The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-10-20
Governor Russell Makes a
Brief Opening Address.
REGULAR TUESDAY CROWD
DESPITE THE SHOWERS THE IN
TDREST is UNABATED.
YESTERDAYS FAIR PROCEEDINGS
The Fair Waits Only Now for Sunshine to
Be Splendid Success--Raleigh Full
Of Folks Yesterday.

VI soiNo tVStOtouJ'
1t rained ON the Fair yesterday, and
the rain dampened the grounds, laid all
the dust, washed off the seats, sprinkled
the track and cooled the atmosphere,
but if didn't dampeu the ardor of the
Fair managers, nor the Fair exhibitors
nor the Fair visitors, and they were all
busy sightseeing, showing exhibits-and
despite the mild showers-haying a good
time The crowd at the Fair Grounds
was almost the usual Tuesday crowd.
The rain and the circus both-one at
tractive-the other a deteroration-con
tinued to lessen the Fair visitors, but
if Father Won Hermann will just let
up 'twixt now and noon to-day, the
crowd already in Raleigh and the crowds
that are bound for Raleigh will swarm
at the Fair Grounds to-day tomorrow
and Friday. Sam Jones once said that
he could tackle anything successfully so
far as drawing crowds was concerned
except a circus, but that he was too old
and had had too much experience to
tackle circus. The circus took the ma
jority Of the crowd yesterday, but still,
considering everything, the Fair Jared
very well, and landed a fair percentage
of the folks.
Everything yesterday seemed TO move
along like clock work. The city was
5hronged with folks. They came from
far and near, and it was said that by 10
o'clock there was hardly standing room
in lot in town for the horses. The
people from the country were here in
large numbers. The twonspeople turn
ed ont in great volumes to see the two
parades-the circus parade and the
Fair parade-and there were perhaps
more people on Fayetteville street than
at any previous occasion, except the un-
Yelling of the Confederate monument in
1896.
Promptly at II o'clock the march to
the Fair Grounds began from in front
of the Marlborough House. The process
sion was as large or larger than on form
er occasions. The marshals were in line
in good numbers with spirited steeds.,
and good number Of carriages full Of
prominent pe0ple, were in the process
sion.
There were over thirty marshals under
the leadership of Chief Marshal Ly-
brook. of Winston Many Of the mar
shals brought their own horses with them
from a distance.
The line of march was as follows:
Statesyille band, Of eighteen pieces.
Detail from Governors Guard as spe-
cial escort.
Grimess Battery, thirty-one strong,
under Capt. G. II. Warren.
Carriages with prominent citizens
came next as follows.
First, Gov. Russell and Private Secre-
tary Alexander, President II. I'll. Battle,
Mai. f.. Nj. Hayes.
Next, Attorney General Walser, Treas
urer Worth, Secretary of State Thomp-
son, Auditor Hal w. Aver.
Next, Il. A. Cobb, Librarian: J. M.
Mewborne, Commissioner of Agriculture,
and j. Y. Hamrick, commissioner of
Labor Statistics.
Next, DR.. j. A. Weston, Rev. q. G.
Glenn, Col. B. S. Register, Inspector
General.
Next, j. NJ. McCuthen, j. G. Levi, W.
NJ. Poindexter, Frank Stronach and w.
M. @. French.
The procession upon arriving at the
grounds proceeded to the grand stand,
when at 1890 President Battle intro
duced Governor Russell.
His Excelency formally opened the
than ten minutes duration. He review
ed briefly the history and achievements
of the North Carolina Agricultural So
ciety from the time it was organized a
few years before the war until the pres
emit. He contrasted the agricultural con-
ditions then and now. North Carolina
was an agricultural State then and had
in spite of slavery developed a high
order Of civilization. The North Caro-
lima Agricultural Society did its part
then towards stimulating higher ideas in
agricultural life and since the war, since
slavery had been abolished still higher
development of civilization had been ac-
complished in this good old agricultural
Commonwealth, and this Society had
done much to advance the interests of
agriculture and other industrial life, and
had been potent in maintaining that
higher development of civilization among
our agricultural people.
The Fair being now properly opened,
the visitors proceeded to take in the
exhibits, and the various amusements.
There is much to see and much to write
about in detail, all of which will be seen,
duly appreciated and duly noted before
the week closes. 1t is to be hoped that
the sun will return to brighten up
things during the remaining days Of the
Fair 50 that everybody may fully enjoy
the splendid display that has been spread
out by the Society and the friends of
progressive agricultural and industrial
life.