The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-10-25

Great beyond calculation and grand be-
yond description was the attendance at
the Fair yesterday.
Its the same old story about big
crowd" said Mr.. l.. Banks Holt yesterday
Agricultural Society has ever had. "but
/ think the crowd is the largest that
has ever attended the State Fair"
Thursday of Fair week is a distinct
event in the life of the State each year
1t is the great hand shaking event when
neighbors and acquaintances come to-
gether to renew bonds of friendship. All
Raleigh turns out and from every quar-
ter of the State people come to get in the
big throng that parades The midway and
chokes up the passages in the big build
ings. There is no occasion In the State
that equals Thursday of the State Fair
And the crowd yesterday-nothing like
it has ever been seen at a Fair in this
State. 1t gathered in numbers and force
until midway, and then it looked as if the
limit had been reached. The exhibition
buildings We're iammed full the midway
was a seethng mass Of humanity full
OF color and life. the grand d-stand over
flowed until people clung from the sides
and the railingS to get view of the
race track, while the inside of the race
course was filled as it never has been be-
fore. Society and people prominent in the
affairs of State elbowed with the hoi pol
loi. moro typical crowd of North Caro-
linians never assembled before in the his
tory of the State.
There is always a disposition to esti-
mate a crowd like that. Estimates were
the order of the day yesterday There
are those who are willing to stake their
life that the crowd did not exceed 10000,
while others are equally positive that
there were as many as 10000 in the
grounds. Twenty thousand was the esti-
mate by those very conservatively in
clined
What did the immense crowd do? II
circulated about the wealth of attrac-
tions and exhibits until wearied with
sight seeing, and went away satisfied that
it had seen the greatest Fair the State
Agricultural Society has ever offered to
the public. The exhibits of the States
wealth, resources and manufactured pro-
ducts displayed to such splendid advan-
tagc in the great buildings held the at
tention of the crowd to capacity The
fancy fowl the trim cattle and blooded
stock were objects of interest through
out the dav. The race course was lined
with a double row of people as were never
gathered around the historic old track be-
fore. while thousands sought seats and
points of vantage in the grand stand from
which to view the exciting speed trials.
1t was on the midway that the popu-
lace rcveled. The attractions were spread
over greater territory than in previous
years. but this condition did not have a
diminishing effect on the size of the crowd
The avenue down the midway
was packed with humanity from
morning until night and it was almost
impossible 20 find pathway for escape
II was The typical Thursday crowd, easy
going and jolly, stopping first to hear one
fakir's spell and moving on to hear an
other. all equally interesting and fasci-
mating.
The spilier who makes the announce
lqcrt for The var led attractions on the
Midway is greater interest than the
majority of the shows for which ad-
mission is charged. He is gifted fell
low in the employment of alliteration