WAUPACA COUNTY POST

January 27, 1921

New Stock Sales Pavilion For Waupaca Is Aim Of Officers Of Civic and Commerce Association

AT ANNUAL MEETING AND BANQUET THURSDAY EVENING FARMERS WERE PRESENT WHO EXPRESSED HOPE THAT WAUPACA WOULD BECOME INTERESTED AND AID IN PROJECT. DIRECTORS HAD MEETING MONDAY.

Exactly one hundred were present at the banquet and annual meeting of the Waupaca Civic and Commerce Association Thursday evening at Castle Hall.

The election of directors resulted in the selection of Wm. Dressen, Chr. J. Miller, S.W. Johnson, Roy Holly, J.F. Jardine, E.A. Hannon, R.F. Whale and Wm. N. Martin. The first six named were re-elected. The last two succeeded E.A. Aspnes and Atty. J.C. Hart.

Secretary Yorkson read a report of what had been accomplished through the numerous meetings of the board of directors, over sixty such meetings having been held in twelve months. He also discussed at length the failure of the board of directors to secure the addition to South Park so confidently expected by the directors after a meeting with Mr. Browne last March.

Enough of the correspondence between the Brownes and the officers is published in this issue to show the efforts of the officers of the association and the disappointing outcome of all their efforts.

Treasurer Wm. Dressen read the financial report which showed that the association had a balance of $34 on hand at the close of 1920.

Mr. George Girling, secretary to Waukesha Chamber of Commerce, gave a very full account of the way Waukesha county secured funds for its $30,000 stock pavilion. He gave figures to explain from what sources funds are received to keep up the running expenses and yield a small income for the stockholders. Waukesha receives something like $1,000 for rooms that accommodate the National Guard, several hundred dollars are paid by the Guernsey Breeders’ association, the Holstein Breeders’ association, the Poultry association, etc. At first the farmers were slow in subscribing but within a short time the rural stockholders outnumbered those of Waukesha city.

Mr. Paronto reminded the members that Waupaca farmers already own stock in the sales pavilion at Fond du Lac. A.J. Pinkerton assured the speaker that farmers will buy stock quite liberally, and told how the various breed organizations of the county had realized for some time the need of a sales pavilion.

Carl Knudsen, secretary of the county Guernsey Breeders’ Association stated that the members of that association that live tributary to Waupaca, will subscribe for stock in a suitable building located in this city. Arthur D. Larson of Sheridan, endorsed what others had said and reported that he farmers west of Waupaca will favor a sales pavilion in Waupaca.

Mr. Cristy spoke of the action of the city of Clintonville in taking steps for an armory with additions that would accommodate stock entered for sale. He urged those present to consider the matter of a building in Waupaca from the standpoint of the need of such a building with no feeling of strife and with no motive to get ahead of some other city. Nor would he like to see the matter of a building for this city abandoned just because Clintonville is likely to provide such a community building.

H.O. Cooley of Minneapolis spoke in behalf of the Yellowstone Trail Association and the support of this only route across Wisconsin that has any organization selling travel into, across or through this state. The speaker made many telling hits while appealing for aid for this project. Waupaca’s share, Mr. Cooley stated, is about $125.00, if we would go over the top and have a clean slate. Everyone who heard Mr. Cooley felt more eager to see the allotment for Waupaca paid in full so that the city may be listed as a full hundred per cent town on this great through highway from Plymouth Rock to Puget Sound, reaching as it does from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific. The meeting adjourned with evidence of a pull-together of spirit not always present in towns of the size of Waupaca.

First Step Taken.

The new board of directors of the Civic and Commerce Association met Monday night and decided to take immediate action to ascertain whether Waupaca citizens will give the needed support to prove to the farmers about this city and through-out the county that we area ready and willing to do our part in putting over a project that means much to the city of Waupaca and community.

The farmers do not need any argument as they are already alive to the fact that in order to attract buyers for the quality of pure bred stock that is produced in Waupaca county, the sales must be held in commodious, sanitary and otherwise suitable quarters.

A few farmers know that a prospective buyer came all the way from California to attend a Waupaca county sale in 1920, and made it plain that his disappointment at finding the stock so poorly housed during the sale decided him not to take chances to ship stock that had been exposed to the inclemency of the weather. This buyer refused to make a bid on any stock in that consignment sale thought he breeding of the animals as set forth in the sales catalog had attracted him more than half way across the continent. Later during that same sale men who refused to bid in the ring went to the barn of a breeder who had taken part in the consignment sale and paid better prices for cattle in comfortable quarters than they would pay for those that were housed in cold barns or led into the open to be exposed for sale.

Such facts as these have been recited to Waupaca business men and the question has been put up to us: "What are you going to do in order to have a new sales pavilion located in Waupaca?"

In order to answer this question to the satisfaction of the farmers tributary to Waupaca, it will be necessary for the citizens of Waupaca city to subscribe for a reasonable amount of stock the same as if a manufacturing concern were to locate here. It is not so much the amount of money needed to finance the project as it is to be assured that he proper interest and the proper cooperation is forthcoming.

Another phase of the matter is the other uses to which such a building may be put other than for pure bred stock sales which will draw hundreds to Waupaca from long distances. The building that will prove profitable as an investment is one large enough to give accommodation in case of agricultural meetings, institutes with display of farm products, political and social gatherings, poultry shows and rooms designed as comfort station, rest room and for meetings of committees or boards of farm cooperative societies, rooms for the accommodation of the property of the National Guard, the office of the caption and any other purposes of civic or business activity which may develop as the territory about Waupaca grows as a live stock community.

This announcement is for the purpose of assuring the farmers of the action of the Board of Directors in taking the preliminary steps to get in position to give the necessary cooperation in the project. It is also designed as notice to the residents of this city that if the thing moves and moves our way there must be a strong pull by the citizens of Waupaca – a pull in the right direction and the time is now. It will be necessary to have several thousand dollars pledged by Waupaca business men as an earnest to show the farmers that we appreciate their interests are worth our consideration if we are to enjoy their support as any village or small city located in the midst of an agricultural community must depend for its growth and prosperity. Be ready to cheer the soliciting committee by having your mind made up to take an amount that will encourage them to continue the canvass.