Durango semi-weekly herald. (Durango, Colo.) 1899-1907, 1906-10-04
The Fair Just Closed was
a Great Success

The Colorado-New Mexico fair
closed Saturday with an attendance
almost as large as that of Friday and
the receipts for the three days OF this
year were somewhat larger than
those of the year previous.
The program of sports for the last
day was the best of the three and
was fully appreciated by the crowd
assembled; and the visitors to the
agricultural and horticultural halls
and to the fine stock exhibits were as
numerous as on any OF the former
days.
In the five-mile relay race Satur-
day afternoon, which was run too
late to report in the paper that even
ing, string of horses ridden by
Ute Indian took first money. His on
IL competitor was Mexican. The
Ute won by more than half mile.
In the seventh race, a five-eighths
running, Fanchon, owned by Jesse
Halter took first money and Present
ly, owned by James Curl, took second.
The half-mile squaw race was an
interesting event, several squaws
riding.
The closing race was chicken
pulling contest. Bill Gun, Ute,
pulled the sack and was overtaken
half way around by Black Eye, an
other Ute, who ran in under the wire
with it, and the money was divided
between the two.
The stage hold-up, the hanging OF
the horse thief and the run of the
fire department attracted an immense
crowd to Main avenue in the evening;
and but for the fact that the horse
thief refused to be hung when the
time came, no disappointment was ex-
perienced by the assembled multi
trde. The popping of pistols. the
glare of the red fire, the blaze of
brass and the cowboy costumes worn
by the stage robbers, who galloped up
and down the street in apparent dis
regard of the fact that they were not
in the open, but on the main street
Of city. made wierd and exciting
scene, and it was with palpable re-
luctance that the men, women and
children turned their faces homeward
after the show was over. In mentally
summing up the results OF this fair
there is much cause for congratula-
ton to all concerned. Though the
opening day was postponed on ac-
count of rain and much gloom and
apprehension was felt because 1t was
feared the outlook would cause many
to return home who had come from
a distance, and that the receipts
would be curtailed seriously by rea-
son of that fact, Thursday turned out
fair and warm and all the succeeding
days were fine, so that the fears were
proven groundless and the fond an
ticipations of more successful fair
than usual were realized.
The receipts were larger than usual
this year and somewhat less money
was spent on the races; but the large
ly increased premiums offered for ex-
hibits of fruits, produce, fine stock,
etc, more than offset the reduction
in the purses, so that there will not
be a return of guarantee money cor
responding to the receipts, as some
seem to expect, basing their calcula-
tons on last year. Everybody must
recognize the wisdom of offering in
creased premiums in the agricultural
and horticultural sections which re-
suited in the exceedingly fine display
seen, and nobody can very much re-
gret the fact that no large amount
of money will be realized.
The stimulus that a successful fair
gives to all agrarian pursuits will
more than compensate for the expen-
diture of the small amount of money
that each subscriber will be out of
pocket, and more settlers. better crops,
finer stock and better conditions will
gradually be brought about to the
benefit OF all.