The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-10-21
Three Interesting Events at the
Fair Yesterday.
BETTER ONES FOR TO-DAY
All Records in the Number of
Exhibits Broken.
A BALLOON ASCENSION TO-DAY
The Military Companies Are Coming
in and There VIII be a Great
Sham Battle on To-
Morrow.


Morrow.
The State Fair is now an assured
success. 1t was formally opened by
Governor Carr yesterday at 10 o'cloc,
and is now in full swing.
The weather was fne-the typical
Indian autumn Of the South, made
up of sunshine, balmy air, blue sky
and great splashes of color-and the
people went out in large numbers to
see the exhibits and witness the fine
racing.
And they were not disappointed.
The exhibits, with the exception of
a stray carload now and then or some
small article brought in by some be-
lated out-of-town visitor, are now
all in place and grand show they
make. The interior of Floral Hall
presents a fascinating scene, bewild-
ering in its beauty and in variety OF
the articles displayed. Nobody saw
it but to praise, nobody looked upon
it but they went away reluctantly
and longed to come again. The rich
furniture, the costly fabrics, the dain-
ty bric4a-brac, the intricate needle
work, the rare paintings, the plate
glass mirrors, the flaming cOlors Of
tropical flowers and the odor of fruit,
all combined to form a vision of mar
velous beauty that is a sufficient re-
Ward for a longer and far more hazard
GUS journey than any North Carolin-
ian would have to make TO come to his
State Fair.
And the exhibits are as great in
extent and variety as they are interest
ing and beautiful. There is not foot
Of floor space in the great exposition
buildings unoccupied.
81 am surprised" said Commission
er of Agriculture Patterson, yester-
day when he visited the grounds. This
is not our old Fair. 1t reminds me
of the Exposition of 1884 There is
no end of exhibits here. And good
ones too-all of them. The Exposition
OF 1891 was hardly any better, if in
deed it was so good"
And this is what everybody is say
| ing. 1t is a great Fair. 1t marks ar
epoch in the history of the Agricul-
tural Society, and in years TO come
| people will be comparing their State
| Fairs with this one of 1896. The
| States industries, enterprise and de-
velopment, as here displayed to the
| gaze of the world. can but cause a
| feeling of pride in the bosom OF every
| Tar Heel.
| PROCESSION TO FAIR GROUNDS.
At II o'clock Yesterday morning
| President Cameron and Chief Marshal
AIcKissick waited on Governor Carr
and escorted him to the Marlborough
House where the marshals were as
sembled on horseback Here the pro-
| cession was formed, headed by the
band. The chief marshal with his
| aides followed. Then came the Gov
ernor and President Cameron; then
the State officers and officers OF the
Agricultural Society.
When the Fair grounds we're reached
the procession proceeded to the grand
stand, where the opening ceremonies
took place. Gov. Carr, who was pre-
sented in an appropriate address by
Mr.. McKissick, made a short speech
declaring the Fair open and congrat-
ulating the people on the fine display
of their States industries and progress
as set forth in the exhibits.
After Gov. Carr's address the people
dispersed over the grounds TO see the
various exhibits, look at the fine stock
or patronize the fakirs, every maa
according to his liking.
THE RACES YESTERDAY.
Yesterdays races at the Fair yera
far above the average that has be@@
reached on such occasions An fOFm@r
years. Tillie Ferguson, q Handsome
brown mare, owned by Mr.. w. n.
Coover of Gladstone, Va, put uD one
Of the prettiest races ever seen hwrw
and, to the surprise OF every body, Kitty
Hawk had to chase her hOme in three
straight heats. But Kitty Hawk ha2
been so used to having eveEythiHg her
way that she didn't give 10 Up without
q struggle, lowering her record fFom
2:25h to 2:27h. The contest, which
was the best in 5, was an exciting enc,
all the finishes being close.
A particularly interesting as well
ais novel race was the gentleman's
driving race with road wagons. There
were four starters, but two or theI
were distanced in the first heat In
the second heat the third, Mambrin%
Girl, the winner of the first heat, got
the flag. The third heat was therefore
trotted by the two remaining horses,
Miss Meadows and Sister Mills. 1t
was a decided novelty and was hugely
enjoyed by the spectators. The first
heat was won by Mambrino Girl, who
has a record of $3.50, but the next two
heats were taken with ease by Miss
Meadows in 2:35-a most remarkable
record when it is considered that she
was drawing a 800 pound buggy.
The best part Of this race, however,
came later when those who were dis
tanced went about In the crowd telling
how it all happened and why they got
left so far behind. OBJ the
Continued on 5th pags)