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Editorial
August 6, 1876
The Dallas Daily Herald
Dallas, Dallas County, Texas
What is this article about?
Editorial defends Captain Gaston's land sale to Dallas Fair Association against Commercial newspaper's accusations of extortion, highlighting Gaston's investments and benefits of the location, and affirms directors' wise decision.
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OCR Quality
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Full Text
STRIKING DOWN DALLAS
The effort of the Commercial to break down the Fair, and to charge upon Captain Gaston a grasping, Shylock extortion in the sale of the Fair grounds merits the severest condemnation. The assertion that "nothing but a pound of flesh" would answer Captain Gaston and that "there is not a stockholder who would not prefer to have no fair at all rather than submit to an extortion." is slanderously untrue. Captain Gaston has expended in cash upon the Fair grounds five thousand five hundred dollars, not one dollar of which has been returned to him. Captain Gaston has been offered $20,000 in speedy payments for forty acres of the fair ground. Captain Gaston prefers to sell sixty-five acres on ten years' time to the Fair Association, in reality a donation of twenty-five acres, worth to-day $500 per acre or $12,500. Captain Gaston proposes to let the $5,500 worth of improvements on the Fair grounds go with the property and be included in the $20,000. Captain Gaston proposes to take as much stock as any man in the Fair, whether it be held on his land or elsewhere, and finally Captain Gaston does not ask $21,000 for the grounds, but $20,000 which sum the directors, with the exhibition of the utmost good judgment have agreed to pay.
The location of these grounds immediately upon a railroad, gives immense advantages to exhibitors. All that they have to do is to roll their machinery from the car into the Fair Grounds. The hauling of heavy machinery to a distant fair ground would entail great cost. To level off the Keller ground and dig up the trees, and place the $5,500 worth of improvements there on, which are now on the Gaston grounds would take time, labor, and a large expenditure of money. The Fair directors have done their duty in selecting these grounds, and the Commercial need not affect to fear that this project, so "dear to every citizen of Dallas." will fail. The "responsibility" that it prates about, these directors will assume, and on that assumption they will receive the cordial, hearty, and unqualified support of the people of Dallas.
The effort of the Commercial to break down the Fair, and to charge upon Captain Gaston a grasping, Shylock extortion in the sale of the Fair grounds merits the severest condemnation. The assertion that "nothing but a pound of flesh" would answer Captain Gaston and that "there is not a stockholder who would not prefer to have no fair at all rather than submit to an extortion." is slanderously untrue. Captain Gaston has expended in cash upon the Fair grounds five thousand five hundred dollars, not one dollar of which has been returned to him. Captain Gaston has been offered $20,000 in speedy payments for forty acres of the fair ground. Captain Gaston prefers to sell sixty-five acres on ten years' time to the Fair Association, in reality a donation of twenty-five acres, worth to-day $500 per acre or $12,500. Captain Gaston proposes to let the $5,500 worth of improvements on the Fair grounds go with the property and be included in the $20,000. Captain Gaston proposes to take as much stock as any man in the Fair, whether it be held on his land or elsewhere, and finally Captain Gaston does not ask $21,000 for the grounds, but $20,000 which sum the directors, with the exhibition of the utmost good judgment have agreed to pay.
The location of these grounds immediately upon a railroad, gives immense advantages to exhibitors. All that they have to do is to roll their machinery from the car into the Fair Grounds. The hauling of heavy machinery to a distant fair ground would entail great cost. To level off the Keller ground and dig up the trees, and place the $5,500 worth of improvements there on, which are now on the Gaston grounds would take time, labor, and a large expenditure of money. The Fair directors have done their duty in selecting these grounds, and the Commercial need not affect to fear that this project, so "dear to every citizen of Dallas." will fail. The "responsibility" that it prates about, these directors will assume, and on that assumption they will receive the cordial, hearty, and unqualified support of the people of Dallas.
What sub-type of article is it?
Economic Policy
Partisan Politics
What keywords are associated?
Dallas Fair
Captain Gaston
Land Sale
Commercial Newspaper
Fair Grounds
Extortion Accusation
Railroad Location
Fair Association
What entities or persons were involved?
Captain Gaston
Commercial
Fair Association
Fair Directors
People Of Dallas
Editorial Details
Primary Topic
Defense Of Captain Gaston's Fair Grounds Sale
Stance / Tone
Strongly Supportive Of Gaston And Fair Directors, Condemning Commercial
Key Figures
Captain Gaston
Commercial
Fair Association
Fair Directors
People Of Dallas
Key Arguments
Gaston's $5,500 Cash Expenditure On Grounds Unreturned
Gaston Offered $20,000 For 40 Acres But Sells 65 Acres Over 10 Years, Donating 25 Acres Worth $12,500
Improvements Worth $5,500 Included In $20,000 Price
Gaston Will Take Substantial Stock In Fair
Price Is $20,000, Not $21,000, Agreed By Directors
Railroad Adjacent Location Benefits Exhibitors By Easing Machinery Transport
Alternative Keller Grounds Would Require Costly Leveling And Relocation
Project Vital To Dallas Citizens, Directors Assume Responsibility And Deserve Support