The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1939-1949, 1949-07-14


on this question, if they are to
pass an ordinance with teeth
and still attempt to accommodate
public bodies, churches, and
such. The ordinance makes it
unlawful to use a sound truck
for commercial purposes. How
ever, religious organizations can,
under the constitution, make use
of any device which earliest
voice to the public as long as it
does not disturb the peace. Some
communities have tried to deny
the religious organization called
Jehovah Witnesses the use of
sound devices, bu. cases in the
higher courts have decided the
issue in favor of the religious
sect on the grounds of freedom
of speech.
The ordinance gives schools
the right to use dmplifieTs at
the athletic fields but the
commercial angle would bar
them from use on the streets. it.
the ordinance is to be enforced
to the letter. About the only
way to find out If it will work
is to pass the ordinance und
let it operate for a few months.
When Deputy Sheriff w. L.
Foraker extended thanks public
ly to the people of this area for
volunteering to fight racing
fire in the horse heaven, he
could not find words that would
fully express what he wanted to
say for the group of men from
the Plymouth community. Re-
ports indicate that the Plymouth
men saved the day and that had
they not been on the job, a
much greater area would have
been burned. Some of this
would have included fields of
ripening wheat. Under a high
wind, hundreds of thousands of
dollars of damage could be in
flicted on Horse Heaven wheat
once a fire got we'll under way.
Others came and did their part,
but the Plymouth group struck
in the nick of time.
Behind the scenes, Kenneth
Serier is one of the big reasons
why the Benton county Fair is
as well grounded as it is Plans
for the fair were laid at the
time the grape festival was or.
ganized in 1916, according to re-
ports from persons who were
close to the work in those days.
AS Clyde Anderson was instru.
mental in spreading the fame of
the festival to a large area, so
Serier was instrumental in lay
ing the foundation for the
county fair, which. it now ap.
pears, may become one of the
really great fairs of the North.
west. With a rodeo thrown in,
the entertainment side of the
three days is better taken Gaze
of.
Here is some of the history: :
Articles of Incorporation be-
ing drawn up, money for the fair
the first year was raised ny the
Grape Festival Association. I'm.
der the guidance of Walter Kick
and Serier, the fair was qualified
as district fair under the rules
governing fairs in lie state of
Washington, and SO it became
eligible for state aid. The money
received frnm the state was used
for premiums in 1877 but be-
cause of a difficult financial sit
uation which confronted the
Grape Festival Association in
1948, it was not possible to con-
tinue under the sponsorship of
that organization.
Serier then undertook the or
ganization of new fair assoc
iation and worked toward that
end as chairman of the fair COM
mittee Of the Kennewick XII
vans club. AftcI $, the cffor.,
the Ilesent Benz =. County Fair
Association was formed, was in
corporated under the laws of the
state in 1913, and by arrange
ment with the Grape Festival
Association was given the entire
responsibility and authority to
conduct the Kennewick fair.
There had been no separate fair
association since 1880 when the
association was abandoned be.
cuase Of lack Of funds.
SeYieY was elected vice pres.
ident and secretary Of the Ben
ton Fair Association upon or
gduizdtion Of that group and
worked to see that the fair be
continued and he worked to
establish this az the Benton
County Fair. His efforts were
rewarded when the county com.
missioner established the Ken.
newiek fair al the county fuir
but no money was spent BY. the
county In l948. Through the
efforts Of such fdir boosters
as A. c. Anon and Gilbert
Clodfelter. money needed was
roised dmong Kennewick citi-
zens to provide for the event
last year.
This year Serier and others
worked to get the fair a suitable
location so that permanent
buildings might be erected. He
negotiated acquisition of the
present fair site just south OF
the Twin City Airport, which is