The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-10-16
FESTIVAL FIELD CROWDS.
1t Is Announced that Twenty-Three
Thousand People Entered Gates.


The attendance at the fall festival yes
terday afternoon and last night was the
largest of the week, $4,000 people having
passed through the gates to Festival Field.
The crowd yesterday afternoon was more
than 1000, and the night crowd was re-
corded as 5000 by the gatekeepers. The
increase in the attendance at the field was
due to the beautiful Indian summer wealth
of yesterday and at the afternoon per-
formances of the numerous shows on the
field people wearing light autumn dress
were in the majority, but last night the
slight chilliness of the air necessitated the
wearing of overcoats and heavier clothing.
The crowG which congested the field last
night was a good-natured festival crowd.
and amused itself listening to the takers,
who endeavored to secure its patronage
of the tented shows on the ground. The
jostling and horse play was absent from
the crowd and the good nature of the mass
Of people in crowding and being crowded
was remarkable In front Of some of the
shows the jams became so frequent that
ii was necessary for the police at the field
to clear them away several times to per-
NIT the reunion Of companions and to al
low the patrons of some of the shows to
get out to purchase tickets for the next
one on the promenade. The festival at
fractions did big business and every man.
ager along the line of shows was 'enthu-
siastic in describing the ease with which
the persons congregated In front Of their
tents were persuaded to buy tickets. At
the merrygo-round, the whirling institu-
ton possessed of the siren whistle that can
be heard by every one within l., radius &C. OF
BUSINESS, did a rushing business and was
equally popular as the camels In the
streets of Cairo, which wendell their way
around the field under their burdens of
laughing young people.
Several new attractions were added to
the field including the Stevens Music show
and the Temple of Music. These shows put
on the usual festival attraction and the
performances spelled by the announcers in
front are as frequent as those in the other
tents in the district. The attractions fire.
quented by the crowd were all of those
from the De Kreko show down to the 1.-The
Girl from Up There at the other end of
the line. The deep sea divers dove for the
frequency and hardly waited to get out of
the armor before going down into the
depths Of their glass tank for the edifca-
ton of new audience.
The Alsatian Garden, the attraction
which appeals 10 people who become hun
cry at the field. was well patronized by
the crowd and struggles with frankfurters
were continued into the grounds by the
visitors to the garden. The free attrac-
tions, the diving Of King and Queen, the
two ponies. and the performance Of Canary
on his aerial cycle dazzle held the crowd
at the Field until late in the night and
after these acts were over the crowd grad.
ually dispersed and by doing did not
hamper the excellent street car facilities
Of the day and evening.
In handling the large crowd that stream
ed out Washington street to the grounds
during the afternoon and evening the po-
lice department exercised care that the
crowds should not become boisterous, and
reported that most OF the time their pres
ence was not even needed. The street cars
were crowded both day and night, but no
trouble was experienced in transporting
the crowd to the grounds At the gates
it was with difficulty that the ticket-sellers
were able to sell admission tickets fast
enough to permit circulation Of the
eager crowd and it's entrance into the
brilliantly lighted promenade.