The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-09-30
RACES COMMENCE
THIS AFTERNOON
, Two Days Program VIII Be
Given in One.
FAIR PIKE ATTENDANCE
Real Opening of Parker's At
fractions Last Night.

Two days racing for the price Of one
grounds this afternoon.
The track was so muddy and the sky
looked so threatening for further rain.
that President c. NJ. Irwin decided to call
the program off until today. Promptly
at 2:30 clock the races will begin. First
those scheduled for yesterday will be run,
followed by the regular program for to-
day.
Last night at $50 o'clock the Pike was
thrown open to the public with all attrac-
tons in readiness to visitors for the first
time. AS the attendance at the pike was
small Monday night and only about one
half of the shows were ready for business
last evening was really the opening to
the Parker companys big amusement
tents. The ground was rather muddy
in the big enclosure, but sand was sprink-
led at intervals where water stood the
most. BY the time 500 or more persons
had walked about the grounds taking in
the various shows, it was comparatively
dry. That is, there was little danger of
ony one getting their shoes muddy. or
the women their skirts. While the attend
ence was not big, there were perhaps one
third more people who paid admission at
the Pike last night than on Monday
evening. The sky continued cloudy, or
the crowd would have undoubtedly been
doubled. All were anxious to go and the
fear of a drenching was the only thing
that kept some away.
Last night was what might have been
called Wichita night. 1t was mostly
Wichita people who attended and they
spend their money freely
All of the attractions did good business
considering the size of the crowd and
the countenances of the managers of the
different shows took on a brighter look
as the people commenced to come and
there was a prospect for the atmosphere
clearing off
The weather man says IL will be colder
tonight and tomorrow, which is practical
ly the same thing as positive announce
ment that there will be no more ran. Be
fore O'Clock this morning the sky was
partially clear at times and the moon
was seen frequently.
1t can truthfully be said that the Par
ker aggregation of shows are first class
in every respect. There is not a poor one
in the lot and all are clean and up-to-
date. The free attractions are especially
far above the average. Each is given
nightly Just as advertised and are worth
many times the price of admission TO the
Pike.
Perhaps the most interesting of the free
shows is the dive of Commodore Daring
daily at 10 p. m. from ladder 80 feet
high into tank of water four feet deep.
This takes place directly opposite the
coliseum. 'Meracle' presents q duplica-
llon of Fitzpatrick famous ride down the
capitol steps at Washington. He rides
a bicycle down a ladder at an angle of
20 degrees.
Amarillo does some balancing and walk
ing on slack wire that is second to none
of it's kind.
Prof. White takes daring trips to the
clouds in monster war balloon, re-
turning to earth in a parachute.
Last but not least comes the irridescent
electric fountain using 5000 candle power
of electricity thousands Of gallons of wa
Ter at each performance The fountain
gives an exhibition at o'clock nightly
and is located just inside the big gate to
the Pike.
The first of the pay attractions present
ed to view on the left as people enter the
pike is a high class vaudeville show. 1t
is new and fun of novelties
The next is the merry go-round. unlike
any ever before seen in Wichita. The
machine is said to be the most expensive
of its kind ever made. 1t has been doing
a big business ever since the opening of
the pike on the first night
The Ferris wheel, which Is not new here.
continues to draw crowds as in former
years. 1t is kept in action continually
from the time of opening the pike in
the afternoon until the time of the closing
st night
The Coliseum is the big show OF the Par
ker combination. 1t occupies more ground
than any of the other shows and is sep
arated from them by a high canvas fence.
1t has capacity and can entertain 2.0c
persons at each performance.
"Fraviolo.' who loops the loop in a
rolling globe. heads the list OF performers
Should the ban not attain the de-
sired rate of speed when the loop is reach
ed the ball containing FravioIo would be
dashed to the ground.
Other features Of the Coliseum are Wal
lace and Beach. European equilibrists;