200 [Assembly 



vestigating their reports and awarding the premiums ; all this is done 

 without charge or reward, other than knowing that they are servicea- 

 ble to the public at large. 



Some of the public papers have asserted, that a large proportion of 

 the receipts at our fairs were spent by the managers for useless re- 

 freshments. This charge is as false as it is ungentlemanly. The 

 whole amount spent for the refreshments used at our last fair is less 

 than ten cents per day for each individual devoting their time to the 

 business of the fair, and even this sum would not be used were it not 

 to secure the presence of these individuals at the fair during the 

 whole day, instead of their occupying an hour each to go home to 

 their meals. Every dollar received is devoted to the legitimate use 

 for which it is given, and no gift of the public is better applied for the 

 general good. 



To this city the fairs are of incalculable benefit. Look at the 

 books of the hotels during the continuance of the fairs, and you find 

 them all filled. During the two weeks the fair is usually opened, it 

 is computed that 100,000 persons visit the city for the purpose of 

 seeing the fair. 



Under these circumstances we call on our citizens to use every en- 

 deavor to advance the object of our Institute, and their assistance will 

 not be misplaced. 



