The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-09-26
From a Staff Correspondent.


Allentown, Sept. 25.-Fifteen thousand
persons paid admission today to the
grounds of the Lehigh County Fair as
sociation. Fifteen thousand persons
tramped out of the grounds again later
in the day soaked to the skin, with
mud spotched up to their knees and
heavy weight of disappointment upon
them.
Thursday is usually the record day
in Allentown during fair week. Last
year $4,000 souls We're inside it's hospi-
table gates on that day; but then it
was sunshiny, clear afternoon. and
each of the three railroads entering
this city rolled train after train of eX-
Cursionists to help swell the crowds
from here and surrounding towns. To-
day the railroads gave special excur-
sions from Reading, Scranton, Tama-
qua. Saylorsburg, Philadelphia and
Whitehouse. N. j., but the long trains
of empty cars, bore mute testimony to
the uncommon goodsense displayed by
the usual fair habitues who had elected
to stay at home.
The crowds that did get here came on
the early morning trains, when hope
rcigned high that the heavy downpour
was "just shower" that would be sue
ceeded by sunshine and warm air. The
excursion on the Jersey Central from
Lackawanna and LuZerne counties
brought about 300, while a smaller num-
her came on the Lehigh Valley from
the same locality.
DOWNPOUR CEASED.
About II o'clock the downpour ceased
90 W a ~
tured from the shelters of hotels and
railroad stations began to take trolley
cars for the grounds, mile away from
the business centres. AT noon the ex-
hibition buildings We're packed and the
"barkers" for the eight dime shows be-
gan to pipe up their lays and attract
audiences. The man who had lem all
hot" and the warm coffee man began
to reap a harvest of nckels. while the
lemonade and ice cream stands got the
marble heart"
The buildings and shows that gave
protection from the downpour We're
packed so full of wet humanity that
the air in them soon became vitiated
and sitting. while the floors were as
wet and muddy as the ground outside.
Enterprising vendors, with a shrewd
stores in the city with armfuls of rain
coats, umbrellas and other like commod-
tiles and set up shops in any old place.
in the cattle sheds, horse buildings and
under full-eaved trees. A great traffic
was done by them.
The track, which was in such magnfi-
cent shape yesterday almost drew tears
from the eyes of veteran horsemen
when they contemplated it, 1t resem-
bled nothing in the world so much as
broad streak of wet mustard encir-
cling huge green tomato. The bright
yellow clay, however. has one redeem
ing characteristic. 1t dries quickly,
and should the rain cease tonight it can
be speedily put into shape for the races
tomorrow.
PICKPOCKETS NABBED.
Several pickpockets We're nabbed on
the fair grounds during the day and
brought to the city to the lookup. The
managers have the grounds extremely
we'll policed and suspicious characters
are quickly sized up.
Several games of chance We're work.
inng on the quiet in out-of-the-way
hooks, games in which the player does
not have a chance for IL fair deal.
Among them was the famous but fa-
miliar three-shell game, which was in
charge of youngster scarcely out of
his teens. He was working away in
dustriously with his device when he
saw one of the directors with big blue
badge picking his way cautiously to-
ward him over muddy road. Calling
boy from the crowd he asked him ia