The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-09-23
STATE FAIRS BIGGEST DAY
Never Before Did Such Crowds of People
Flood the Grounds.
They Were Well Handled and Comfortable
Track Record Broken by Winslow Wilkes
-Premium-Winners
THE FAIRS BIG DAY.


Crowd on the Grounds Yesterday Estimated
In the Neighborhood of e5.O0O.
Yesterday was the big day of the State
fair. All during the week the officials had
said that il the person in charge would
only give them fair weather on Thursday
they would be satisfied. Those officials
had blue faces Wednesday when they
looked at the dense bank of black clouds
that hung Oft in the south, and they were
even inclined to doubt the accepted rroph-
ecy of the brilliant rainbow that circied
the heavens. But their forebodings were
snnihilated when they rose yester-
day morning. The sun had q
polished-up surface. and throughout
the day he kept MP steam at an August
rate. The first linking of the big crowd
was had downtown early in the morning.
People in holiday attire On the streets at
8 o'clock In the morning means that some
thing Is going on, and this time IL meant
fair. The street-car conductors had an ex-
ira pocket or two put in their coats in an
ticipation of the extra rush Of small coin,
and they were needed. The rush TO the
fair grounds began early and lasted late.
by noon IL was almost an utter impossible
ATTY to get on a train after IL left the trans
fer car. and wondering visitors stood on
the corners and wondered why the loaded
cars did not stop for them all along the
route.
The sight at the entrance gates was
typical of the occasion and day. Pat Cor
man and Tom Hadian In the box-of1ce gave
out tickets and hauled back money In lieu
thereof until the persDiration streamed
from their faces and until q balf-dollar was
as heavy as q cOal-scuttle. Outside the mass
aquirmed and pushed as though all were
minated by one apparatus Once inside
she men ersdIcated the stoves In their
hats, the women pinned up torn ruffies, and
perturbed parents explained TO their
frightened and fretful children that this
was the Slate fair and that people always
acted like that at fair time. 1t Is estl-
%aesd sh sna' w nsariy to s the sro o q
and it would take some one more than
human TO tell how many small boys, and
large ones also. sneaked In between two
fence-palinRs Once inside the grounds IL
did not look as though there were many
people on il, but 213 acres Is u llttle larger
than q back yard. Every one seemed to
realize that IL was the big day. The fakir
was at his best. aud his voice was still bet
ter; and live stock brought ont for exhibi-
ton trod their pretfIsst, and the wares in
the other buildings never looked better.
IL was a great day for the fair, and every
one tried TO be great with IL. The song:
20 What q Difference IN the Morning.
had the word morning" been ged TO
night. might have been sung within all
propriety when it came time for this big
crowd to go home. The jam at the street
car depot was one long to be remembered.
Car after car left loaded to the root, but IL
seemed TO have no more effect on the crowd
than it does to stick a finger in "A pail of
water and pull il ont again. The steam
cars had their quota of passen gers. though
the rush was much less. Despite the annoy
ances of long waits, inconsiderate jostliDg
and standiDg-room only when the cars were
gotten OH to, it Was q good-patured set of
people. One man in the center of the jam
started q sons. The burden of
it was, There is q time when l love to DO
alone. This 10 one-this is one" The
most dignified was not free from the good
natured chatting of the crowd If he did
something that attracted Its notice. and
the Onlnipresent silk hat of the rural cou
sin was O marked target for a myriad of
tinsel balls attached to q LONG rubber,
which acted much like q boomerang. The
crowd flooded the downtown streets after
dark. the thsaters and hotel Hobbies were
packed. and wherever pleasure was to be
found it was sought.