Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-09-15
And an Enormous Crowd
At the State Fair.
Only One Race Finished, Though
10 Heats Are Run.
Decided 10 Garry the Fair Over 10 Saturday
.-.Notes and More Premiums.

T. v ston. Me. Sept. H.-(SpeciaD.-
IT Yesterdays clearing weather brought
delight into the hearts of the Lewiston
fair management today'S brought
something more. 1t brought everything
that was needed to make the Cover
uor's day the greatest success of the
year and perhaps the greatest ever i'll
the long history of the Maine State
Agricultural Society. That is to say, 1t
brought the people. That was all that
WAS needed. Everything else was here
has hcem here since the opening day
cattle. horses. agricultural products
aud everything else that goes to make
w one of the best of New England
fairs.
But the crowd-thats what the man
agemcnt was afraid of. People don't
come when il rains. no matter how
god The show. It's funny. but they
wont. And it was this which worried
the fair management. il worried them
all day. yesterday. and it worried them
Whrr, they went to bed, last night.
But this morning brought JOY and
happiness to them and to all the world
rair lover rs he stuck his head out Of
bed and looked across the tents out
onto tho track. to the white stables
over to tn" eastward. Then fakir
leapv,i up an said: Money will talk.
today" and if numbers count the
prophecy must have come true.
Tho crowd is immense. Everybody
SAYS il is the biggest that WAS ever ON
the Maine State Fair groundS-which
would be anywhere from $4,000 to 30
200 Dt course there are estimates That
run higher-and again there arc those
that run lower but the above figures
are probably not far from the number.
The fair officials said. late in the ar
ternoon. that they did not know exact
~ how many there were, but they
agreed with all the veterans that it
was the biggest crowd ever on the
grounds.
II was Governors day. That is the
day that the crowd always comes. and
todav thew came as usual--only more
ul them. The crowd began in the early
morning hours and continued in n
Steady stream all the forenoon, so that
hy noon il WAS immense. But If it was
Immense then, it was something more
IN tho afternoon, for they kept on
rnmin;,-and it WIS not until In the
late afternoon that the tide began to
iurr
The forenoon was taken up by the
various attractions of the fair-looking
oven exhibits. pulling contests. fakirs
ana a Thousand ana one other things;
and ail drew its share Of the crowd.
The main &venu" was 50 filled even
curing the early part of the day so that
II WAS scarcely possible to get around,
al al the shows reapinG Il big harvest.
Then the Exhibition hall drew a full
house ali the forcnoon-aS indeed it dhl
all day. all of the attractions which
were reviewed in yesterdays journal
having thousands Of admirers during
tho day. II made II pleasant piac" to
visit tho exhibits not only being pleas
ing. but the seats arranged downstairs
ana the fine music dispensed by the
piano exhibitors in the east wing made
II Il most delightful place.
Then there WIS tn" band concert
outdoors which added its mite to the
"thrr attractions and gave people p
chance to listen to firSt-clasS music and
to watch the people as they surSed
mthcr and thithcr.
Hut the biggest thing of the day was
Ia center about the arrival OF the Gov
ttnor and the races of the afternoon
Long before o'clock. the avenue
leading To the grandstaud from fan
down the street and outside the gat,
WAS crowded with people. The Cover
nor. accompanied by Adiutant Genera
Funham and other members OF hi!
STAFF. arrived in carriages outside thu
big gate at 2.15. headed Ivy City Mar
shal Wing and squad of police. A
the entrance the Governor was met b!
tho ii Regiment Band and members o
the Woodsmen in uniform. who acteC
as ~ escort to the grandstand. which
mad. u very pretty sight.
Thu grandstand presented an animal
"a appearance. too. at this time. n:
we'll rs throughout the entire after
noon. The immense structure was al
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