The Yellowstone journal., 1894-09-28
THE OPENING DAY.


II the people Of Custer county coult
manage to interest the clerk Of thu
weather in their county fair and racing
enterprises it would be an excellent
stroke Of business policy even il that
eccentric individual had to be let in on
the ground floor, for he certainly seems
to have spite against US that is dis
played at the most inopportune times
and always with serious finapcial results
The visitation that we are suffering from
today would have been most enthusias
tically welcomed week ago and would
have added untold prosperity to the en-
terprise and vast measure Of comfort
and pleasure to our guests, but what
would have been good fortune few days
ago is now turned to odisaster by the pure
cussedness Of the mythical gentleman
whose conduct we are discussing. unless
indeed he should relent today, and order
a sudden change in the program.
As for the fair proper, it is an undeni
able success. The exhibits though
limited by the paucity Of accommoda.
tion. are worthy Of exhibition anywhere,
and this too 80 far as our agricultural
exhibit is concerned at time when the
season Of superlative excellence is fully
q month gone by. Still when we cite
this fact to visitors from abroad, they
look distrustfully at us, and will no I be-
iieve that excellent as the agricultural
display is. it is only an indication OF
what could have been shown during the
early days Of this month. AS is usual,
the opening day was one n excusable
confusion and modified chaos. Many
exhibitors were iate in applying for
space and had to be hastily and tempor-
arily accommodated pendings a more
systematic arrangement Of the articles
and classes. The sound OF the saw and
hammer was heard on every side and a
generally unfinished con -ition was ap-
parent. Under these circumstances and
in the hope that better weather will per-
init Of complete and systematically ar
ranged display. we lido not deem this a
proper time to refer in particular to any
Of the exhibits.
TRACK SPORTS.
OF course the races were the attrac
tion that brought a majority Of the peo-
pie to the grounds, or at least held them
there for longer time than il took to
inspect the exhibits. The presence
Of so many blue blooded equines whetted
the anticipations Of all who love to see a
good race. such ardor being dampened
only by knowledge that the track was
undeniably slow'owing to the inability
Of the fair committee to get it into
proper condition. Though not 90 bad
for the runners. the six inches Of loose
dirt was drag Of about ten seconds on
the small wheeled bicycle sulkies that
sunk more than tire deep in the yielding
earth.
The first race on the program was a
u 4-mile handicap for which field Of six
started. including Daily Is imported Bene-
factress and McTague's Emma Mac. A
good start was had without much trouble
at the quarter pole, but the dust shut
out all view OF any but the leaders until
they came into the home stretch. when it
was seen that Benefactress was leading
safely, and she came in an easy winner,
Chappell's Little Tough second and
Blevin's Fannie B third. Time 117A.
The second race was . three-furlong
handicap in which Dempsny's Little
James, Reavis Bros. Lark and Ander-
sons Red Dick participated. Lark was
. long favorite in the pool and won han.
dily with Red Dick second and Little
james third. Time 81.
The next event was . hurdle race, ono
mile over five hurdles. A field of seven
started and made . very pretty race.