The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-08-14
THE STATE FAIR.
Some of the Novelties That Will Be
Seen at Naxagansett Park.
The Big Exhibition VIII Begin Labor Day,
September z.

year the experiment of six days exhi-
bition was tried, but the extra day was
about the same as a failure, as nearly
every ono caring to see the show had WIS.,
ited Narragsnsett Park during the first
i've days. The management is OF the
opinion that even good thing can be
carried little too far end decided to re-
turn TO the old-fashioned five days
show, keeping 1t gong the while with
the best the amusement world OF sport
and vaudeville can supply.
There viii be other changes In the
big exhibition that will suit tho popular
fancy aud cater TO general enjoyment.
The ever popular vaudeville entertain
ment is to receive special attention this
year, and Mr.. Perkins has secured some
OF the very best talent TO give exhibit
tions on two stages in front Of the grand
stand. The vaudeville Will be continu-
Gus, excepting when the race horses are
speeding around the track. This will
overcome the tendency toward tedious
ness sometimes experienced where the
attraction is wholly racing.
Speaking about racing, Mr.. Perkins
says that from September 7th to the
18th visitors to Narragansett Park will
| see some Of the most interesting and
| speedy horses now before the public. fa-
| nous horses from all over the country
have been placed on the list, giving as
surhnce that this always pleasurable art
| OF the big annual State Fair Will surpass
all previous efforts. There is every pros
| pect that unusually fast time Will be
| made, as the fine track has been about
| the same as rebuilt. Heretofore horsemen
| have regarded NarragsDsett Park track
as one of the very test In the country,
and they are always ready to enter their
horses there.
For several weeks past workmen have
been busily engaged in putting the track
in prime condition. About two hundred
| tons Of the elastic substance has been
brought from the Naystt Point clay beds
| and a layer of sand and clay about four
inches deep has been made all around the
track. This sand and clay mixture is
said to be unexcelled for speed producing
qualities. One thing is assured, no pains
or expense will be spared to make the
horse racing part of the fair big feature.
@saere will be no bicycle racing, how
ever, beyond the sextuple exhibitions.
The bicycle will have six riders and each
day efforts will be made to beat the
record of the day previous or the record
recently made by the six riders who kept
up with a fast locomotive acting as
pnce maker.
This exhibition will be novel and un-
doubtedly 1t will grow In popularity each
day because six men on single bicycle
Is a spectacle not seen herea bouts. The
management is confident that the Sex
tuple exhibition will prove highly enter
tanning to great many people. The
matter of bicycle racing was given due
consi deration, and it was decided that
the introduction OF other features would
prove more popular to the average
sightseer.
Another novelty to be introduced con-
sists o. n balloon race. Aeronauts main
tain that an exhibition OF this character
has never beeeD undertaken in the Unit
ed States, but they see no reason why
the enterprise could not be made q re-
markabie success. When the plan was
first suggested all the best known aero
rauts were communicated with and the
scheme outlined. Advice was asked on
the subject and responses were received
from prominent balloon men favoring
the scheme. 1t is proposed TO have as
many as 10 balloons in the race. They
will be filled with hot air and given
flight In front OF the grand stand stimuli
taneously. The baloonist getting high
est into the air in given time will be
awarded tho prize. Each balloon will be
equipped with a parachute and each
balloon manipulation must drop by this
means. 1t can readily be seen that this
part Of the big exhibition will be both
interesting and exciting.
III necessary arrangem snts can be made
there will. be another novelty at the park
this year. An effort is to be made to
have borseless carriage race. The pro.
ject has been broached TO the principal
manufacturers, and 1t has met with con-
siderable favor. Responses have been re-
ceived, and IL the requisite mum ter OF
entries are received there will be highly
interesting racing at tho tar. There
must be at least 10 entries aud five of
them must start to make a race. hun
dred dollars must be posted as guar
antee OF good faith. This Will be re-
turned 10 the depositors who are among
the starters.
There will be the usual display by
fakirs and showmen. Ii was expected
that there would be a falling of this
year in this heretofore. generous part OF
the show, but expectations in this re-
spect have not been realized. Nearly all
the space has beeu rented already, and
when the opening day comes the fakir
will be in oyerpowering evidence.
The Hedley-Livsey band has been en-
gagged. Besides the regular music of the
day the bano will give evening concerts
as there Is TO be 40 evening performance
similar 10 last year. There will be
enough going on 10 satisfy oil sorts of
tagtoa. Uhnga a. ha Ifta l..