San Antonio Daily Light

IMPORTANT REASONS
Why the Citizen's Fair Association
Petition Was Not Granted.

Alderman A. F. Beckmann, chairman of the Market and Park committee, reported at the council meeting yesterday, on the petition of the Citizen's Fair association, asking to lease San Pedro Springs park, for a period of twenty years, for the purpose of holding a fair.

The report was as follows:

We cannot now recommend the granting of the petition in its present shape for several reasons, a few of which we will give.

First-Race tracks are an indispensable adjunct of all fairs in this country. Have you got the necessary open ground for such tracks? We believe not, and to extend the track across the San Pedro creek would necessitate the cutting down of many large forest trees, something that this committee would always warn against.

Second-We do not believe that the city can grant the privilege to any corporation to close the grounds against the general public, and charge an admission fee. This phase of the question would have to be submitted to the city attorney for an opinion.

Third-The association proposes to allow the buildings to revert to the city after twenty years, free of charge, provided the association does not in the mean time acquire adjoining property. Your committee are uninformed as to the nature of the buildings proposed to be erected. Will they be built of solid and enduring materials, so as to be of use and benefit to the city after the lapse of twenty years, or will they be of frame and lumber, with a life of 12 to 15 years, under most favorable conditions, care and constant attention?

Then again, even if built of lasting material, will the city have a reasonable assurance that she will come into possession of these buildings at the end of twenty years? The proviso in the petition is not specific enough, inasmuch as by virtue of the reservation made in the petition if the association purchases only a small adjoining lot at a merely nominal price, they comply with the promises made today and can therefore, in twenty years hence, still claim the improvements made on city property and enjoy their use, without a dollar benefit resulting to the city direct.

Your committee would, in view the above, recommend that the petition be referred back to the Citizens Fair association with the recommendation to be more specific in general of the points.

The report was adopted by the council.