ANISTTJAL MEETING. 31 



The Civic Improvement Association, of Indianapolis, sent a 

 committee over here some time ago with a view of interesting the 

 State Board of Agriculture and the Legislature in improving the 

 State Fair Grounds and making them a beautiful park. They are 

 willing to assist us in every way. We told them we were powerless 

 to do anything in that line because we did not have the means. I 

 said if they would assist us in getting an appropriation from the 

 Legislature we would co-operate with them and go to the furthest 

 extent in making the grounds beautiful. If we could get the 

 assistance of the Legislature in beautifying the grounds and get 

 an appropriation to move the buildings if they purchase the land 

 spoken of, it would be a good thing. But until they have some 

 definite sort of a proposition to make I think we are firing in the 

 dark. I think they prefer the Johnson tract, and if they get that 

 their buildings will be on Central avenue and our bams could not 

 under any conditions be a nuisance to them. We ought to hesitate 

 about ata eking the barns until spring, anyhow. 



Mr. Johnson: The difference in the prices' of the two pieces of 

 property referred to by Mr. Dowming would not begin to pay the 

 State to remove the barns. They have an option on the Johnson 

 property and also on the Allen property ; but the difference in the 

 prices of the two tracts would not begin to pay for the removal of 

 the buildings by the Board or by the State. The Allen option is 

 four hundred dollars an acre, but there are some conditions in that 

 option that are very objectionable to the commissioners. There is 

 a road laid out there by transfer through the center, and it can 

 not be removed ; it will always hove to stay there. The tract the 

 option is on lies east and west. They are negotiating to change 

 that and let it run north and south. That would "run it along the 

 Monon, and the barns would not be so objectionable in that case. 

 Our option is one thousand dollars an acre. 



President Haines appointed the following committees: 



On President's Address : Mason J. ISTiblack, John L. Thompson 

 and Sid Conger. 



