The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1891-08-14
FIRST ANNUAL FAIR.

1OlaS Driving PARK Association gave
their first annual fair on the ground:
at this place Thursday, Friday and
Saturday of last week. A number o.
horses from abroad were here, will
many admirers of each horse.
On the first day the crowd was quite
slim, and it looked somewhat discour.
aging to the management. 1T is claim
ed by many that there were more peo-
pie here from neighboring towns than
from lola, but il was shown OH Satur-
day that our people were only waiting
until their favorite, Col. Bruce, should
appear. The races ON the first day
were announced as a Green Trotting
Race and Mule Race. The former
was won i'm the two best mile heats
out of three, and it was won by Jay
Leonard in two heats, his time being
3.02 for the first heat and 3.01 for the
second. In the mule race the first
money was won on a half mile dash by
l.. B. Davis Wick, the second by J. ID.
Moore's Bunk, and the third by Il. M
Anderson's Maud.
On the second day much larger
crowd was i'm attendance, and some
good running was witnessed. The
boys band furnished some excellent
music for the second day-another
powerful attraction. The first was q
trotting race, best three heats i'm five,
and was won by Barney r., in three
straight heats; time, Isl, 24Ii and
2.Fi.
The second race was twO-year-Old
trOt, half mile, and was won by Nettie
Bruce in two heats; time 1.50 and l .i6.
On Saturday the people began conf
ing to town early in the morning and
it seemed regular gala day, with the
town full of people by noon.
First on the program for the after
noon was some splendid music by the
ladies' band. In fact this came at in
tervals all through the day, and it is
one of the things that will not be for
gotten by the spectators.
The first race on the last day was
the free-for-all pacing race,-and in
deed it was the drawing card of the
fair. The race was to be mile heats,
best three out. five, the first money
being $50. Three horses were entered
Col. Bruce, s. G.. Irving, owner;
Bridget, Mapes' horse from Moran and
Barney Tar, from Thayer. The first
heat was won i'm 2.34 by Barney Tar,
Col. Bruce being second. In the sec
ond heat the Colonel made an unfor-
tunate break, and before he could be
brought under control again, Bridget
had won the heat i'm 2.36 with Barney
Tar close second. In the third heat
Bruce led easily, and won i'm 2:35, with
n Fr.,r in, 4,
heat Bruce was way ahead, winning
just "a Mr.. irving had turned Bruce,
after passing the wire and had started
back TO the tand, the horse stumbled
and fell TO the ground, throwing his
driver clear ont, Overturning the cart
and spraining the muscles of his own
neck and shoulders considerably. On
account of this, and of the fact that
Barney Tar, who seemed to have ex-
erted himself too much for the heat of
the day, was found to be sick and no
longer able to run, the judges were OBJ
liged to declare the race a draw and
the last heat off, and they refunded
the owners their entrance money.
However, everyone seemed satisfied
with having seen four such good heats,
and the last day was great big sue
cess, although they failed to secure
enough starters for the running race,
which had been expected.
Taken az a whole, although the AS
ISOLATION failed 10 realize much profit
i'm dollars and cents from their first
annual fair, considering the fact that
it was the first attempt at holding a
fair on our track it was decidedly sue
cessful. The track has now been adj
vertised, the managers of the associa-
ton promptly paid the purses, and the
hOrsemen will have confidence i'm
them, which will go long way to-
ward drawing more and perhaps bet
ter horses here another year. And
after it was too late TO advertise the
fact, notice was received from the rail-
roads that excursion rates would be
granted those wishing to come to the
fair from a distance.
All these things properly advertis-
ed i'm this and adjoining counties, will
we feel confident, make our fair next
year glorious success.