the distance of the top of the tile from the line may be taken with the measuring staff, to ascertain whether the tile has been moved in the process of filling in. The objections to the use of boards on which to place the tiles are many. They are expensive; they are more difficult to lay true with the grade than tiles (if over one foot long); they complicate the process of laying; they do no good, and mislead the workman who places confidence in them as a means of support to the tiles. STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. PROCEEDINGS OF THE MICHIGAN STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY FOR 1878. To the President and Executive Committee: GENTLEMEN-I have the honor to submit the following detailed report of the proceedings of the Michigan State Agricultural Society, for the year 1873. Respectfully, your obedient servant, C. F. KIMBALL, Secretary. PROCEEDINGS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AT A MEETING held AT LANSING, FEBRUARY 4, 1873. The Executive Committee met at Lansing, Mich., at the Capitol building, at 7:30 o'clock P. M., on Monday, February 4, 1873. Present: Hon. W. G. Beckwith, President, in the chair; R. F. Johnstone, Secretary, E. O. Humphrey, Treasurer, W. J. Baxter, President elect, Foster Pratt, Secretary elect, J. P. Allison, F. M. Manning, A. C. Fisk, L. C. Scranton, H. O. Hanford, J. J. Bagley, A. J. Dean, E. W. Rising, J. M. Sterling, C. W. Green, A. O. Hyde, and S. O. Knapp, of the Executive Committee. A quorum being present, the President declared the committee ready for business, whereupon the committee appointed by the business committee of the Society, at a meeting held at Kalamazoo, December 27th, 1872, to confer with the Northern Michigan Agricultural and Mechanical Society, reported to the Executive Committee the action taken by it in the business entrusted to its charge. The report of the committee embraced the following statement, which was verbally presented as its report: At the meeting of the Executive Directors of the Northern Michigan Agricultural and Mechanical Society, held at Lansing on the 14th of January, President Griggs presented the preamble and resolutions of the business committee of the State Agricultural Society, adopted at its meeting at Kalamazoo on the 27th of December, which were read as follows: WHEREAS, The Executive Committee of the Northern Michigan Agricultural and Mechanical Society holds a meeting at Lansing on or about the 15th day of January next; and WHEREAS, The said Society and the Michigan State Agricultural Society were organized to promote substantially the same general interests, and if possible should work in harmony, and not in injudicious rivalry or antagonism; and WHEREAS, In the opinion of the business committee of the State Agricultural Society, the great interests both seek to promote can be better subserved by a union of the two associations, if it can be secured on a proper and substantial basis, than by keeping up separate organizations; therefore, Resolved, By the business committee of the State Agricultural Society, that W. G. Beckwith, President, H. G. Wells of Kalamazoo, W. J. Baxter of Jonesville, and J. M. Sterling of Monroe, members of the Executive Committee, be requested to attend the meeting of the Executive Committee of the Northern Agricultural Society of Michigan, to be held at Lansing on the 14th day of January, 1873, to ascertain the feeling of that body, and to advise and consult with the members on the subject of a union of the two associations, and if such proposition should be favorably entertained, to learn upon what terms and conditions such union can be secured, and to report the same to the Executive Committee of the State Agricultural Society at its annual meeting. On motion, the following preamble and resolutions were adopted, and were transmitted to the Secretary of the State Agricultural Society, who was present, by C. F. Kimball, Secretary: WHEREAS, A communication from the Secretary of the Michigan State Agricultural Society, transmitting a preamble and resolution of the business committee of the said State Society, adopted at a meeting of said committee at Kalamazoo, on the 27th inst., embodying the appointment of a committee of four members of said State Board, to confer with the Executive Committee of this Society, has been submitted to this Board by the President, with his recommendation that a corresponding committee be appointed; therefore be it Resolved, In response to said preamble and resolution of said State Board, that a committee of four members of the Board of Directors of the Northern Michigan Agricultural and Mechanical Society, consisting of G. W. Griggs of Kent, Edwin Phelps of Oakland, S. A. Browne of Oceana, and C. L. Whitney of Muskegon, be and is hereby appointed to confer with the aforesaid committee of the State Agricultural Society's Executive Board. On Thursday, the 16th, the Northern Michigan Agricultural and Mechanical Society, having been notified that the committee of the State Society, consisting of the Hon. W. J. Baxter of Jonesville, H. G. Wells, Esq., of Kalamazoo, S. O. Knapp, Esq., of Jackson, and R. F. Johnstone of Detroit was present. The two committees of the respective societies met. On motion of Mr. H. G. Wells, President G. W. Griggs was appointed chairman. On motion of Mr. Baxter, H. G. Wells was appointed secretary. After some consideration of the subject before the joint committee, Mr. Johnstone offered a preamble and resolutions, which were debated and amended, and the following, drawn by Mr. Baxter, accepted and adopted: WHEREAS, A committee having been appointed by the business committee of the Michigan State Agricultural Society, to meet the Northern Michigan Agricultural and Mechanical Society to consider if some plan of union of the two societies could not be agreed upon, and a committee having been appointed by the Northern Agricultural and Mechanical Society to meet such committee, and the two committees having united as a joint committee, after full consultation and comparison of views, have unanimously agreed as follows: Resolved, first, That a union of the two societies is desirable, and we believe practicable. Second. To secure such union, they recommend the appointment of a committee of five from each society, whose duty it shall be to meet as a joint committee, and to agree upon and and submit to the executive committees for their respective societies, a plan of union, and a list of officers and members of executive committee of the united society. Third. To enable said joint committee to act without embarrassment in the selection of officers and members of the executive committee, we recommend that the presidents, secretaries, and treasurers of each society, on the appointment of such committee, give a pledge to tender the resignation of their respective offices, if rendered necessary or desirable, that the places may be filled by the persons recommmended by such joint committee; and further, that at least one-half of the members of the executive committee of each society pledge themselves to such joint committee to tender their resignations, if necessary or desirable that their places may be filled by the persons so recommended, that the new board of officers and members of the executive committee may fairly represent the interests of the entire State and of the two societies so united. Fourth. We further recommend that the next annual fair of the united society shall be held at some point north of the line of the Michigan Central railroad. These resolutions were reported to the executive board of the Northern Michigan Society at their session in the afternoon of the 16th inst., and were, after consideration and examination, unanimously adopted. In compliance with their recommendations, the following gentlemen were appointed as members of the joint committee proposed to form a union of the two societies: Edwin Phelps, of Pontiac; Anderson Stout, of St. Johns; S. A. Brown, Pentwater; C. L. Whitney, Muskegon; Townsend North, Vassar. The committee of the Michigan State Agricultural Society recommend that the annual meeting of the executive committee be called by the President at the Lansing House, at Lansing, on Tuesday, the 4th of February, and directed the secretary to notify the members and officers of the action of the joint committee of conference. W. J. Baxter then offered the following: Resolved, That the report presented by the committee, embracing the action of the joint committee of the Michigan State Agricultural Society and of the Northern Michigan Agricultural and Mechanical Society, is acceptable to this committee, and that, so far as this society is concerned, the same should be accepted and carried into effect by the necessary action on the part of the executive committee of the Michigan State Agricultural Society. Upon which resolution the yeas and nays were called, which resulted in the adoption of it by a unanimous vote. At this point the President, W. G. Beckwith, vacated the chair, and introduded to the executive committee the President elect, W. J. Baxter of Jonesville. President Baxter, on taking the chair, made a few remarks appropriate to the circumstances under which the society had met. Remarks were also made by his Excellency, J. J. Bagley, Governor of Michigan, and a member of the executive committee in relation to the interests entrusted to the keeping of the Society. Mr. Beckwith moved the appointment of a committee of conference of five members, as contemplated by the report of the committee appointed at Kalamazoo, to confer with a like committee on the part of the Northern Michigan Agricultural and Mechanical society; which motion was adopted. Whereupon the following gentlemen were appointed committee of conference on the part of the Michigan State Agricultural Society: W. G. Beckwith, J. M. Sterling, A. J. Dean, C. W. Greene, J. M. Manning. The annual reports of the Secretary and Treasurer were then presented, read, accepted, and referred to the committee on finance. The Secretary elect, Foster Pratt, of Kalamazoo, was then introduced to the committee, and took his place as its Secretary. On motion, the executive committee adjourned to meet at 9 o'clock A. M., February 5. The executive committee met pursuant to adjournment at 9 o'clock A. M., February 5, and was called to order by President Baxter. On calling the roll a quorum was found to be present, and the Executive Committee adjourned to meet at 3 o'clock P. M. of the same day. Lansing, Tuesday, February 5th, 3 o'clock P. M. The Executive Committee met at the appointed hour and was called to order. Quorum present; whereupon President Baxter called on standing committees for report. The finance committee reported as follows: The committee on finance, to which were referred the reports of the treasurer and secretary, beg leave to report that they have examined both these documents with care, and the vouchers accompanying the same. They find them correct in their details, and that correct vouchers for all the expenditures have been submitted by the treasurer, and his report and accounts are correct. From a comparison of the vouchers received with the books, we find that the condition of the Society is as follows: Due the treasurer as balance of account for moneys advanced by him on checks surrendered and accounted for............ Due on business and premium checks not yet presented or paid.......... Total____ $1,575 68 276 30 $1,857 93 Your committee recommend that the Executive Committee adopt measures to obtain a loan of an amount sufficient to pay off the above indebtedness, and to meet such other accounts as may accrue in connection with the present expenses of the Society. Respectfully submitted. H. O. HANFORD, Committee. Which report, on motion, was accepted and adopted. An account for damage to a fountain, for $35, was referred to the finance committee. |