The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-09-16
PRESS DAY.
The Big State Fair
Started.
A Scene OF Activity and Bust
ling Preparation.
The Exhibition Will Far Outstrip all
Previous Shows.
"Reminiscences Of Other Fairs and How
the Vaudeville Originated.
"Reminiscences of Other Fairs and How
the Vaudeville Originated.

Mr.. David s. Collins, " hom EVERYONE
that knows anything about the State
Fair knows Of, and whom q great many
people are fortunate enough to know
personally, was one of the first to arrive
at Narragansett Park this morning, after
travelling 600 miles from Nova Scotia on
purpose to be on the reception COM
mittee of the 10Th Annual Rhode Island
State Fair. For six years he was the
secretary OF the association, and wishes
that he was now. That is, he did this
morning when he got on the inside OF
the gates and saw what big thing il
| really is.
After shaking hands all around he be-
came reminiscent and said to President
Perkins: "Do you remember how it
ralned like the very devil five years ago
tonight9 And do you remember that II
IL hadn't been for that storm that nearly
broke up the show the show TODAY
wouldn't be half SO big"
President Perkins did remember. and
then Mr.. Collins told the story at press
headquarters this morning, where there
was score OF reporters wishing that
they would complete the exhibits and
open the Midway Piaisance so they
could grind out some copy 10 send down
town by another score of messenger BOYS
who the longer they were kept waiting
the better they liked it.
HOW THE VAUDEVILLE ORIGINATED.
The story was to the effect that one
night during fair week, five years ago, IL
ralned, as Mr.. Collins previously remarked.
like the devil, and the next day there
We're three inches of mud on the track
ana the horse trotting, which was then
the only attraction outside of the exhfb-
us, was impossible. Still the grand stand
was packed and there were more coming
TO see the races.
Ihe gentlemen on the amusement
committee were Earl III. Potter. Fred f..
Perkins and Mr.. Collins They were ali
at their wits ends as to what to do. and
retunding the money was practically de-
clded upon. But the people didn't want
money; they wanted fun, and the idea of
the fakirs came TO the amusement trio
ike an inspiration. So they made raid
on all the faktrs on the grounds, promised
tnem one days ground rent free and then
dragged them out bodily in front OF the
grand stand, one at time at first and
tnen IN groups, to do their 'turns." "
Ana II was great success. The crowd |
caught on and forgot the mud and the |
races: The American Band played as il |
the life OF every member depended upon /
IT, and did all the musical tricks, and VAL |
lie Reeves tells TO this day of turning
around to pull up" the trombones and
seeing seven-foot, half-naked African
doing war dance at his back 1t made
such hit that in the winter OF 1s9O-91
the vaudeville department was regularly
organized and was the first of the kind in
the country. And now fairs all over
the united States are initiating Just
because IL rained five years ago. and three
men got up an impromptu show"
And still the exhibits were not ready
and the mo admission sign still barred
the anxious throng from the Midway
ana the first race was not called, SO the
CHAIRMAN OF the reception committee for
Press Day enlarged that committee to
H.
went way back to the origin of things.
20 years ago, when the first fair was held |
IN hhode's pasture, at Pawtuxet, without
admission and without much of ANYTHING
else but bulls. The original idea was to
induce farmers to buy bulls end increase
ana improve the breed of cattle. There
wasn't hen, or horse, or piece of
oeedlework in sight; nothing but bulls.
Out Rhode Island beef and Rhode Island
milk has improved steadily ever since.
That night, after the cattle show in the
Dasture, the committee got together and
whether they would call their associa-
ION Rhode Island Society for the En-
of Domestic Industries and
'lechanicsl Arts or just the Rhode Island
society for the Encouragement of Do
nestle lndustrials. Along toward morn
ng the mechanical arts got left off by
lose vote.
But today it would take a title two
olumns long to be comprehensive
nough TO even suggest the varied fea-
ures OF the big annual State Fair.
IL was III 80 this forenoon when this
onversation took place in the press
eadquarters and then it began TO rain
nd everyone said that il was on account
[ story number one.
IL was only drizzle, however, and didn't
ampen anybody's enthusiasm.
MONDAY is PRESS DAY.
This is press day at the fair. and the
sception committee of the Fair AsocIa.
on placed itself at the disposal OF the
'ception committee of the press. The
'porters are not supposed to do any work
xcept entertain each other and write
ersonal matters about their own head
larters and their own lunch, which was a
ost satisfactory feast served in the club
onse, back OF the grand stand, at noon.
me members OF press day committee
nu, Is Il. turman, Charles A. Selden. j
airy V. Baldwin and Peter II. Lannon. r
Ihe general reception committee for =
Ie week; Ex-Governor Herbert W. a
'dd, charles VI. Peckham, David :.
)llins, Samuel w. X. Allen, George n. =
tier. Adm Ii. Capron and 4. w. j
Dunds. G
IN THE EXHIBITION HALLS
In all of the exhibition halls there is
e greatest OF activity. which is real, and 81
nIusion, which Is only apparent. For l.
eTytnlng is going smoothly and i'm per- W
u order, AZ the last articles TO come i'm M
DeinR assigned space i'm the immense X
iis, cut on IN sections, where the best v
everything in the way of mechanical W
mestic ana agricultural products will be