Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-10-14
THE FAIR HAS BEGUN
TIE GROUNDS THROWN OPEN TO
THE rupLrc YESTERDAY.
RAIN MADE The ATTENDANCE SLIM.
The Main Bu,iding Not Fiised Yet.
+. Hat Exhibitors Arc Rapidly
Placing Their Wares In Position
The Races the Feature Yesterday.

tiuctnE fhrfr wares IN fosfteo-
The Races the Feature Yesterday.
Mid a drlzzIlng rain. which continued
almost unceasInely throughout the day.
the gates of the Virginia State Fair were
throwa open yesterday morning. and the
machinery on exhibition within the main
building Was set in motion. The rain kept
q great many people who doubtless would
have attended the fam from going out
and as a result The attendance was very
slim.
The exhibits have not all been placed In
position, and the main building does not
present that scene Of animation that has
characterized II in years gone by. Still.
all the space has been taken. and exhibit
ors were busily engaged yesterday and
until late last night placing their wares
out In most attractive fashion for the de-
location OF the many who are expected to
attend to-day, tomorrow, and Friday.
In the west wing IS most attractively
arranged the poultry exhibit, and Mr.. A.
IA. ThieTman's collection OF rare water
fowls. which Is decidedly the feature on
the building, was where the interest or
the hight-sseTs was principally consen-
trated.
out OF doors, and especially In rear OF
the west wing. the fakirs and popcorn
vendors. together with the side-show pro-
prietors hold forth. and their cries as
they advertised their wares or tented
cGriosities blended most meiodiously win
the Quacks of the ducks ana crows or 'he
chickens which constantly emanated from
the interior of the building, and that reel
ing Of underlined pleasure which only
State fair can create gradually takes pos
session Of one as he stands and taxes III
the scene.
THE RACES THE FEATURE.
While all of these various attractions
have their merits, the races which are
run daily on the half-mile course JUST
west OF the main building are distinctly
the feature of the fair. Many excellent
events are scheduled 10 take place on
this course this week, and though the
track. due 20 the rain. was quite heavy
yesterday. some very interesting and eN-
citing races were run. Five events were
down on the programme but II was deem
ed best to cut the two irotting races our
and postpone them until to-day. and only
the three running races were had. There
was a fairly good crowd in attendance 10
witness the trials OF speed, and the events
were all exciting and interesting. the first
race being intensely so.
FIRST EVENT.
The first event was a running mile
dash. maidens all ages, weight for age
for purse OF s175. The entries were Eva
H.. years, chestnut mare, owned by II.
c. Maddux. of WASHINGTON; Wonder.
years. bay gelding. owned by r. Il. LEWIS
of Brunswick county; Russian. years,
bay gelding. from Piedmont Stable. Up
pervilIe, and Tanager. years. bay geld
ing. owned by Alexander Mcdonald, Of
Richmond. None were scratched. ana the
horses came to the post promptly at the
tap OF the bell.
Eva II. drew the pole. Tanager got
away some distance IN the lead. and Won
der left next. with Eva II some distance
in the rear. Eva lost no time. however
I'm filing up the gap. and at the quarter
the three animals were running nicely TO
vether with Russian tagging way behind.
At the half Eva H. bean to show signs
Of fatigue. and Tanager drew away from
Wonder. He maintained his speed 10 the
finish and moved under the wire winner
by three lengths in l:5S S-4, with Wonder
second. Eva n. third, and Russian fourth.
SECOND EVENT.
The second event was a running, three
ouarter-mile DASH all ages, weight for
age. for a purse of $50. The entries were;
Elkridge years. bay geiding. owned pv
J. ]. Roche, of Mt Washington, Nd;
Unlucky, years. chestnut gelding. owned
by Mrs. G. ]. Engelking, of Richmond
Princeton. late Bay Secret. 5 years, bay
gelding. owned by c. II. Hurkamp, OF
Fredericksburg: Lewiston. 8 years, chest
nut geiding. owned by J. F. Jordan, Of
Greensboro n. c., and Duke of Kent
agea. chestnut gelding, owned by J. West.
OF Richmond.
Lewiston got away some distance in
the lead, and was pursued by Unlucky,
with the others nicely punched in third
place. At the first turn Lewiston
stumbled and fell over his head He re-
gained his feet almost instantly and
gamely went after Unlucky, who had
gone to the front He got the van In
short order. but had injured his shout
der and could not hold 1t. Unlucky went
TO the rear with him though, and Duke
Of Kent forged forward. The Duke was
pushed by Elkridge, who soon took the
lead and held II to the finish. passing
under the wire a winner In 1.23 IA with
Duke OF Kent only half n length behind.
Lewiston came in In third place, close
up on the TANKS OF the Duke. and I'm
lucky and Princeton finished fourth and
fifth, respectively.
THE GENTLEMEN'S RACE.
The third and concluding event was a
three-quarter mile dash. saddle horses,
gentlemen riders, minimum weight lS5
pounds. The starters were: Walton &
SCOTS bay mare, Daisy; w. ID. Card
wells bay gelding, Bushrod; j. w. Park
inson's chestnut gelding, jackson; G. IL.
Hurkamps bay gelding, Vanity; j. ii.
ChafIin's bay gelding, Fighting Creek;
Piedmont Stables bay mare. Molly; IL.
j. wade's bay gelding, Brook. and j. +.
Jordan & Co.'s bay mare. Wenda. The
start wac very ragged and the horses were
strung out for almost an eighth Of q
mile. Jackson won the race and made
a beautiful run. having been the last 10
get away from the flag. BE was rid
den by Mr.. Croxton, who urged him on
beautifully, and he moved so rapidly that
at the half he had taken the lead. He
then ran easily TO the finish, and won in
1:241-2 with Bushrod close second. and
Daisy third. with large gap in'erven-
ing. At the second turn Molly and Brook
fell and dismounted their riders. but no
one was hurt.
NOTES OF THE FAIR.
Policeman Brannon. OF the Third Dis
trict has erected his bicycle merry-go-
round In the centre OF the main building,
and his wheels were kept continuously in
motion yesterday by the curious, many of
whom had never before mounted a BIZ
cycie On these wheels. however. the
yeriest novice is tho peer Of an expert
'cyclist.
The Blues Band is in daily attendance
upon the fair. and from the gallery I'M
mediately over the main entrance dis
course sweet music until the races begin,
when they transfer their stand to the
race-course.
The Fire Department has stationed an