The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-11-01
FIRST.RATE FAIR.
THE ATTENDANCE MODERATE, BUT
WILL BE GREAT TO-DAY.
for the Military Parade
and Prize Drill Races, &c.--fire-
works Tomorrow Night.

WOfAS HO~mOTHOW
The "October sun" discovered here by
Daniel Webster was grand and glorious
Yesterday. From the lowest line OF the
horizon TO the centre Of the great dome Of
Heaven there was not cloud in sight.
Recent rains had made the fields green, and
the flowers in the front yards bloomed in
the luxuriance OF September; while the
'trees not yet touched by devasting frosts
were rich and gay in autumnsl foliage.
Truly nature was lovely TO look upon, aud
the temperature was so mild and the air so
soft and inyigorating that TO be low-spirited
a man had to be desperate indeed. Under
such favoring circumstances the Agricul-
tural Society opened the gates OF their
grounds for their twenty-third annual ex-
hibition, andit was impossible to anticipate
anything but success.
coEvEYAXCEs.
That it was Fair-week was shown on
the streets by the number Of people in new
shoes and Sunday-clothes, who, with lei
surely gait, viewed store-windows; by
the men with the many-colored bal
looms and abominable screech-owl whis-
ties, with which they attract at
tention; 10y the flags that foated from
poles >or dangled over the roadways !;
by bands OF music and companies OF sol
diers arriving and marching 10 their quar-
ters. By these and many other signs it
was known that the Fair had begun; but
more than all, by the appearance OF the
railroad trains on Broad street-nOt Pull
man ears or ladies' coaches, or any OF the
approved carriages for modern railroad
travel, but "the Fair-cars that is to say,
flats neatly rallied around the sides and
with seats lengthwise, and coupled about
ten in train, and an engine at both ends.
These are the comfortable, sociable, and
pleasant cars which take the great mass OF
our people to and from the Fair. r.Grounds,
distant about mile and half from the
starting point in the city-BrOad street
near the corner Of Eighth.
The regular trains no longer come into
the city, and the track OF the steam-cars is
used by the street-cars all the year around,
except the few days OF the Fair, when the
railroad company in spirit OF accommo-
dation fix up these trains and run them
half-hourly, so that the Fair shall not fail
for want OF ready conveyances for the peO-
pie.
These cars began TO run yesterday. Nu-
merous Omnibuses, carriages, wagons, and
other vehicles were also fixed up to aid in
the work of transportation. The line OF
such things extended on Broad from Sixth
street To Ninth. The fare generally was
ten cents, and some vehicles that had been
licensed to run into the Grounds charged
no more than that. Some of the drivers, to
save time at the gate. had provided them
selves with Fair tickets, which they sold
to their patrons at the regular prices. The
railroad company also sold tickets to the
Fair 1T their Office.
THE CROWD GOING.
The means OF getting to the grounds
were ample, but on yesterday were not by
any means half employed. People went
by hundreds where to-day they will go by
thousands. First days may he all very
well to see the exhibits, but experience
shows that people do not die TO see the ex-
hibits People want TO see people. The
proper study OF man is woman, and Uice
UerSa.
But il was good-natured and much
pleased crowd that went out yesterday.
En- route they observed with qualification
the mighty strides the city is making
westwardly. They saw that the Rich
mond College building had been revo-
lutioniZed since last Fair, and instead OF
rough brick walls and unfinished wings
behcld a stately structure looking as
il built OF stone. and out OF the midst
OF ample grounds facing the city that is
now fast crowding upon it. They saw at
the gates OF the grounds the usual crowds
Of booths and hackmen. and on the grounds
heard the Emusic by the band" the breath
ing of twenty steam-engineS. the buzz OF
the circular saw, the whirr OF the wheat
fans and grain-separatorS. the doleful de-
liveries Of the hurdy-gmdieS the irresSti-
BILE eloquence of the side-Showmen, the
persuasive voices OF the men with chance
games, and all the other notes and noises OF
a fair in full operation.
The grounds were not at all crowded.
The attendance was only about the average.
THE EXHIBITION.
The exhibition is IL first rate one. A few
departments are short, but others are over.
lowing.
The ladies' pavilion, up stairs and down,
is crowded. on the first floor there is Z
charming display of potted flowers and
shrubs. They are as cooling TO the eye as
they are delicious to the smell. Ther
there is music, for the piano and organ
men have fitted up rooms in grand style,
and the sound OF their best instruments i
often heard. Here we have, too, handsome
samples of household furniture, mantels
CRATES, gas-tixtures, family groceries ar
ranged in unique designs, sewing-ma
| chimes, wines, fruits, DC.
Upstairs, too, all the space is taken.
Ladies' needlewOrk is shown in grea
abundance. Much Of it has an incompre
hensibly unique, elegant, and infatuatinl
appearance to the male eye; but from th'
numberless times ladies were heard eX
claiming, "Now, amt this sweetY' i
must be grand and glorious exhibition
The butter, bread, cake, pickles, candies
and those sort OF things, anybody could
see were good.
The exhibition in the Art Hall is better
! than il was last year. 1t is not yet what i
ought to be. There are some nice por
traits and landscapes shown-some thai
have been there before, and been much ap
proved; others that are new. The studies
OF the pupils of the Richmond Art Asso
ciation are very creditable.
The ladies have some excellent work in
decorative china, mirrors, DC.
MACHINERY FIELD.
The great success of the Fair is in ma
chinery. It fills Machinery Hall and al
the field between it and the ladies' pavil
ion. Here are number OF wiud-mils,
twenty engines stationary and traction)
and most OF them at work. Along will
them is great collection OF improved
agricultural implements, machinery FOL
farmers aud millers, and products Of oul
foundres, furnaces. and rolling mills.
TO the .sliye" farmer. the practica