the other man to buy
it which he would promptly do and
lay down some money The stock
would change hands during the heat
of anger and the tantalizer would go
around the block anu sell it again
to some candidate for face value
and use the money to pay ION that
note"
The man who invested 500 in
fair stock in 1902, could have loaned
the money at 10 per cent interest
and would have paid him back 500
by the year 1912. BY the year L. I6
it would have repaid him another
$40, and the principal would still be
due him. That would make his in
vestment worth $240, and he has not
learned yet when or from what
source he is going to get back even
the principal. If the fair has been
a public benefit, the profits of his
investment have gone to others as
well as to himself from this indirect
source,
If the fairgrounds are sold in city
lots, the race track built at consid-
cradle expense will be graded down
again. The skating rink will be
graded down, the swimming hole will
be filled up, the cattle sheds and the
horse stables will be torn down, the
exhibition buildings will no longer
be needed, the ball grounds will be
plated as streets and lots, and that
much of the present property will
be largely lost. There will not be
any ball games nor motorcycle races
nor auto races nor stock shows nor
skating parties unless somebody
finds a new location and spends some
money to rebuild what is slated to
be destroyed at the old tracks.