Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1904-09-30

Wednesday was all tnat couId pe
desired In the way of fair day.
The morning dawned bright and clear
with the temperature just right, not
cold enough 10 make even a light
overcoat necessary and not so warm
that exercise felt like an exertion.
The specials which arrived from the
north and south in the morning
brought large crowds of people and
before ten o'clock the fair grounds
took on their accustomed and fam
iliar appearance of activity and life,
All of Wednesdays events were run
off according to the official program,
and with the special weather predic-
tion of fair and warmer which ar
rived during the day the prospects for
a perfect fair were indeed roseate'
But during Wednesday evening tue
sky began TO take on clouded ap-
pearanee and many faces wore wor-
ried expressions whenever they
looked aloft. With Thursday morn
ing came strong southeast wind, an
overcast sky and prospect Of rain
any minute but these conditions
seemed to have no terrors for the peo-
pie who had made up their minds 10
come to Brattleboro The early spec
ials brought far more people to town
than on the previous day, and the
road from the depot to the falr
grounds was crowded with vehicles
ali the morning.
Faith IN Brattleboro's pull with the
weather bureau proved 10 be mis-
placed, however. Between the hours
of IL and II rain began TO fall, gehtiy
at first but undoubtedly as II 1t meant
business The first shower continued
for about an hour, and while many
III n Caalx Cha1Tar in
The different buildings hardly any left
the grounds. The grandstand filled as
usual when the time for the track
events arrived and during brief let
IN the races were started. The nrst
heat of the second race was no more
than finished when ii began to ram IN
good earnest, and as the intensity Oh
the shower increased it became ap-
parent TO all that the afternoons
program would have to be abandoned.
Nevertheless the crowd which filled
the grandstand solidly waited until
President Pierce sadly announced
through his megaphone that 'on ac-
count of the weather and the condi-
tion Of the track the races would nave
to be postponed until Friday after
noon at o'clock when everything
would be free including music by the
band and the vaudeville" This an
nouncement was a signal for people
To begin making arrangements for
getting down town. but just now
proved a serious question. the
shower which started so unpreten-
tiouslv had taken the proportions of
downpour, and not one person in ~
was equipped with umbrella or ram
coat.
The exodus was something both
and pitiful to watch. There
were only enough teams to accommo-
date about one tenth of those who
wished To ride, so that the other nine
tenths were obliged to wait patient
ly for their turn or else defy the
weather and go afoot. That the last
course was taken by many was eVl-
denced by the stream of men, wo-
men and children who plodded
through several inches of mud ana
water on their way to Main street.
BY 3 o'clock very few people We're left
on the grounds. AS luck would nave
it the rain fell the hardest just as the
main portion of the crowd was leaV-
ing in the afternoon, and by o'ciock
in the evening the weather overhead
was perfect.
AS TO the fair itself there is little to
be said in the way of general COM
ment all of the various departments
being covered in the following re-
ports. Suffice it to say. then. that the
horse and cattle departments We're all
and more than could be wished, the
bench show far and away ahead OF
ANYTHING ever seen at the fair in the |
line of CANNES, the poultry exhibit up |
to the high standard set in past
wears. and the other departments in |
keeping with those just mentioned.
The reserved seat section of the |
proved a great improve
ment, and brought in very nearly
: l 600 to the association. There were |
also many other improvements in the |
wav of little things. which go to show |
that the management is progressive |
and will take advantage of every OPP
portunity to bring the show to still |
nirhnr laral in the future.