Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-05-28

bedraggled appearance.
For the previous forty-eight hours
it had rained or drizzled almost con-
stantly, and as a result everything out
side of the paved. streets was mud.
This condition was especially no
the mud ranged from two inches to
about ten inches, while the average was
ankle deep. This, however, did not
keep the people from visiting the
grounds. Everybody expected mud, and
they were not disappointed. They got
it, and each person admitted that they
had gotten the worst of it. The result
will be that the majority Of the citizens
will spend to-day quietly at home
cleaning up their clothes.
1t is doubtful If a larger crowd was
ever seen on the State fair grounds
something wonderful when the beastly
character of the weather is taken into
consideration. The attendance was
very largely made up of people from
out Of town, and the street cars were
almost overwhelmed. One Martins Fer
ry conductor reported last night that
he rung up 1872 fares on one trip, and
a Bellaire conductor reported LAT. From
the city side, trips of from 100 to 1876
or 140 were the usual thing all during
the early part of the afternoon.
AS was stated in yesterdays paper,
the Wild West show arrived Sunday
morning from Newark, and was at once
unloaded and taken to the show lot.
where it was introduced to that pc
culiar, but none the less well-known,
product, island mud. Now, this mud
is not like other mud, but is of the con-
s%tituency of cruel, and is very affec-
tionate in that it clings lovingly to
whatever object it touches,and can only
be induced to release its hold after con-
siderable persuasion by means OF a
brush. When an acquaintance is once
formed with this mud, n would know
it again if he met it after an experience
with a thousand other water-saturated
soils.
The show people put up their tents
Sunday, and found that only two or
three of them had to be scrubbed to
remove this peculiar, but affectionate
product. When the work of preparing
for the parade was started, mud was
|. again encountered encrusted upon
boots, horses, wagons and uniforms.
and it was only after hours Of labor
that it was removed. The parade was
started at 10 o'clock, and had not got
ten out of the grounds before every
thing was encrusted. When the city
was reached, the rain had proven that
the color of the mud was not fast, for
1t had run over everything, and never
before had sucA a begrimed, rain-be-
draggled body of men paraded the
streets. The parade was led by Col.
Cody in person, and he attracted much
attention.
The people understood the situation,
however, and were very enthusiastic
over the various military ~turnouts, they
being really excellent. There is no
doubt but that the parade and show
would have exceeded any thing prev
iously given in the city in this line had
the weather been anything like decent.
AS it was the attendance at the after
noon performance broke all records and
hundreds, who had purchased tickets,
were turned away at the door, as all
the seating and standing room capacity
of the show had been exhausted. There
was no night performance on account of
the breaking of the dynamo in the acct
dent on the bridge Sunday.
The Performance
he performance opened promptly at
two o'clock with the tent packed. AS
the first of the Indians were emerging
into the arena for the opening number
q SiSht ioiu Sloi lCu, IouliluluS luS
entire afternoon, and greatly handicap
ped the performance. The mud here
again made itself known, and all had
to be extremely cautious to avoid acct
dents. The opening number consisted
of a grand review, which was partici-
pated in by about a thousand men and
horses, and presented a magnificent
scene, eliminating the mud, as all ma
tons were represented. The English,
Americans and Beers. and Buffalo Bill
in particular, received much applause
from the vast audience. Miss Annie
oakley sustained her old reputation in
the use of firearms, and introduced sew
eral new and difficult tricks. The ex-
hibition drill by Battery d, Fifth ar
tillery, was one of the features of the
performance, and save for the breaking
of the arnes on the second gun was
without accident. The people were not
allowed to forget the mud. however.
and whenever the heavy field pieces
turned a corner the audience, in range.