The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1922-11-30
MORE ABOUT THE FAIR

James Martin, manager Of the C.
w. & M. Co. Of Blackfoot, who has
always been a willing worker at the
fair, wishes us to announce that the
$91.90 listed in the report Of the
fair as published last week, for ''an-
nouncer and starter" was not paid
to him. When Mr.. Martin has acted
as official starter of the races he has
always donated his service, and this
year Secretary Mcknight employed
a Mr.. Walters of Filler, Idaho, to
come up and attend to that, and
made an agreement with him as to
his pay.
Mr.. Mcknight gave as his reason
for employing this man, that he
held license issued by the Ameri-
can Trotting association, and in
order to be recognized in the records
and fair circuits, our fair associa-
tion has to have license issued an
nually and the official started has to
pay fee of $40 and receive
license.
When we asked Mr.. Mcknight if
Mr.. Martin or Mr.. DeKay could not
have received the license and Of
ficiated as in former years he said
he supposed they could have, but
that 1t was so late and SO near fair
time before it came to his attention,
that there was not enough time left
to secure the license, and he felt
obliged to- employ one who already
had the document.
On making inquiry of the execu-
tive committee of the fair, under
whom Secretary Mcknight was
working, they informed us that Mr..
Mcknight employed Mr.. Walters
without consulting them, and did it
quite some time before the fair. One
of the members engaged local man
for it and spoke to the secretary
about getting a license for him If it
was needed, and was then informed
that starter had already been en-
gagged. When the service was per-
formed, the Filler man called for his
pay and it was then that the board
looked into the matter and found
that he and the secretary had
agreed upon an amount that he was
to receive and they baked. The
$91.90 that was paid to him was
compromise between what the secre-
tary had agreed to give him and
what the board was willing to
spend.
Mr.. Mcknight in giving us infor-
nation about 1t stated that the
$91.90 covered some other items,
what the official starter
paid to the announcer out Of his
own pocket.
We learned that the executive
committee had sitting following
the one that was reported last week,
and some of the committee wanted
TO close a deal with Secretary Nc
knight to keep him on a salary at
800 month thruout the winter to
ook after the fair, to attend to cor
and to make such pre-
iminary engagements as may need
20 be made during the fall and
winter On this point there was
sharp division Of opinion and it was
inally agreed that the secretary had
already been given ten days in
which to close up the seasons work
Ind make his report, by October
first, and, that 1t was understood
hat his salary ended there, with
he end of the work. He had ap-
)lied to the county commissioners
'or expense money in the sum of
800 to 60 to the stock show at
Spokane and had spent his time and
he 500 and brought back nothing
n the way Of business for the 1923
air and had not since written the
etters Of application that are now
'eported to be necessary to get con-
liberation in the annual meetings of
he stockmen. Commissioners now
Express regret that they acted under
! mistaken understanding of mat
ers when they appropriated the
100.
One of the executive committee
aid that he had no doubt the county
gent and his secretary would be
Wiling to look after all there is to
10 for the fair until next spring, and
hat this could be done under the
Erection of the committee without
ny expense. This was agreed upon
s the sensible thing to do and the
ommittee has announced no change
rom this plan.