St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-09-16
IN A BLAZE OF GLORY
Winding-Up Scenes Of the
Thirtieth Annual State
Fair.
Realism Infused Into What
Was Intended to Be a
Sham Battle.
Premature Explosion Of a Can
non Blows Off an Artil-
1eryman'S Hand.
Details Cleaned by Visits to
Pens, Barns, and Exhibit
Halls.

An enormous crowd of people. An
industrial parade which thoroughly
showed the wonderful fertility andre
sources of the North Star state. A
balloon ascension and daring drop from
the clouds. A mimic fight, which
served to recall to the minds of the
veterans the horrors of civil war, and
to the nOn-particlpants thereof proof
positive of the truths of history. A
hurried boarding of a heavily laden
train, which, as it pulled out of the
station, visibly echoed the hustle
and confusion of the day, while
with every stroke of the driving wheel
faded more visibly into the distance
to the past; and Minnesota's thirtieth
annual State Fair was numbered among
the things that were. Nature was not
inclined to distribute her kindest smiles
for the benefit of the Fair yesterday,
and ever and anon frowned onimously;
and occasionally shed supplementary
drops of rain. But the dayswas cool,
the crowd enthusiastic, and the five
days of fun and frolic eliminated in
sixth-into which was rolled the intens-
ity of enjoyment Of its predecessors.
The threatening weather, however,
was boon to the multitude who at
tended, and served most etfectually to
regulate the crowd to degree COM
meEsurate with enjoyment, and the
trouble and fatigue incidental to getting
to and from the grounds of last year
WAS NOT REPEATED.
And with what crowning halo was
the last day escorted to its death, in
the birth of new day. The crowds of
admirers who thronged the principal
thoroughfares until far into the
night, and who never seemed
to tire of the brialliantIy
prismatic appearance of Third street
as decked in festal array. 1t bade all
comers inspect the winding street in
which was wrapped the decadence of
fair week, was sight long to be re-
membered.. The enthusiasts who
walked up one side of the street and
down the other, which, cleaned of We
hicles and fianked with brass bands,
afforded uninterrupted progress, bore
mute and sufficient testimony to the
brilliancy of the scene, and as
the goOd-natured crowd pushed
and jostled one another in
an effort to fittingly appreciate
the eliminating glories of Fair week
each eager face and happy eye would
have softened the veriest miSanthrope's
gourd into the milk of human kind
ness. Early in the day crowds began to
take possession OF the trains preparatory
tn a fn dc A .
depot the familiar scenes of the week
were re-enacted with increased in
tensity. AT o'clock the sun succeeded
in struggling through the overhanging
clouds, and by there was promise of
fine day. Among the crowd could
here and there be seen the soldier i'm
uniform who was to take part in the
sham battle of the afternoon. A flag or
two added
REALISM TO THE OCCASION
and anticipated the enjoyment of the
day, while on every side the unmistak-
ably holiday appearance of the miscel-
laneous assortment of humanity indi-
Gated that the proposed journey was to
be one of pleasure, On arriving at the
grounds the pleasure seekers dispersed
and spent the early hours of the day in
wandering through the exhibit halls,
strolling about the grounds, list
ening for the last time to the |
cries of the side showmen, |
as they dwelt upon the wonders to be |
found within their booths; or, stand |
ing idly by, watched attentively their
fellow pleasure seekers as they darted |
here and there on their mission of |
frOlic. The militiamen, on arriving at
the grounds, went directly to the head
quarters of the sham battle association,
wi bara aVaruthinn wac huctta and oor
fusion. On every hand at the encamp-
ment and headquarters could be heard
the indistinct rumblings of the coming
conflict. Detachments of SOL
cry train, and upon the depot
platform might be seen rows of beard
less tacticians going through the man
ual with the precision of veterans ere
the right forward fOurs right" of the
captain disentangIed them from the ac-
cumulated mass of on-lookers, and sent
them to headquarters preparatory to
fighting for the plaudits of the specta-
tors upon the mimic field of battle.
THE BALLOON ASCENSION
and industrial parade occupied the at
tention of the sight-seers shortly before
the noon hour. The former was thrill
ing and realistic to degree, and the
of people who watched the
heavenward flight of the daring young
aeronaut, held their breath as the para
chute with its living freight shot down
ward with indescribable velocity, until ;
its sail-like accessories began to per- ;
form their allotted functions; with a
gentle Swaying motion the descent for !
the remaining distance was accom- {
plished, its passenger landed safe and s
we'll.
The industrial parade under the sup T
of William NJ. Bushnell,
iided by his efficient staff, was COM
)lete success; and as the long line of
agricultural implements embracing ma
,hinery of all sizes, shapes and uses, q
rom a threShing machine, TO pump, {
)araded about the grounds, and passed /
n review before the assemblage of peo- /
lie, each individual spectator gave vent :
o exclamatiOns of surprise on seeing {
or the first and last time the enormous I
esources of the fair spread before them
It a single glance. (
The judging of live stock was con- a
inued throughout the day, there being I
numerous awards yet to be made; but t
his meritOriOuS feature of the week c
vas Overshadowed by the magnitude of v
ounter attractions and occasioned but v
title interest.
The crowning glory of the week was d
he sham battle, and the grand stand O
7as made the objective point of the b
rOwds as early as o'clock. That the f
limic carnage was stained with blood a
to be greatly deDlOred and prOfOund | /;