CINCINNATI ZOO GUIDE 
Burkhardt as vice-chairman and Alfred Mack as secretary. 
A Ladies’ Auxiliary Committee was also organized, of which 
Mrs. Robert Ralston Jones was chairman. The Committee 
received a proposition from Mrs. Charles P. Taft and Mrs. 
Mary M. Emery in October, 1916, who agreed that each one 
of them would pay $125,000.00 toward the purchase of the Zoo, 
providing a like amount of $125,000.00 should be raised by the 
public, this public subscription to be used to make permanent 
improvements. The original value placed on the Zoo by the 
Traction Company was $375,000.00, but that company agreed 
to reduce the selling price by $125,000.00 if this deal was 
consummated. 
The plan was perfected and the operation of the Garden was 
assumed by Mrs. Taft and Mrs. Emery as of October 1, 1916, 
and the new plan was put into effect by the organization of the 
Cincinnati Zoological Park Association, which was organized 
and assumed the active operation of the Garden on May 1,1917. 
Mr. Charles P. Taft was elected the president of the Asso¬ 
ciation; Mr. Charles J. Livingood, representing Mrs. Emery, 
vice-president; Mr. C. H. Rembold, treasurer, and Mr. 
Charles G. Miller, secretary and business manager, while Mr. 
Sol A. Stephan was retained as general manager. The trustees 
elected were: Mr. Charles P. Taft, Mr. Charles J. Livingood, 
Mr. C. H. Rembold, the mayor of the city, ex-officio , Mr. 
August Herrmann, Mr. Alfred Mack and Mr. Walter A. Draper. 
Another stipulation under the new agreement was that Mrs. 
Taft and Mrs. Emery would each pay one-half of any deficit 
from operation for a period of five years. During the first two 
years of this agreement a deficit was paid, but since that time 
the Zoo has been self-sustaining. While the original agreement 
to meet deficits expired December 31, 1921, it has been renewed 
from year to year since that time. 
The Association is incorporated as “a corporation not for 
profit,” and, therefore, can pay no dividends. Should any profit 
be made over and above operating expenses it must go into 
improvements, animals, etc. Since the new owners of the 
Garden assumed control the $125,000.00 improvement fund has 
been expended in constructing a complete auditorium out of the 
former band stand, in extending the Club House and Restaurant, 
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