Semi-weekly herald., 1911-09-28
FAIR STARTS OFF IN
A BLAZE OF GLORY
At the Grounds

ihc idii eTouIiuS WIS IL DuSy scene
this morning. The exhibitors were
working like beavers arranging their
displays, and Joe Clark, the courteous
secretary was very much in demand.
The main hall where the fruits and
vegetables are displayed looks very
nice, and the new poultry addition is
great Improvement over preceding
years.
The Womans building is especially
attractive. The exhibits are many and
varied. There are great many fine
specimens of the popular crochet, and
there are number of splendid entries
in the fine arts. Two rest rooms, one
in the Woman's building, and one in
the tent erected by the Modern Wood
men will doubtless be much patron
lied during the fair.
The general appearance of the
grounds has been greatly improved
by the removal of weeds, the track be-
ing as clean as the proverbial new
pin. To say much in little, it appears
that the fair will be the best ever.
Today's Parade
The citizens of Durango and La
Plata county have reason to feel proud
of the grand street parade which pre-
ceded the opening of the fair today.
The floats began to gather at the
court house at 10 o'clock, but it was
nearly IL o'clock before the parade
started. The parade was led by Geo.
Logan, A. r. Springer and George o.
bert, members of the committee on
amusements, and they were followed
by mounted Indians in picturesque cos
tunes, with the sheriff, the city mar
shal and their deputies in the rear.
The next in order was the Farm
ington band, followed by the floats,
and as they are deserving of especial
mention we will try to describe few
of them.
The Knights of Pythias float, drawn
by four black horses, was preceded by
members of the Uniform Rank form
ing a triangle. In the float Damon
surrounded by the kings guards was
waiting for the headman's ak to fall,
and the whole scene was very beauti-
ful and impressive.
The Moving Picture Show company
is deserving of great credit for the
magnificent float it prepared. The
float was drawn by six white horses,
and it was equipped with film ma
chine and screen in front of which
the audience was seated. Mr.. Jay
Probst, the manager, had designed TO
connect the film machine with the cleo
trio wires above the street car track
and give picture show while the pa
pade was moving, but at Graden's cor
ner his complicated machinery met
with an accident that frustrated his
laudable attempt.
Another float deserving of especial
praise is the one prepared by c. II
Pearson and son. This large float
was draped with green asparagus and
it was filled with fine samples Of
fruit, grain and vegetables from the
Pearson ranch, east Of town.
A unique float also was the one pre-
pared by the Elite laundry. 1t was
draped in clean white cloth, with two
colored boys seated in front and two
white boys in the rear, illustrating be.
fore and after the laundry did the
work.
The Graden Mercantile company
float was also very large and very
fine one. The large bows extending
from the center were draped in pur
pie and white, and crowd Of schoo
girls who rode in the float wearing
4 their class colors were also dressed il
purple and white.
The Durango Mercantile compan,
had substantial float filled with fin,
samples of the hay and grain which
it handles, and Mr.. Cobb took especia
pains in decorating and filling the fin,
float which represented the business