The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-11-08

More Than Fifteen Thousand Visitors Thunged the Grounds and
Buildings on the Natal Day Of the Big Show

press department, under the direction of the
Birmingham Press club, which will be
opened today.
Directly in the center of the building is
the state exhibit, which is perhaps the
most attractive of any in the building.
| The exhibit which Was gotten up by the
agricultural department under Commits
| sioner Culver embraces every product of
| the field and farm.
In the left wing is located the exhibit of
| the Jesse French Piano and Organ COM
! pany; the Golden Drug and seed company;
the Jefferson Iron Works; the Missouri
Manufacturing company's Fire Extin-
guisher, and others not yet in place.
just back of the state exhibit is the ex-
hibft of a. E. Forces, and in the north
west center of The central aisle the Es-
Gambia county exhibit, which is both novel
and interesting.
The FruiJhurst exhibit is located in the
] right wing and evidences the industry and
| thrift of the people of that community.
| In this wing are also located the exhibits
| of c. c. Ellis, carriages and wagons: The
| New Home Sewing Machine company; and
the American Cotton companys roundlap
| bale.
| On the second floor is located the woman's
! department; the educational department
| and other exhibits of an interesting ma tulre
In the woman's department are beautiful
booths under the direction of the Daughters
of the Confederacy and the Daughters of
| the American Revolution.
The art department con- aims many beau
tiful pictures and is very attractive.
The Birmingham Business college is rep
resented with a splendid exhibit showing
the improved methods of business educa-
| ton.
In the educational department is an art
loan from the Birmingham Seminary and
an exhibit from the Tuscaloosa Female col
lege. The Montevalo school exhibit will be
placed today.
Hutching's home made beer, manufacture
ed by A. f. Hutchings, of Aldrich, is repre-
scented with neat exhibit.
| Other exhibitors are busy arranging their
booths and by tomorrow the building will
be filled.
The Midway
! Probably the noisiest and most entertain-
| ing section of the whole show is the Mid
| way. From the time the gate opened at
10 o'clock in the morning yesterday the
| loud beating of toms, firing of pistols,
! blasts from brass bands and shril tones
| from instruments in THE Streets of Cairo
| began. At least fifty spieers kept the air
| vibrating with the merits of twenty or
| twenty-five shows, and this together with
the various noises mentioned and the deep
| tones from some nameless instrument, pro-
duced an almost deafening effect. The
| +ba
thronged the streets all day and late at
night.
After going through the main avenue the
entrance to the Streets of Cairo was en-
countered. From this enclosure could be
heard a Bedlam of peculiar sounds and the
sight-seers focked through the gates The
camels donkeys and Turkish theater were
| all there. To the sound of "Rida de
| Lillian Resell and 'sean way back
the more adventurous mounted the Orient
| al steeds and rode through the grounds
| to the step of the couchee-couchee. Some
| failed to get fixed good and fell off, but
| it was all in fun and the spectators en-
! joyed it.
| Turkish Tbeater
After witnessing a weird scene of dark
visaged men hopping up and down and
|
beating a big bass drum and flashing long
| knives the crowd was tolled to the Turkish
theater From an elevated platform five
| Oriental muscle dancers were introduced
| in one of the best and most eloquent spiels
| ever heard.
| Inside the tent the dances were put on in
| due and proper style. 1t was not houchee-
| couchee but just near enough to delight
the audience assembled. The next show to
| see was Hagenback wonderful trained
! animals and so on down the line.
Two of the Hagenback lionesses gave
! birth to a litter of cubs Monday night.
| By the trainers it is considered peculiar
| coincidence that two ltters of cubs should
| he born ait the same time. The showmen
are very proud of the new ba bies, and state
| il is an incident which will make them al
| ways remember Birmingham and the Ala
| bama State fair. The little Fellows nave
| not vet been burdened with heroic names
The Midway is free from the roughness
| and coarseness usually seen in such places.
| Though the atmosphere is filled with deaf
| ening sounds, everything is worked smooth
| ly and polite treatment is accorded to all
| visitors
The Races
The racing was the main attraction in the
| afternoon, and tie spout was first-class.
With the grandstand filed to Overlooking,
| with beautiful women and excited men, the
| first days programme was run in true
| sportsmanlike style. The finishes were all
! close and the excitement was intense.
Women rose to their feet waving tiny
handkerohiefs While men beat their hats
and umbrellas over the seats in the antici-
patton of cashing winning pool tickets.
TIE new half-mile erak is very fast. end
some OF the best racing ever seen in Ala
bama was witnessed yesterday afternoon.
The public picked the winners and the ia
! vorites won in almost every instance. In
| lie third race the betting was heavy on
| tuobert Bonner and Can-I-See-Em, but
! Samiral proved somewhat of a surprise and
finished first under some skilful riding
tine part of Jockey Patton. Robert Bonner
! failed to either show or get place.
| Patton is probably the most experienced
| jockey ever seen on Birmingham track.
| Out of three races entered he Won two
| This plucky and level-headed little rider
| rode Ben Frost to victory by nose in the
| last race when 1t looked as If George