The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-10-06

Outnumbering any attendance ever
seen at the State Fair. more than $4,000
people, 1t is estimated, thronged into
the grounds yesterday for the
celebration OF Richmond day, making
the biggest mob Richmond has ever
witnessed anywhere near its circles.
When 1t was seen that the number of
people at the fair Is nearly half the
population of Richmond. 1t can be
vaguely understood what congestion
there was. Piling. showing, pushing.
STRIVING man agairst man for mere
elbows room. the throng poured in
the gates all day long and up to 10
O'Clock at night.
Governor Mann had declared holiday
In the State government Offices, and
Mayor Richardson had proclaimed holt
day for the city employees. Nearly all
the big business houses close ddown
SO that their employees might take In
Richmond day. and the school children
were dismissed after lessons Tuesday,
with the understanding that they were
expected to attend the fair and there
learn lessons greater than any teacher
could teach.
Every Car IN Service.
The Virginia Railway ard Power
Company had ir use Its every car. and
every employe OF the company, except
two. worked from o'clock In the
morning until midnight. Fares were
taken up only on the cars going to
The grounds. Fares for the return trip
were collected at gates leading from
The grounds, and thcrc the mob surged
SO dersely that those only few yards
from eXi. were forced to walt some.
times half an hour before they could
get out. There was no time for the
conductors ut the exits 10 make
change. The fares had to be ready
There was no cessation for the car
men. They worked like beavers.
BY 10 o'clock there were between
10000 and 10000 people inside the
was swelled into the sixties. surpass-
ing all records. Thousands who de-
sired seais in the Sgrand-st remain
"a outside when they sew 1t so packed.
Along Midway, where two throngs
We're always moving in opposite di-
rections. progress could hardly be
made. The crowds extended back to
the exhibit buildings. and halfway
around the track.
Ballyhoo Lane was at its height.
Screaming with laughter. ga with
the confetti-throwing, mad with the
pure delight Of doing Just as they
pleased. remonstrances of parents to
the contrary. though they might be.
the school children seemed 10 realize
more than all their dreams OF earthly
pleasure.
Mothers and fathers. old men and
women. forgot themselves for the hour.
and thousand pounds of paper went
to waste in the throwing of confetti.
Crowds Were Orderly.
And withal 1t was an orderly crowd.
There was never the slightest suspicion
OF disturbance -xcepr wpen the aero
plane took to the air. and then the
rclice were absolutely powerless
Crowds of such size disdain police
cordons. and have no awe of the
majesty of the law. Between the two
flights they streamed in thousands
across the field, each eye aching to
catch nearer glimpse of the world
famous aviator. of the man who dai1v
rlsked his life for their pleasure
And to the rail the people clung dur-
Ing the races, Richmond Day affordin,
the best card of all. And when Flat.
loot leaped the hurdles and raced hone
on the stretch without the bridla
guided only by the touch OF his rider
the crowd screamed aloud its delight
~ tlic UNUSUAL 1eat. p
From the bridge over the Richmond
and Potomac RailroaId
the ever increasing throng of men and
women dressed for Sunday drowned
out Of sight into the pit of the grounds
only to emerge again living mass
through the swinging turnstiles into
the circle around tho track. Beneath
It's hountins flags the bridge looked
alive with people, all walking. nush-
Ing In one direction. Many women IN
able to leave home without their
babies, brought the little ones along
and the empty spaces of the other
circle We're used at midday and at
night as picnic grounds. After the
disastrous tight of the Mayor, when
the sun had set and the more wearled
had gone, The remaining crowd sat
Itself down to eat. Tired and dusty,
as after hard days march, men, ,yo-
men. girls and boys spread their
lunches on the ground. ready as soon
as they had eaten to take up again
the tramp over an oil-soaked and con-
fetti-covered course through Midway.
Gay Scene mt Night.
K AT night, when 4,5O0 electric bulbs
and innumerable lesser lights bloomed
out. tho scene was picturesque beyond
the powers of imaginative description
Beneath them the throngs swayed IN
every direction, obeying no single I'M
m (Continued on Eighth page.)