The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-11-05
RAIN HURT FIRST DAY
HEAVY STORM KEPT PEOPLE
AWAY FROM FAIR GROUNDS.
THE EXHIBITION BUILDINGS
FURNISHED SHELTER FOR FAIR
VISITORS DURING THE DOWNPOUR.

Music Booths Gave Photographic
Concerts-Individun Art Exhibits
Are in PIace-New Booths Among
the Merchants DisplaNs--Superfn-
tendentS of County Exhibits Get
ting Everything i'm Readiness.
Midway Abandoned for the Day
on Account of the Storm.
The gates of the Savannah Agricul-
tural and Industrial Fair were thrown
open a few moments after noon yes
terday and the fall carnival was for
mally inaugurated. The cloudy skies
had interfered with the number of
people who We're at the gates waiting
TO be admitted, and only a compare
lively few tickets were sold. The Mid
way did not open in the afternoon,
owing to the rain, and the majority
of the visitors to the grounds spent
the day in the exhibit buildings. Rain
checks were given out by the manage
ment.
The art building is nearly filled with
exhibits, a large number of booths
having been erected during the night
before. The first new booth, upon
entering the building, is Conida's. In
addition to this booth the booth of
the Goodyear Macintosh Company,
the Commercial Bank, and one or two
stands erected by privilege men, have
made their appearance. The displays
of the individual exhibits have about
all been placed.
In the other buildings a few more
booths are in position and the owners
were arranging the displays. BY this
morning it is hoped that all but the
county exhibits will be completed The
remainder of the Bulloch county ex-
hibit arrived yesterday morning and
shortly after o'clock in the afternoon
the Spalding displays began making
their appearance.
Midway Was Deserted.
Preparations had been made for
opening the Midway, and the proprie-
tors and lecturers were on the plat
forms before their tents. With the
first few drops of rain, however. the
visitors to the Midway enclosure.
sought shelter in the exhibition build
ings, and the shows were abandoned.
No great disappointment was felt by
the older show managers, and all made
the best of the bargain. The flaps to
the tents We're drawn together and the
companies sought shelter inside. One
of the proprietors, who has been in
the business for a number of years,
said that the first days of most fairs
are poor ones under the best weather
conditions, and he had no fears regard
ing the success of the fair during the
remainder of the week.
A mum Der of new shows nut In an
appearance during the day, and were
given places outside of the Midway
enclosure. Mr.. James c. Shaw. who
has charge of the Midway attractions.
has succeeded in booking a "Trip to
the Moon" and it is expected to arrive
sometime this morning.
Music Booth Amused Visitors.
During the heaviest part of the rain
fall visitors in the exhibit buildings
gathered about the music booths of
Youmans & Leete and the Macarthur
Sons Company Photographs and
graphophOnes were started and within
a few moments the buildings were
echoing with ragtime airs.
There are no special features sched-
uled for to-day, but all the regular at
fractions will be running and every
thing for the comfort and convenience
of visitors arranged. The gates will
be open at 9 O'Clock to the general pub
lie and will remain open until 10 o'clock
at night.
The Midway will be in all its glory
and the proprietors will be particularly
active in the bally-ho, to make up for
the loss of attendance yesterday. No
serious damage was caused by the rain
and there will be no delays to-day.
The exhibit buildings will be in better
shape to accommodate the crowds. All
of the booths which were not ready
yesterday will have been finished and
the corridors of buildings cleaned and
swept.
A great part of the county exhibits
will be in position and these will add
considerable to the beauty of the eX-
hibits. There were eight carloads of
agricultural exhibits in Savannah yes
terday and more were expected before
nightfall. Each county manager has
brought with him a large force of men
and in addition has hired other help in
Savannah. This entire force will be
put to work on moving the exhibits
from the cars to the buildings and as
rapidly as possible everything will be
placed in position.
Preparations are being made by Sec
rotary Doyle and General Manager
Saussy for Children's Day, for which
purpose Saturday has been set aside.
Formal invitations have been sent the
Orphan Homes and their acceptance is
probable.