The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-16
ATTRACTS THRONGS YET
THOUSANDS SAW "BATTLE OF MA
Mia" LAST NIGHT.
The Spectacle Something of a Disap-
pointment-Charges of Mismanage-
ment of the State Fair.

Another big crowd of people went out last
night to see the Battle of Manila" The
size Of the crowds Wednesday and last night
of the crowds Wednesday and last night
showed how extensively an autumn spec
tacle of high grade would be patronized in
indianapolis each year, but it is doubtful if
such throngs can be lured to these enter
tainments in the future unless something
superior TO the Battle of Manila" is pre-
scented. A further grievance against the
State Board of Agriculture management,
held by thousands of people. was the prom
Use that spectators who paid the ordinary
price of admission could see the spectacle
To each end of the grand stand last night
were acres of faces, straining to catch a
view Of the exhibitions in front Of the grand
stand. 1t was practically impossible for
tnese people TO see, and they had to content
themselves in waiting till the skyrockets
We're sent up These they could see, be-
cause there was no obstruction in the
heavens.
Ihose who paid an extra fee to get in the
grand stand had a good view of the show,
but there was great disappointment over
the 1nsignihcance of the affair, as compared
TO the Last Days of Pompeii' and other
shows OF the same character given before
In indianapolis Four or five long strips of
painted canvas represent the deep blue sea
and the surroundings of Manila harbor
The Empire Theater has much more pre-
tentious scenery. The enthusiast in looking
at the picture must not see the supers and
others who walk between the canvas strips
giving the appearance of human heads bob
bling up and down in quiet sea. Nor must
ne observe the white tents and stables just
over the edge of the Island of Corregidor
The battle ships were good and somewhat
more pretentious than the skiffs on the
canal at Fairview Park, although not so
formidable as the launches at Broad Ripple
Ladders, posts for acrobats and other OBJ
structions are placed in front of the pic
ture, possibly to give the idea of great dis
lance, just as a. brook seems farther away
when looking at it through the interlacing
trees. The acrObatic SpecialtieS at General
Augustus Fete'-how grandiloquent sounds
the phrase-might be jeered if given at the
Empire, where the gallery gods are fastidi-
Gus in their taste.
The management which has character
lied the fair in recent years is apparent
again this year. The immoral shows have
been eliminated. This year the board issued
numerous passes for courtesies extended to
1t and then promptly refused to honor these
passes, requiring those presenting the same
to pay an admission fee. The newspaper
passes were included in these and country
editors and even the reporters from the In
dianapolis papers who went out to write
up the affair were required to pay, although
they presented the passes issued by Sec
rotary kennedy. OF course there was no in
tention on the part of the board that such
circumstance should arise, but that it did
only illustrates the executive mismanage-
ment for which the fair has been criticised
W. r
tention was called to the embarrassment
occasioned by this cavalier treatment of
those holding passes Wednesday night but
last night the ticket takers were again re-
fuSing to admit those who did not hold the
pasteboards purchased at the box Office 1t
may be difficult to secure columns of gra-
tuitous space from he country editors next
year.
THE Indiana state fair" said one citizen
last night in speaking of the spectacle,
needs Il business manager one man in
whose hands the management should be
placed, the same as theater or any other
enterprise catering to the public. 1t is not
fair 10 ask the Legislature to appropriate
money for this institution and have it con-
Quoted on such plane. When thousands of
people come here from over the State to an
institution supported largely by the State
and IND such Wretchsd entertainment for
their money they naturally grow prejudiced
against the city of Indianapolis, and with
out reasoning think the city has some hand
in the matter, advertising great promises
in order to get people to come here and
spend money with the merchants The mer-
chants owe 1t to their trade to see that re-
forms are instituted in the State Board of
Agriculture.
The grounds last night were sea of mud
and people who went out came home with
bedraggled garments. The MOnon ran a spe-
cial train in after the performance.