The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-06
STATE FAIR WILL BE THROWN
 OPEN TO VISITORS TUESDAY List Considered Greatest Brought Birmingham Promises
 Crowds the Time of Their Lives

The Alabama State fair is ready for the crowds.
 Tuesday morning at 8 o'clock the gates will swing wide open, admitting the throngs to the biggest agricultural, mine and manufacturing exhibition, and the finest collection of amusement features ever seen south of the Ohio river. "Wednesday night at midnight October IS, the gates will close, and in that ten-day season new records are expected for southern fairs
 Saturday snw the finishing touches. Fine weather and a wise management had the grounds in shape long before the ap- pointed time, and when the exhibits came piling in a big force was ready to put them in place with the greatest dispatch. In spite of the fact that the number of displays exceeded the expectation of the management, everything has been handled in systematic order, and the fair stands ready for inspection. Today and Monday none but employees will be permitted to pass through the gates.
 The management this year has worked along two general lines-to collect the finest display of Alabama products ever gotten together and to offer the greatest list of free and paid attractions ever shown in the south. They have succeeded in both instances. Educationally the fair will be worth the while of every resident of the state, and from an amusement viewpoint it will eclipse anything ever offered in this section.
 Ten Big Free Attractions.
 Ten big attractions are to be seen every day at the fair without extra chargel Among these will be an airship, balloon ascension, two racing ostriches, aerial ac- robats, high rope walkers. trained puii a military band, two comedy acts, horse racing and fireworks. On special days there will be field and track events. n world-renowned automobile racer, motor cycle contests and other features yet un- announced.
 Capt. Thomas S. Baldwin, Americas foremost aeronaut, will be there with his airship, "California Arrow" and VIII make an ascension every day, possibly twice on some days. Captain Baldwin in- vented and operated the first flying ma chine ever flown in America in the sum- mer of 1902 when his flight at Los Angeles set the country talking Since the late Darius Greens unfortunate experience nothing has been better as a crowd-getter than an arship which delivers the goos-' This Captain Baldwin promises to do and his experience at fairs this summer as shown by press accounts jus tify his claim. Captain Baldwin spent the past week at the Halifax, N. s. fair, where he made four flights in six days, once in a 12-mile-an-hour wind He reaches Birmingham tonight.
 Ford's racing ostrichs, "Oscola" and Carrie Nation" promise to furnish one of the sensations of the fair season. These big birds have been broken to harness and will be driven around the track against any horse in the 2.20 class. The orstriches in full racing regalia form novel and intersting sight, which is sure to at tract the attention of the crowds. The ostriches come from West Virginia, where Manager Ford has shown them the past week with great success.
 Ricci's Italian band comes to Birm- ingham direct from the Jamestown expo sition, where it has just closed a two weeks special engagement. This band consists of 37 pieces. and is we'll remem- bered by all who have visited the White City, Chicago, the past two seasons. where the band was stationed. The music lovers of the city are showing the liveliest inter- est in the coming of Ricefs band, as the