The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-09-19
THE BIG CRAWFORD FAIR
SUCCESSFULLY OPENED YESTER-
DAY AT THE DRYING PARK.

Good Attractions Were the Order
Hors Races Feature-Few Premiums
! Awarded Yesterday-To-duy's Pro-
| gramme a Good One.
The annual fair and cattle show given
by the Branford Agricultural society
opened Yesterday on the grounds of the
Branford Driving association. The fair
will continue to-day and tomorrow,
and if the weather Is good the attend
ance record will doubtless be broken.
| Yesterdays crowd, for an opening day.
outnumbered any on the opening days
for the last four years, there being over
a thousand people present.
The scene and noise about the beau
! tiful grounds Of the association was
typical of the Connecticut country fair.
The fakirs, popcorn men and vendors
of all kinds We're very much in evidence
and they made the air ring with their
yells and calls by which they bring
trade to the various booths. The crowds
around the fakirs' stands consisted
chiefly of the back woods farmers, who
We're astounded at the way the men
| hauled in the money that they have to
toll so hard to get. Many of them were
probably more astounded when they
counted their money after a five min
utes' session with the takers. Still
without them the country fair would
be like a circus without a side show.
The management of the fair Is to be
congratulated on the way the exercises
of the day were carried out, for there
were practically no bitches in the long
and enjoyable programme. Owing to
the high wind, for which the manage
ment was not responsible, the mdair
performance of Professor A. r. Glas-
gov was postponed. The professor
made his appearance, and the manager
announced that he was to be shot out
of a cannon 1000 feet in the air and
while up that height he was to do
stunts on bar attached to his para
chute, The performance will be given
to-day and tomorrow and will be very
interesting. Otherwise the programme
was carried out almost as printed. All
the people present commented favor
ably on the events, and the horse races
especially were very exciting. The live
stock and agricultural exhibits were
fully up to the standard, but owing to
illness of Secretary John P. Callahan,
the awarding of premiums in most of
the classes was postponed until to-day.
Mr.. Callahan's place was ably filled
however, by his daughter.
Lined against the lower fence of the
park In stalls made for them were the
cattle, horses and swine that were on
exhibition, and in the first tent from
the main entrance the dogs and some
poultry were shown The next tent
was a large one and was filled with the
finest line of poultry, pigeons, etc.
This tent was a very popular one and
was largely patronzed during the day
The agricultural exhibit was in the
next tent, and in this there were many
fine specimens of what the garden can
turn out. Vegetables and fruit of all
kinds were shown and it was difficult
to tell which was the finest in the diff
ferent lines A fine line of up to date
carriages was shown in the next tent
the exhibit being by James McLay of
this city. Under the grand stand was
a miscellaneous assortment of goods
by different city merchants.
The most elaborate assortment of
articles was shown in the club house
and consisted of all sorts of fancy work
and fine collection Of antiques gather
ed from all parts of the state. Old
muskets, money, furniture, etc, were
there is numbers and the collection
nrnyA1 to he int -
who visited the building. The woman's
fancy work this year far SURPRISES that
of other years, and is made one of the
features of the fair, while in previous
years this branch was merely second
airy, All the exhibits were very we'll
patronized and showed improvements
in nearly all classes.
AS early as Q o'clock teams from all
the neighboring places We're moving to-
ward Branford, and at noon there were
at least 100 vehicles of all descriptions
in the enclosure. The grand stand and
bleachers We're well filled, and stand
ing along the railing on either side of
the stand We're hundreds eager to get
good view of the many performers. The
harness races at 2:30 We're preceded by
ed The Branford brass band furnish
ed music during the day and played |
for the vaudeville performers The
vaudeville programme was
given and was greatly enjoyed These |
actors were seen in their turn: Lambert |
and Lynch, the two swell coons; Soto |
Sunatare and wife in japanese Jug
Cling; the Bijou Comedy Four, singers
and dancers and comedians. and Frank |
Bassett. the trick bicyclist Aside |
from this there was an exhibition given |
by Professor Welch's trained dogs. !
Cute, the guideless wonder, owned by |
Mrs. N. B. Strong, was given an ova-
ton when she made her appearance |
and succeeded in going the mile in
2:11A, paced by two running horses. |
The horse only made one break in the |
mile.
The first race in harness was held at |
2:30 and was the first heat of the 2:4O |
trot. The heat was won by Myra w,
who later captured the next two heats
and the race from field of eight. These
heats were well contested after the
horses were started, there being CON
trouble in getting the animals
off in a good start. The heats were all
made in good time. The 2:15 trot
70 IA purse of $3.50 was very we'll
Muukins Bird W inning three