The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-09

With flags floating from the mastheads
 and 2O00 employees, exhibitors and helpers
 ready at their posts. the gates of the Alabama State Fair will be thrown open at g o'clock this morning. Every one went to bed this morning at o'clock, and the final inspection showed that all is prepared for the big show.
 The rain yesterday was just what the
 fair management has prayed for. The
 dust is settled, the weather has turned
 cool and conditions at the fair grounds are ideal At g o'clock last night the last exhibitor had crowded his wares in the various buildings; the spellman amuse- ments, which were slightly delayed, had
 been switched into the grounds; the last
 load of swine and asses was being unload- ed: the balloons were ready for imitation; all the entries for today's races had been made and the poultry tent was becoming
 filled up with fine chickens.
 By 10 O clock this morning the Spellman tents and big shows will be doing busi-
 ness, and the midway caller will bring
 back the fond recollections of the La la, la, this way, here, here, greatest - started; you can't miss this."
 The early visitor to the fair will find all he can do for the whole day. And there will be thousands on the grounds the first day. Railroad offices gave out the information last night that more peo- pie had reached the city than on the day before the opening of the reunion. Every
 train brought thousands who had taken
 advantage of the first days reduced rail- road rate, and wanted to be on the spot in
 time to get accommodations. Three extra trains had to be run to bring in the peo- pie.
 Immediately upon the gates opening
 throngs will begin pouring through the exhibit buildings. The Mines and Manu-
 factures building is a revelation of the
 mineral and manufacturing resources of the district. The Tennessee Coal, Iron
 and Railroad company has expended big
 sum in showing the coal, iron ore, coke and finished products. The "cachunk'' of
 newly invented machinery at work, the
 perfect exhibition of beautiful brick, the
 Stockham Pipe Fitting company's elabo- rate showing and hundreds of others are
 ready in their places.
 Entrance into the main building will call forth exclamations of surprise. Right in the doorway is one of the most elabo-
 rate exhibits ever planned and on the interior the displays are indescribable. The agricultural exhibits are more than
 marvels, but the ladies will have to hurry to the woman's department, which is veritable paradise of beautiful preserves,
 arranged to display their rich colors in
 glasses and jars on pyramids piled high. The booths of dozen ladies arranged to show everything made in the home are the most interesting studies.
 The needle work, art and painting ex- hibits are far better than they have ever
 been before
 The change yesterday in the booths of the merchants was the most marked de. velopment. From a medley of noises and a mixture of lumber, bunting and tacks, these booths have become artistic finished displays. Each one has an n- dfviduality of its own which will appeal to every person who walks through Now comes theI big shows Down the Line" The Wild West company will be in full swing, the flea circus will be
 going on all the time, the ostrich farm.
 W, the streets of India, and the displays of
 genuine freaks of nature will entertain the crowds during the whole day and
 night.
 But at 1 p. m. activities begin at the grandstand Riccis concert band, which won reputation in Birmingham last year, will appear in their first concert Mile. Wi1mne Hammann and Joseph Fon- tana, the two soloists, will sing before
 the grandstand. The power of their
 voices reaches to every part, and they are ~enchored time and again.
 At D. m. the races begin, weather per-
 hitting. Only four entries have been
 made for each of the pacing and trotting
 races, but they are all fast horses, and tbe results will more than likely be close
 Class 2:24 trot. News purse-No. 1, The
 Doctor, by Dr. Hatch, owned by R. E.
 Branch; No. 2 Annie May, by Fred s.
 Wilkes, owned by J. N. Hull. Birming-
 ham; No. B. Sadly Margaret by Re-elec-
 ton, owned by McCurdy Bros, Selma; No.
 f. Berney Olga, by Berney Dothan,
 owned by Douglas Boyd Griffin, Ga.
 Class 2:09 pace, purse s500-No. l. Annie
 Selm, by Bills H., owned by A. w.
 Mackie, Pulaski, Tenn; No. ?, Sandy Hal,
 by Sandy Wilkes, dam Lucy Hal owned
 by R. s. Thomas, Columbia, Tenn; No. ,,
 Harry. by Grant, owned by Ken Frank,
 Memphis, Tenn; No. 4. Silly Pointer by
 Dew Pointer, owned by Ben Reneck,
 Selma.
 Entries for the seven-eights of a mile