Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-09-06
THE OPENING DAY.
INAUGURATION OF THE STATE FAIR AND
EXPOSITION, THIS MORNING.
Scenes in and About the Grounds During YES
tsrday-Liys Stuck Coming in Rapidly
Exhibiors Of Work.

hAQLOL0LS o. HVAs
At Z o'clock this morning the gates OF
the State Fair grounds will be thrown open
to the public and the Exposition will COM
mence under auspices which are much
more favorable than ever before. In fact,
it looks as if the Fair would experience q
very decided boom this year-in point oil
attractiveness and attendance throwing all
previous exhibitions far in the shade. The
weather during the past few days has been
Simply glorious, and there is every pros
meet that il will continue throughout the
week. This of itself will insure the
attendance of much larger crowds than
last year, when everything out of doors
was exposed to constant showers, and
the Fair Grounds was six inches
deep in mud And the same fan
weather which viii bring the peO-
pie will also show the Far 70
better advantage. Exhibitors will all be
ON hand with their stuff; live stock can be
seen to the best advantage, and the races
probably the greatest OF all the manifold
attractions to the multitude-will have
what is Indispensable to fast time and hot
cOnteStS-a good track.
An immense amount of live stock was on
the grounds yesterday, and last night a
great many herds arrived, to betollowed by
still Others to-day. A tour of the pens
showed the following animals ut 4 p. m.
n - L. L. -
horses, 100. BY tonight these figures Will
be doubled rs to horses and cattle, while
swine will increase six fold, and sheep
three fold. Most of the live stock shown
is the same that was present last year, but
here and there new herds can be seen. The
stock is uniformly in fine condition, the
only blemish in the entire lot being one
sheep, which had its hOOf slightly Clipped
by a ear wheel while being unlOaded Sat
urday night 400
In the poultry department, about lOO
fowls were in the cOOps, yesterday, they
COMPRISING the exhibit Of Mr.. Rowe, OF
Fredericksburg, Va. Hundreds more
will arrive to-day, however, and by TO-
morrow from fourteen to fifteen hundred
fowls will be on hand.
Despite the efforts of the officers and
guards, yesterday, good many people
found their way into the grounds,
on one pretext or another, and IN
the afternoon there were proba-
bly two or three hundred ladies and gen
tlemen wandering about among the stock
pens or looking at the speed horses,
owners of stock were generally busy brush
ing up their animals and removing
the traces OF travel, preparing feed,
fitting up sleeping quarters, and otherwise
getting ready for weeks stay. Among
the stables all was hustle and confusion
during the early hours of the day, but by
the middle OF the afternoon, grOoms
and owners had gotten thingsin the stables
i'm good shape, and the men, by tOurO clock,
we're either snatching 4 few moments Of
sleep Orchatting and smoking with friends.
The long row OF stalls on the west side OF
the grounds, was completely filled yester-
day, and not a few horses were quartered
on the east side, which has, heretofore,
been little used. In all there are between
sixty and seventy entries for the races, and
some lively sport can be looked for, eSpe-
cially from the running contests. The
frec-tor-all trOt of Saturday, which the
posters announce did not ill, has been
filled up and will he run, and the same Is
To be said Ofthe 2:25 trOt for Thursday, in
which there are now six entries. This
ills the full racing programme, and Will
cause general qualification. Speed entries
close this evening ut six o'clock.
In the main building, yesterday, a great
many exhibitors were ut work, and there
was a great change manifest from Satur-
DAYS situation. The fountain had been
started up. aad was in full blast during
the afternoon, but the atmosphere in the
building WAS very close and uncOmiOrtl-
bic. Many streamerS OF various cOlOrs
have been tastelully draped from the cen
ter O! the tower, and the decorations in
general, while not elaborate, are striking
and effective.
The roads about the grounds were very
dusty Yesterday, but last evening the big
sprinkler WAS put to work, and this morn
ing the walks and drives will BE- in first
class condition.
The new pens ordered by Fridays meet
ing OF the Board of Directors were com
ready some of them are occupied by cattle,
sheep and swine.
There has been quite a general desire eN-
pressed among merchants and business
men that one day be set apart by the Di-
rectors aS Merchants Day, upon which
stores and places of business generally in
the city would DC closed, thus atlOrding
thousands an opportunity to visit the Fair
which they would otherwise not have.
Thursday has been suggested rs 4 good
day for the proposed holiday, and it will
probably be designated.
This morning Capt Prince will throw
pOntOon bridge across the river from the
foot OF Twelfth street, thus giving the
public easy access to the Grounds from the
business portion of the city. While the
great rush of people from out of town will
not get in before tomorrow, still good
many strangers will be in the city to-day
connected with the Fair in the capacity Of
exhibitors, or spectators, anxious to he on
hand at the opening, and the hotels are
feeling the effects Of the Exhibition in a
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