Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-09-26
DIRECTORS DECIDE THEY
CANNOT CONTINUE
WITHOUT HELP
DEBTS NOW Sl,89Il! SO!
WORST SHOWING IN IS YEARS or
ASSEMBLY Is REPORTED ~
SECRETARY IN ANNUAL STATE.
MENT TO OFFICERS.

The next ten days. during which
time the Illinois Valley Chautauqus
Association will prosecute viorous
campaign to secure contracts for 1850
admission tickets, will decide the fate
of the 1918 Assembly. At the annual
business meeting and election OF d.
rectors last night the concensus Of
opinion among officers Of the associa.
tion was that to tackle another sea,
son against serious handicap impos.
ed by indebtedness, would be futile.
The secretary's report showed there
were debts aggregating $1,691.44 now
outstanding against the Chautauqus---
the worst financial exhibit the Chau.
tauqua has had in its sixteen years Of
life
With but very few exceptions 1t was
agreed that unless the 1900 tickets
are disposed OF the Illinois Valley
Chautauqua ceases to become . re-
ality and fades into a memory. That
the props are being torn out from be-
meath the association one at . time
by lack OF patronage and interest b
generally conceded and unless people
awaken from their Assembly letharey
doom with capital letters confronts
the local meetings. Next summer will
find plenty open dates at the popular
park west Of town during erstwhils
; happy and busy periods Of August.
Last nights annual meeting to a.
termine the fate OF the l. v. Chautau.
: qua was held in the supervisors room
OF the court house with the following
> in attendance. Andrek Neureuther,
Peru, president; G. s. Robinson, La
Sale; A. c. Wylie. w. A. Crozier and
II. w. Esmond, Utica; E. H. and Miss
Mary Strait, Dayton: AL F. Schoch. G.
wv. Fredenburg, G. J. Gleim. F. M.
Sapp, Felix Nader and T. B. Farrell
secretary, all of Ottawa.
The meeting was presided over BY
President Neureuther. At the cleo
tion of directors the following men
were chosen for the ensuing year:
w. r. Foster, w. A. Crozier, Utica;
r. l.. Wiley, Seneca; Henry Marshall.
Serena Wallace r. Pool, Harding; Al
vim f. Wixom, La Sale; T. w. Els.
. mond Utica; r. c. Hit, Rev G. w.
, Chessman and Judge Henry Mayo, Ot-
tawa. Rev. Chessman was elected
director to succeed Rev. d. X Camp
bell, who now is a resident of Bloom.
ington.
After disposing of its business the
meeting was adjourned subject to the
call of the president probably some
time next month-when report will
be made on the effort to dispose Of
b the 500 tickets. Should 1t decide to
0 close its books the association, 1t Is
l. claimed will pay out with but little
trouble. 1t owes $11,25O; it's capital
stock outstanding is $4,S5O and 1t owns
. 30 acres OF valuable land worth much
' more than the outstanding obligations
now are AS the grove Is one OF the
most beautiful in Ottawa 1t would BE-
nothing short OF calamity to lose II
now
The Presidents Address.
). President Neureuther, In his ad
l dress to the annual meeting. said:
;. "The Illinois Valley Chautauqua
n Association at the end of the season
of 1916 with deficit of approximately
!. $1,000 presented a critical situation
9 and committee was appointed by you
Y to devise means for financing same to
q put 1t again on a sound financial
basis, This committee reported as
|. you all know a scheme for doing
r. this and same has been given good
D. deal of publicity thru the newspapers
n. and at last years and this years ses.
N sion as we'll 1t was also urged that
N large number of season tickets be
v sold for the 1917 season OF the Chau'
N tauqua SO that at least at the 1917
A. season we should not have deficit
II The committee in their report con.
" tempated that we should at least
n. break even and do as much better as
" we could and surely every thing was
done that could reasonably be ex.
l. pected In the way OF making this fact
4. public and all that reasonable pub
4. lie should expect from the Chautau
qua Association. The people knew
the ChautauQua was on trial ana We
are sorry to report that the season Of
1917 was more disastrous than 1915
=. :. we have deficit of approximately
d" :. $500 and the situation presented 10
~ almost insurmountable now. In vteH